The final running entry.

One of the most bizarre and thrilling things I have ever experienced is the runner's high.

See, what happens is, sometimes near the end of my run, I decide that I can run a little faster for a while. So I do.

And then I think, "You know, I can run even faster than this for awhile. Maybe I'll run fast for the next mile." So I do.

And then I think that I can run even faster, because, what the hell, I only have another two miles before I head home. So I run faster, and I feel like it's REALLY fast, and it feels really good, but the logical part of my brain is going "You should be tired right now. You've run several miles, and this is the end of your run."

But the thing is, I'm not tired AT ALL. I take mental check of my legs - still feeling good. My breathing? Steady and deep. My arms? Still pumping. So I take advantage of that feeling and run even faster - as fast as I can - until I reach the point in my neighborhood that I have designated as the "slow down point," the point at which I allow myself to jog or walk the rest of the way so that I'm cooled down by the time I get home.

And that's where the freaky thing happens. Logically, I should be out of breath. I should be gasping and panting and aching and ready to crawl the rest of the way home, because I have just run very, very fast for an extended period of time. But I'm not tired at all - in fact, I'm not even breathing hard. My body and lungs feel as if I'd just been strolling down the block at a leisurely pace. I feel overwhelmingly calm, relaxed and peaceful, as though I'd never run at all. I feel as if I could do the whole run over again, only faster.

It's truly strange. I haven't done the research, but it has to be due to some sort of chemical release caused by extended exercise - some sort of evolutionary adrenaline/endorphine rush triggered when a part of the primitive brain is fooled into thinking that it will die if it doesn't outrun whatever predator is chasing it down. Just a theory.

This doesn't happen every time I run, not even close, but chasing that feeling is what keeps me running. The other day, I could not stop gushing about it to D.

"I cannot imagine that any kind of drug produces a better feeling than that feeling," I said. "It's a complete motherfucking-mindblowing experience. Body, mind, emotion - everything is revving at top speed, and it's amazing."

D. can't run for exercise for medical reasons (long story), but he says I make him want to really badly.

I'm going to start a running blog so I can keep all things running separate from this site. I'll post a link here when I do it.