[shiplet]

In the 10+ years I've been running, I'd guess I've felt a "high" maybe 3 times? The first one was actually my first year running - a brisk 5-miler in the early Fall in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. Another during the second 800 of my first fairly competitive mile (dropped 12 seconds off my PR). And the third during a late Fall run in Lexington, VA (another 5-miler). In each instance I felt this impenetrable happiness, lightness, and ease. My form, breathing, even the air-circulation allowed by my clothing, were all perfect. I remember not wanting to acknowledge what was happening for fear of it disappearing as soon as I "looked" at it. Whole-body tingles, no soreness afterwards.

I think, in each case there were a couple of prevailing influences to the sensation:

1.) Feeling alone. Even during my mile, surrounded by 10 other racers, I felt pleasantly alone. Everything was quiet, non-distracting, sublime even.

2.) I was also on the verge of a major breakthrough in my training. My first year running, my 5K went from 22:09 to 17:21, and that first high was probably two weeks before that new PR. Same for the run in Lexington. Luckily it came in the MIDDLE of my mile, because I'd run the exact same time the past 4 races in a row.

3.) The weather. In each case, the weather was extremely mild - cool, brisk, gentle breeze, but no wind.

I'm probably over-analyzing it. Also TONS of nostalgia. But still, I want to make that feeling a more regular part of my life as time ticks on :)

EDIT: There's a fourth.

4.) Running was joyful. Not something I was doing to rack up mileage, or beat a competitor, or "push myself to the edge." Yeah, those things happened as a consequence of training, but they weren't the goal. The goal was to enjoy going fast. And yeah, I got high from it. It's when the focus became about those other things that the best I could do was get in a groove.

[ctchocula]

I'm a beginning runner, so what you said piques my curiosity, because a question that's been on my mind is whether a slow runner can ever get fast. I remember seeing Malcolm Gladwell (he happens also to be an amateur runner who can do a 4:54 mile) quoting someone saying "I’ve never seen a boy who was slow become fast", then express his agreement sprinting is indeed an exception to the 10,000-hour rule. [1] (To be clear, he is talking about, sprinting, but I think he would agree the logic extends to running.) You mentioned your 5K went from 22:09 to 17:21 your first year running. Were you simply a good runner to begin with? My personal experience is that I'm also in my first year of running, and my 5K PR is 26:50, so I'm wondering whether I can ever get it down to 22:09.

[1] http://www.newyorker.com/news/sporting-scene/complexity-and-...

[js2]

Yes, training will make you faster. My first marathon was a 4:22. I've since run a 3:12. I'm training for a 3:05 this fall, and hoping to run sub-3 next year. I'm 43. But we all have our limits. Generally, more running makes you faster... but it also increases the likelihood of injury. Some people can run insane amounts w/o getting injured [1]. Some people have natural ability to run fast w/hardly any training [2]. But even for them, training makes them faster.

The trick is to train enough (enough miles and the right kinds) to meet your goals. And figure out how to do so w/o getting injured. (Hint: go see a PT, have them evaluate you for imbalances and weaknesses. Do the exercises they prescribe. Then build your mileage, slowly and methodically. And you'll get there. Running well takes years for most people. Don't rush it.)

[1] http://www.bunnhill.com/BobHodge/Rodgers/TrainingLogs/br75tr...

[2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Way