I wanna get HIGH!

I ran the Chevron Houston Marathon Jan 30^th, 2011.  It was really though and the greatest experience of my life (more on this on another post).  It took me about 6 months to train for it and my favorite part of it was the last 3 months before the marathon.  I was running 35/40+ miles a week and not every run was great, in fact 80% on my runs during the week sucked! It was humid, hot, cold, had stomach issues, slept a little, something was hurting, etc… BUT I always knew after the run I would get what they call “Runners high”.  I don’t know if it can be described, but I’ll try.

During the week when I would run either 6 or 7 miles that day I felt amazing after.  My running partner and I would wake up @ 4am, sometimes 3:30 just to get started at 4.  In Houston you have to get your mileage done in the morning because it’s hell in the afternoon!  The majority of the time I was grumpy in the mornings, obviously tired and just not in the mood to run, but I just had to get it done.  So I would suck it up and after a couple miles I was awake and warmed up, ready to go.  On Saturdays when I would run with my group it was a little better, because it’s slower mileage and I would run with people my pace (my running partner is fast than me and was nice enough to bring it down to my level).  I fell in love with running 15+ miles, I felt like a bad ass because not too many people were capable of doing it.  Those 2+ hours felt the best ever, being with my friends, talking and just running.  I loved challenging myself every week and adding a mile into my long runs.  It wasn’t easy, but my little heart away and when I finally stopped because we reached the end, I was the happiest, more alive, cheerful, loving, care free person I could ever be.  I felt pure and as if all the toxins and yucky stuff from your inside was left on the road.  I felt Light and free.  It would last all day, sometimes even all weekend and I couldn’t wait to feel it again Monday morning.  I was High, on could 9.  Probably the 2^nd best feeling to being in love (I’m not exaggerating, ask any runner who runs marathons).  I wish everyone could experience it and that’s why I try to get my friends into running.  I fell in love with the feeling of having a runners high. 

Right before the marathon, I couldn’t wait to stop running and take a break.  By break I meant not doing anything for 2 weeks, not only for recovery, but I wanted to sleep in and be normal again.  Those 2 weeks past and I couldn’t wait to get moving!  I hadn’t fully recovered, but I was still able to get in 3-4 miles a couple times a week.  This past Saturday I went to Memorial Park and ran 5 miles with my running partner and my BF at a slow pace.  I finally accepted that I couldn’t run as fast or as long right away and I was ok with that, as long as I would RUN.  It was such a beautiful day, the weather was PERFECT and so was everything about the run.  Nothing hurt, I felt myself again and then it happened, Mile 4 I got high.  I wanted to keep going, but I knew I couldn’t because I was still on recovery mode and just had to wait until Monday when I would run again with my running partner in the morning. 

Monday came and I can’t tell you how amazing the 4 miles were.  Since I hadn’t been waking early for about 2 weeks, I was so tired and grumpy.  I woke up @ 4:30, my running partner@ 4:45 and ran a fast 4 mile Tempo run.  It felt so easy and perfect, I wanted to keep running and cry tears of joy because I was able to run normal again!  When we finished we were so chatty and just happy, back to normal. J

The high makes me become a different person, a better person, the best I can be.  I know I’m all cheese ball about it, but I love it! J  I can’t wait until I feel it again, I’ve been grumpy pants lately and really need to get my fix.  So did I describe it?  Probably not, but that’s how my runner’s high it.

This is when I was about to cross the finish line experiencing the beginning of my high.

Simi

xoxo