The weirdest running experience ever
Please, do not laugh! I am sharing this with you because I hope somebody will tell me this is completely normal!
After a week of struggle and lack of motivation, I approached my longest run yet with determination.
It was my only day off for the week, and I took my time to relax and concentrate. I stretched and warm up telling myself to go slow and just focusing on time.
When I stepped on the treadmill I knew I was going to finish not matter what, I just didn’t know how. I’m always afraid to lower the pace when I’m not suppose to.
Anyway, I was running fine at a comfortable pace, breathing and focusing. After about 10-15 minutes in my running, I was staring at the mirror in front on me, and something very strange happened.
I couldn’t feel my body anymore. I was running but I wasn’t.
I was breathing in a perfect way, slowly and deeply, with no struggle at all. It was like if I wasn’t moving. I felt VERY good, but in the same time I felt like outside of my own body.
I remember I thought: “Uh, so this is how it feels. When people run and enjoy it, they feel like this. I love it”.
After few minute I was feeling so good and breathing so well that I had a clear sensation that the whole experience wasn’t real. I thought I was dreaming, or I passed out and that was a kind of dream. I almost got scared at some point and I started to look around, to touch my face and focusing on my legs running because I needed to feel them. So I lost the “moment”.
When I talked to my husband about it, he told me: “That’s great. You got to your “running nirvana”. You know I have been training for years but I have never got to that point”.
I don’t know, maybe you guys can help me.
The only thing that I am sure about is that I got my motivation back, and that I want to be focus and have that experience again. But this time I won’t let the moment end so quickly.
23 Responses to “The weirdest running experience ever”
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- - February 18, 2011
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Nice one. Sometimes I feel really good runnig but I never got that spacey feeling. Must be good though.
I’m so jealous! No matter how hard I try, I’ll never love running. ^^
That’s why it felt very weird!!!
Thanks for stopping by this morning! I’ve had the same feeling as you, so it’s totally normal. Glad you had the experience, even if it was surreal!
You were having “runner’s high”: it happens sooner or later. Many soldiers when in basic training get this. Doesn’t always come, although it comes regularly for some people. Your mileage may vary.
I have to say I’m jealous. I’ve had moments where I’ve felt like I may have caught my stride but they are short lived and too few and too far between.
I hope you’re able to chase it down again. : )
I’m trying hard!
I hope so too!
Glad you’ve got your motivation back
And congrats on the ‘runner’s nirvana’ – I’m still at the ‘trying not to spit’ stage (yuk).
Umh, so this running nirvana really exist?! You guys seem all agree…
That’s what it was – runner’s high. I used to get it all the time. My roommate in college would run with me on a particular 5-mile route, and we had an agreement to not talk to each other from the 3-mile mark to the end, because we would be in that “feel good” zone. It’s great.
I have that feeling sometimes…but never with running. I can imagine how scary that must have been, not knowing what it was!
Elena, first of all, thanks for stopping by my blog and leaving a comment. Like other commenters have already mentioned, what you experienced is known as a “runner’s high.” Wish I could tell you more about it but the last time I experienced it, I was eleven years old and running on the playground. The only time I think I’ll ever run is if I’m in a life threatening situation. Guess I’ll have to find another way for the endorphins to kick in, eh?
Yep, runners high. Enjoy it when you get it. It doesn’t always happen for me. I find I have to reach a certain level of fitness in order for this to happen i.e fairly fit. If I let things slip for a couple of weeks, no show.
I don’t have the faintest idea of what you’re talking about! Anyway, I’ve just come across a video from TED on the mysteries of the human desire to run. Have a look
http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/eng/christopher_mcdougall_are_we_born_to_run.html
as defined in wikipedia the “runner’s high” is said to occur when strenuous exercise takes a person over a threshold that activates endorphin production. Endorphins are released during long, continuous workouts, when the level of intensity is between moderate and high, and breathing is difficult. This also corresponds with the time that muscles use up their stored glycogen. During a release of endorphins the person may be exposed to bodily harm from strenuous bodily functions after going past his or her body’s physical limit. This means that runners can keep running despite pain, continuously surpassing what they once considered to be their limit.
enjoy those moments of nirvana and simply let your body go.
That is great, you’re on the track again. So keep running girl!!!
Oh, that is the best feeling! I have to get quite a few miles in before I “forget” I’m running. Way to go!
That’s pretty cool. I may have had a similar feeling, but only on the treadmill. When outside, I’m usually distracted by my surroundings or oncoming traffic.
True! I don’t know how it happened but I won’t think I would able to get that outside
Yes! I have had this experience! I was running against traffic (trying not to get run over) through a beautiful old neighborhood where I live when it happened. I was running the last leg of a 6 mile training run and I thought “Wow! I really am a runner!” It was an overwhelming thought for me because I have super short legs, am slow and have asthma. But all the same, I found myself in another place that day, my body working like a well-tuned machine. So despite the fact that I can barely walk now, I really can’t wait for the day that I get that feeling back!
Yeah, it happened only once to me!!!!!