Exchanging addictions

There's many reasons why I enjoy running. Over time I'll try explore all of them in this blog. However, the main reason is how it makes me feel physically. I definitely experience the 'runners high'. It comes over me once I've ran about five miles.

I begin to feel euphoric and stop thinking about the usual rubbish that bounces around the brain, and just enjoy the syncopation of inhalation, foot falls and exhalation. My surroundings seem to blur and I enter into a state of almost meditative concentration.

I'll come back home from these long weekend runs muddy, sweating and panting but I've got an inane grin on my face. This 'high' can last all day sometimes. I can recommend it to anyone.

If I had the time I'd run much more frequently. Family and work have to take precedence of course. Perhaps this is good, as I'd probably get addicted to this high in the same way I'm addicted to caffeine & nicotine right now.

Incidentally, its been five days now free of nicotine, alcohol and caffeine, today is the first day that I'm feeling the benefit. I'll dedicate a post to it once I've achieved a drug free week. Free apart from the runners high endorphins of course.

Apparently endorphins may not be the actual cause of runners highs. Here's a great blog post by Scott Dunlap explaining his runners high.

Unfortunately, because of circumstances beyond my control, I didn't get a long enough run this weekend to get 'high'. Nonetheless I managed to get a pleasant 4 mile jog in yesterday afternoon and a 3 mile fast scarper at my work lunchbreak today. Half way through today's run I past a dead rabbit hanging from branches of a small tree. It was both surreal, and tragic. I took a photo of it and have posted it below.

As promised, here's a picture taken at each mile;

Sundays 4 mile run;

Mile 1























Mile 2























Mile 3




















Mile 4



















Today's 3 mile (with rabbit);


Mile 1



















The rabbit (1.4 miles)


















Mile 2



















Mile 3 (who said Graffiti is an eyesore?)