Originally published at: The key to a "runner's high" is marijuana, according to a new book | Boing Boing
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My entire athletic life I have microdose weed prior to heavy lift day. It’s a deeper meditative concentration into the process of moving one heavy object from one place to another place.
I couldn’t agree more with the results of this process.
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Cannabis and runners high feel the exact same to me, except one is very sweaty.
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I am not a consumer of cannabis, but I would be concerned with the pain relief effects masking “bad pain”, which you have to be attuned to especially in endurance sports. (Also, being able to ignore the “good pain” probably would give a competitive advantage, the relaxing effects possibly allowing for more efficient gait, etc.)
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Getting high already makes you feel good. I don’t like running so I can’t imagine that the running while high would feel good. Unless this of those things where doing something you already enjoy gets better when you’re stoned.
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It’s really upped my couch game.
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I’ve never experienced either, so this makes perfect sense.
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I’m a runner. Back when I still smoked regularly I would tend to go running later, as the high was wearing off. Whatever the science, I found I would run harder and/or longer, and be pleasantly exhausted afterwards. It most closely compares with with the feeling after sex or a big delicious meal.
But if you don’t run you’ll just be in pain. If you already have the lungs and legs for it then it’s great.
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As one who’s spent the last two decades hiking at altitude above treeline in Colorado and elsewhere, I can say with confidence that this guy was definitely not full of shit.
Cannabis can relieve both aches/pains and anxiety during the aerobic and mental challenges of peak bagging, plus remind the user to admire the beauty of the mountains.
Besides, it feels really cool to literally be the highest person in Washington, Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico, or even Florida (elevation 345’).
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I do run into this with repetitive stress injuries, while high I don’t notice the warning signs and I’ll feel it the next day. I just have to consciously follow my instinct about how much activity I can do safely rather than listen what my body is telling me.
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I used to take a couple small edibles around 30-40mg (micrograms?) of THC it usually worked out to about a half gram of a denatured dab (molasses like). I do this about 30 minutes before my bike ride and then I’d go for an hour long ride trying to hit 20 miles usually it would take me about 70 minutes. The bike ride was pretty flat and was out on a hard pack dirt riding/walking trail so I didn’t have to worry about cars and only had to pay attention to the other riders/walkers on the trail which were few and far between. At around 30-40 minutes into it my legs would feel like lead and everything would suck and then somehow you’d break through it in a few minutes and then it was like you were one with your bike then it would just become this peaceful and serene experience no longer focused on the burn in your legs.
I should probably start looking at buying a trainer for my bike for riding indoors in the winter. Didn’t do that last winter and starting riding again was tough, and bike riding is one of my few stress outlets I got left. It’s just that I’ve had gym memberships and sitting in place spinning away kinda sucks and just isn’t the same.
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Y’ever went scuba diving on weed?
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When I was heavy into bicycling, smoking before a ride was most therapeutic, and made it easier to pass “the wall”. I highly recommend it.
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So… the secret to getting a runner’s high is to get high before running?
Seems like one could just skip all the running part. 
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must be an american thing, I have been an ultra runner in lots of countries, don’t know any of my friends who smoke before an event.
Unless you like running without remembering where you were running to. Oh that’s right, to the pizza shop.
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I ran 3.5 mi 3-5x per week, usually stoned, in the late 90s. Weed and running are a fantastic combo. I became a lazy bum later, when I took a 15 year break from weed and got married and had kids.
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Studded tires and a winter jacket will give you a better life. your rides might be shorter than in the summer, but they’ll be memorable and exhilirating. And way better than sitting in the house pedalling in place.
Maybe cannabis is the cure for the mind numbing dullness of sitting on a bike spinner & going nowhere.
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You don’t have to compete to run (or smoke).
It does help the situation.
