“Runners High”
April 13, 2026
Writer: Ansley Lilley
Editor: Megan Lennemann
“Runner’s High” was a term I was familiar with long before it became a recurring part of my life. My friends who ran would constantly use the phrase as a way of justifying their love for running as far as possible, but as someone who could barely run a mile, the thought of runner’s high seemed completely out of reach, and honestly, a feeling I didn’t particularly need to experience. As a sophomore in high school, struggling with typical teenage problems such as friendships, school, and figuring out who I was, the last thing I expected to get me out of that slump was running.
At first, I thought “runner’s high” was just something people said to romanticize exhaustion. How could pushing your body to its limit possibly feel good? But scientifically, the runner’s high is very real. For years, people believed it was caused by endorphins, chemicals released by the brain during prolonged exercise that help reduce pain and increase pleasure. Endorphins act like the body’s natural painkillers, dulling discomfort and creating a sense of lightness or even euphoria. More recent research, though, points to endocannabinoids (Linden). They bind to receptors in the brain in a way that reduces anxiety and produces a calm, uplifted feeling, sometimes described as peaceful, sometimes as powerful. Beyond the momentary high, running brings positive health benefits. Regular aerobic exercise improves cardiovascular health, strengthens muscles and bones, and increases energy levels (Linden). Mentally, it lessens feelings of loneliness and isolation, reduces the effects of stress, and helps with depression and anxiety (WebMD Editorial Contributors). Running teaches discipline, resilience, and how to sit with discomfort instead of running from it. Ironically, by choosing to run, you become better at facing everything else in life.
When I joined my high school's track and cross country team, I was mainly looking for something to do, something to shake up the monotony of my routine. I didn’t expect to find a community. Suddenly, I was surrounded by people who willingly woke up early for morning practices, who pushed through grueling workouts, who talked about mile splits and race strategies like they were solving life’s greatest mysteries. They were motivated, focused, and supportive in a way I had never experienced before.
The first time I truly felt runner’s high during a workout, it surprised me. My legs were moving almost automatically, my breathing had found its rhythm, and the doubts that usually filled my head went quiet. For a few minutes, it felt like I could keep going forever. What surprised me more was that the feeling didn’t stop when practice ended. Being on the team created a different kind of high. It was laughing during warm-ups, encouraging each other through the last 200 meters of a workout, and collapsing on the grass after a race, knowing you gave it everything. It was bus rides filled with music and nonstop laughter. It was having people who understood the strange satisfaction of sore legs and early mornings. Science explains the rush of endorphins and endocannabinoids, but it fails to capture what happens when you combine that physical euphoria with belonging. Running alongside people who are striving toward their own goals taught me that motivation is contagious. When you’re surrounded by driven, disciplined people, you also rise to meet that standard.
The same girl who once struggled to finish a mile found herself racing 5Ks, pushing through tempo runs, and setting goals she wouldn’t have dared to imagine before. Looking back, runner’s high took on a new meaning. It became something bigger for me, representing growth, friendship, and the realization that pushing through discomfort often leads to unexpected joy. And in that environment, surrounded by positive, motivated teammates who became my best friends, the rest of my seasons with the team felt like one long, life-changing runner’s high.
Works Cited
“The Truth Behind ‘Runner’s High’ and Other Mental Benefits of Running.” Johns Hopkins Medicine,https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/the-truth-behind-runners-high-and-other-mental-benefits-of-running.
“How Running Affects Mental Health.” WebMD, 8 May 2025,https://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/how-running-affects-mental-health.
