I've been sick for the past several weeks. I'm pretty sure I had the swine flu (my doctor suspected so), and then a sinus infection hitched a ride on the back end. I was pretty sick for around 3 weeks, and while I'd been on a few runs and a ride or two, I had felt pretty slow and sluggish.
I've finally been feeling much better the last several days, so I decided to go for a run Monday evening. As soon as I was out the door, I realized that this run was going to be different. For the first time in a while, I felt like a weight had been lifted from my shoulders. For the first several minutes, I actually almost felt like I was flying. I was running very hard - I think my heart rate was averaging around 180 - but it felt amazing because I hadn't been able to run like that for what felt like ages. My legs were just turning over so quickly and rhythmically, and my breathe, though hard, was well-paced and full. The sensation was almost one of having had someone strap small rockets to my shoes.
And the best part was I actually got a runners high during the run. I've written about these before. They come on unpredictably, and they usually leave me smiling and dancing around my living room for an hour or so post-run. It really is an intense high, but I don't know any strategy to bring them on - sometimes it just happens and you count your blessings. I've gone months without one.
The whole evening was quite an experience. If how I felt during that run is how cyclists and other endurance athletes feel when they take EPO, I can now understand the strong allure of taking it to get that feeling of weightlessness, like you are a superman. Once tasted, it must be a hard temptation to resist.
----------------
Now playing: Greg Laswell - And Then You
via FoxyTunes
No comments:
Post a Comment