Post-run euphoria

It feels so good!

I've always hated running. I mean, I hated hated it. I hated every step. I hated every second. I would literally rather do anything other than running. My feet hurt. My knees hurt. My hips hurt. I would get a side stitch. I was exhausted. I couldn't understand why anybody enjoyed it. Maybe runners were just more fit than me, I thought.

Running feels like a safe place when I'm experiencing heavy life stress. It's a place I can go and be alone with my breath. I'm not great at sitting in stillness yet, so I prefer moving meditations. I can find it easily on my bike, but running takes shit hitting the proverbial fan. Heavy stress forces me to dig deep within myself and see what I'm made of. This time I realized I am made of running material.

I just got back from a 4 mile run with a client. We slowly jogged to the coast, out to the lighthouse and back. Not only did we get a great run in, we also went down and felt the ocean spray on our faces. We got our daily dose of Santa Cruz magic. It is such a gift!

I came home, threw a chilled towel on my face, and laid down, my body still tingling from the energy of the run. It simply feels good to have my body online. Yes, I'm a little fatigued, but I've noticed significantly more energy throughout the day as I run more. It feels like euphoria, kind of like a post-sex feeling and clarity. My mind is free. My body is free. And best of all, running is completely free.