The surest strategy for achieving a runner’s high is to run far and long. Unfortunately, some people can’t seem to push through their fatigue and keep their bodies in motion long enough to reach the desired state of euphoria. Once this high is achieved, many runners find that they develop an all new love affair with running, given that they have had the opportunity to recognize the ultimate cathartic and meditative benefits of this sport. Following are five tips that will help you move through the wall that is keeping you from a truly incredible experience.
Change The Way You Run
Doing the same thing over and over again in any area of life will invariably provide the same results. If you are finding it difficult to keep pounding the payment after so many minutes have been passed or miles have been run, it might be time to alter your overall running strategy. Many runners believe themselves unable to cover any more distance than they have been covering, when in reality, they can cover more if they just adopt a new running style.
Gear Up
This doesn’t mean you need every running accessory to hit the market, but a very easy purchase like getting your feet testing and buying the right running shoes for your feet and running style can go a long way in helping. Wither you suffer from flat feet to bunions, getting the right type of shoes can help you overcome those issues.
Add Inclines
Start covering vertical distances. Add a few uphill sprints to your routine. When your body becomes adept at running fast and far on an incline, it will soon be able to go a lot farther when traversing a smooth and easy, horizontal plane.
Practice Willful Dissociation
Dissociation can be a state of mind that people purposefully achieve in order to mentally move past physical resistance. Any activity that challenges a person to move beyond his or her own physical limits requires acknowledgement of all three components of the self. These are the mind, body and spirit. Through dissociation, the complaints of the body can be ignored, allowing for the internal auto-pilot to take over.
Take A Rest
People who are eager to push through their walls and reach their runner’s high, often make the mistake of pushing themselves too hard, without the benefit of a break. Take stock of your current training program and make sure that it is giving you ample time to rest and recover. A tired and worn down body is far less likely to move you closer to your goals than one that has had the opportunity to heal.
Learn How To Quiet Your Mind And Body
Training to push through your wall is by no means a physical exercise only. This is a mind over matter event and one that will eventually test your belief in a larger and less tangible part of yourself. People who do the impossible are capable of their tremendous feat simply because they have learned to stop being swayed by their flesh and their thoughts. A great way to use your rest days to keep pushing towards your limits is by fasting. This does not have to be a total abstinence from food, however, it does require you to engage in a form of denial that is challenging.
Fasting is good practice at telling your body and your baser instincts, “No!”. This is one way to develop a strong will that will allow you to keep moving forward, even when your body wants otherwise. Ultimately, if you are ready to reach your runner’s high, you will need to learn how to move past immense physical resistance by developing your willpower.
Brionna Kennedy is native to the Pacific Northwest, growing up in Washington, then moving down to Oregon for college. She enjoys writing on fashion and business, but any subject will do, she loves to learn about new topics. When she isn’t writing, she lives for the outdoors. Oregon has been the perfect setting to indulge her love of kayaking, rock climbing, and hiking.
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