Runners high

I have been running for over a year now and what prompted me to start was walking with Maverick.  From the day we got him I made a promise I would make sure he gets the proper exercise he needs to keep his mind and body balanced.  I knew the importance of exercise for dogs and we would go for 30minute long to 1 hour long walks pretty much daily.  We did this for the first year and and half.  Once Mav was around 18 months old we kicked up our walks and would jog a little, I wouldn't make it very far or go very fast, but he really seemed to enjoy it!  So every walk we would jog a little and go a little further each time.  Once our walks were more jogging than walking I realized I was becoming a runner!   While running, I felt horrible, I couldn't go on, this sucks, I hate this!  That's when I would say to myself "just keep running"  I knew at the end I wouldn't regret it and to push thru the pain and torture. .

A couple months into running my coworkers started asking me, "have you experienced runner's high yet?"  I wasn't sure what that was suppose to feel like so I looked it up; A feeling of euphoria that is experienced by some individuals engaged in strenuous running and that is held to be associated with a release of endorphins by the brain.

Once I knew the definition I thought, "oh no, I hate running, I defiantly haven't gotten any high from it!"   LOL

But now, NOW I can say I have experienced "runner's high"  I feel it in my chest and my whole body.  I want to keep going and I just feel overall happier!  I look forward to every run when I used to dread them. It's like the first warm/sunny day after months of rain.  It just lifts your spirits.  I think every runner should feel the high you get from running.  If you haven't felt it yet, don't give up!  It will happen, you just gotta KEEP RUNNING!!  

Have you experienced "runners high" yet?  How would you describe it?