You know those days when you feel unbeatable? Your legs are fresher, lungs are bigger, mind is clearer.  Everything is going right. You know you aren’t going to hit a wall because nothing hurts. When you pick up the pace you only feel better. Yeah, those are pretty nice, and I wanted to share one of my favorite feel good runs.

So it was a Sunday in August before my junior year in college and I had put off doing my long run until about 9pm - nothing like doing 14 miles at night. I reluctantly stepped out of my house, started my watch and put one foot in front of the other. Within 200 meters, I realized I felt good. Within a half mile, I knew I felt great. While I was accustomed to seeing 6:50-7:20 for the first mile out of the neighborhood, I looked down and saw 6:23. “Maybe that was a little quick”, I said out loud.  But my body definitely disagreed as I came through mile 2 in 6:03. At this point I realized there was a decision to make: Do I force myself to run easy or do I listen to my body and GO.

I tore off through my hometown of Yardley, PA down Main St. and onto the Delaware Canal Towpath. 5:55, 5:53 for miles 3 and 4. Too dark to run sub 6’s on the canal, I took off north on River Road (a scenic winding road that follows the Delaware river) towards Washington’s Crossing. 5:53, 5:47. I thought about the trips we took along the river as a kid, the leaves changing colors, cross country. 5:49, turn around, 5:44. All I could hear was my feet on asphalt and light rain on leaves.

“How am I not breathing hard, and why do my legs feel like they are floating?” The shadows of tall trees along the river were outlined vividly on the deep blue sky. 5:42, 5:43 for 9 and 10. Then my mind began to go on autopilot as my arms and legs pumped. I was flying and the sounds and sights around me faded as my breathing became the only thing I was aware of. Flashes from lights on houses entered and disappeared from my line of sight. 5:45, 5:39. It was controlled chaos. I wanted to close my eyes and just float on, feel my body in motion. I picked up the pace slightly on the uphill mile, which up to that point, I had never broken 6:00 on. 5:57. I smiled and pushed a little more to see if my body would come close to tiring. Nope, the 5:23 final mile was just as easy as the others, and with that I was done. Not tired, not stiff, just happy.

Was this my “running high” experience? Possibly, but I doubt it. I think it was the combination of everything going right and my ability to drop my worries and really enjoy what I was doing. Running is not always fun and sometimes you feel awful doing it. But those rare times when your mind and body connect and you are able to do something great makes everything worth it.

-Jeffers