Runner's high, biker's mellow

I was a runner before biking became by obsession.  I've done a few triathlons and for some reason made a semi-goal to do a marathon.  I had my training log and was dutifully doing my runs; mostly up at Flatwoods.  I was road riding a lot more back then.  I was trying to cross train, to give my body a break from the pounding that running does to you.  I was swimming a lot back then, too.  And going to the gym.  (Gee...what happened....I discovered off road riding and now I spend all my time in the woods.)

I'd heard about this mysterious and elusive 'runner's high' and admit to wishful thinking about it.  I'd never had one.  I've run lots of miles, sweated a lot, been through a lot of shoes, but most of what I felt was more akin to misery than euphoria.

So when it finally happened to me, I was overjoyed.  I don't know where I was, maybe 5 1/2 miles into a 7 mile run.  I had my Ipod on, my tunes were helping me move.  And all of a sudden, all thoughts left my head.  I couldn't hold onto a thought.  A thought would come in one side of my head and just dissipate.  I was chugging along, trying to think of something and nothing worked.  My mind is usually Grand Central Station.  I've got a zillion different things going on at the same time, in all different directions, all working a whirlwind inside my brain.  Typical woman, I guess.  I tired to sing along to songs that I knew and the lyrics wouldn't come to me.  It was just so cool that my mind was at peace.  There was nothing clamoring inside my brain for attention.  It was true serenity.

Alas, that happened only one time.

Contrast that with a bike ride.  I don't get the runner's high I just described, but I get what I call the biker's mellow.  After a ride, I get in my car and head home and I'm just a big bucket of contentment.  Nothing bothers me.  I don't speed (uh, my usual MO), I don't get upset if someone cuts me off or is otherwise an asshat in traffic.   I feel great.  I exude good vibrations.  I'm happy.  This happens after almost every single bike ride I go on; especially the off road rides.  Is it any wonder I do it as often as I can?

So, I'm heading to the money pit for the next three weeks.  I probably won't write anything, unless I get really inspired and take the laptop into town.  I'll be back on July 10th.

Jen