Running through life on a high
A long time ago, while working on a novel, I managed to write 8,500 words in a single day. Exhausted yet exhilarated, I compared it to a ‘runner’s high’. Writing a book is like running a marathon: in both, there’s a finish line, moments of doubt, and a determination to keep going despite every obstacle. But today, I experienced what a real ‘runner’s high’ feels like when I ran my first professionally organised race—something I once swore I would never be able to do.
An old classmate, a marathon enthusiast, had once urged me to give running a try. He remembered our school days when I won medals in sports, but I reminded him that was 40 years and two childbirths ago. Still, his infectious enthusiasm made me give it a try. I detested it. Each step felt heavy, and I was out of breath before I even began. Defeated, I gave up, convinced that running wasn’t for me.
But strange are the twists of life. A few weeks back, during my regular morning walk, my earphones died. Bored and wanting to get home faster, I jogged, telling myself I’d only go until the next electric pole. The next day, I did it again—and then again. Gradually, my perception shifted. Soon, I was hooked, running purely for the joy of movement.
There’s science behind it. Running releases endocannabinoids, natural brain chemicals similar to cannabis, creating the famed ‘runner’s high’. Studies also show that running sharpens memory, boosts creativity, and can even alter our DNA through epigenetics, ‘turning on’ genes for muscle efficiency and ‘turning off’ those causing weakness.
Running has been the chosen practice of many writers and artists, the most well-known among them being Murakami. He describes the clarity of thought that running brings and the inspiration he finds in its solitude. I feel this too. When I run, I find a meditative rhythm that invites reflection. Life’s problems, which once seemed insurmountable, suddenly feel less daunting.
Over time, I have realised that running is a perfect metaphor for life. We all get to choose our own path, yet the one we pick may not always be the right one. Some stretches are gruelling, some are steep, and others come with hurdles you never imagined you would encounter. Yet, now and then, you come across something so breathtakingly beautiful that you pause, marvelling at how far you’ve travelled. And if you ever find yourself lost along the way, you can always change course to turn back home.
Ultimately, running isn’t just about speed or fitness. It is about persistence.
Our early ancestors were endurance runners by necessity as they had to hunt. If you did not run and hunt, your tribe went hungry. Perhaps the real reason running ignites something ancient within us, is because it awakens a connection to our primal roots, reminding us that each step forward is, in a way, a journey back to ourselves, a movement towards becoming the people we’re meant to be.
Preeti Shenoy
Novelist, Illustrator, Speaker
Instagram: @preeti.shenoy