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Recently, an article titled "Marathon is the Square Dance of the Middle Class" written by Jiang Fangzhou, the deputy editor of New Weekly and a former beauty writer, has made the already popular marathon even more sensational. Although the WeChat public account "Seven Writers," which first published the article, was banned for false information, the controversial article was still featured as the headline on New Weekly's public account on March 8.

As an editor who idealizes "worldwide friendliness and harmony," Wuyan Zu believes everyone has the freedom to express their opinions, including Jiang Fangzhou. So, in today's running share, we will mainly discuss the endorphins mentioned in Jiang's article and their effects. What are endorphins? How do they affect runners? Do runners really experience a "high"? What is a runner's "high" like? Why does it happen?

There seems to be a scientific explanation for the idea that "exercise makes people happy." In a globally popular bestseller from a few years ago, "Exercise Transforms the Brain," the author wrote that the human body has an internal pain-relief mechanism that works like morphine. Endorphins reduce physical pain and simultaneously produce pleasure psychologically.

During intense exercise, endorphins can calm the brain and alleviate muscle pain.

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Later, scientists also pointed out that endorphins from long-distance runners cannot enter the brain. Regardless, when a person is feeling down, their brain generates the self-suggestion that "exercise will make me feel better." When their feet land lightly and steadily on the ground, whether or not the chemical substances instantly bloom in their brain, runners believe it works.

Quoted from "Marathon is the Square Dance of the Middle Class," by Jiang Fangzhou, New Weekly, Issue 486

Endorphins, also known as endorphins or brain endorphins, are endogenous (secreted by the pituitary gland) morphine-like biochemical compounds.In 1975, two independent research teams from Scotland and the United States almost simultaneously discovered a substance in humans and animals: endorphins.They are amino acid compounds (peptides) secreted by the pituitary gland and the hypothalamus of vertebrates.

The primary function of endorphins is pain relief. There are two ways to relieve pain: one is to block the transmission of pain signals. Pain signals are transmitted through spinal nerves, which have opioid receptors. When endorphins bind to these receptors, they can inhibit the transmission of nerve signals.They can bind to morphine receptors, producing the same pain-relieving and euphoric effects as morphine and opiates, acting as natural painkillers.

When we run continuously, causing physiological stress to reach a certain level, the release of endorphins increases, bringing a turning point in the state of long-distance running. Henning's research opened the door to exploring the "runner's high" from the perspective of neurotransmitters. Subsequent researchers have found that substances like adrenaline, serotonin, and dopamine produced during running also contribute to this euphoria.

Under normal circumstances, the concentration of naturally secreted endorphins in our bodies is very low. However, during high-intensity exercise, muscle stretching or tearing can trigger the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis system to increase hormone levels, accelerating the secretion of endorphins and making people feel less tired, instead experiencing a floating sense of pleasure and satisfaction.

To this end, scientists experimented with mice, and the results showed that running increased the content of endorphins in the arcuate nucleus of the hypothalamus and the periaqueductal gray matter of the midbrain in mice. Additionally, endorphins in the hippocampus of mice also showed a significant increase. Running also caused immune cells containing endorphins in the plasma to release endorphins, increasing the content of endorphins in the serum.

In fact, the effects of endorphins are similar to those of morphine-like substances, so they are also considered to be morphine produced by the brain itself. However, the endorphins in the human body are in a relatively stable state without external drug interference and can self-regulate.Therefore, don't worry that this pleasure will make you addicted like taking drugs.

A long time ago, people discovered that some individuals experience a peculiar sense of relaxation and euphoria after long-distance running. Before this, you would feel intense fatigue and heaviness, like climbing a mountain with a heavy load. But once this euphoria arrives, you feel your steps and breathing become lighter, as if you are on top of a mountain and can keep running. Your whole body is full of energy, your movements are exceptionally light, without any sense of fatigue or effort, and you unknowingly run a long distance. At this time, the runner's mind is free of any distractions or worries, completely immersed in running, forgetting themselves, transcending time and space, and seemingly merging with nature. This pleasant experience during running is called"runner's high.".

It sometimes comes unexpectedly and sometimes leaves no trace. We always long for it, and the more, the better. Once a runner is fortunate enough to feel it, running becomes easy, exciting, and even ecstatic, but not every run will be lucky enough to achieve it.

This experience also often appears in other sports, so it is also called "exercise-induced euphoria." When the high occurs, the runner's sense of health and happiness soars, and there is a strong sense of transcending time and space.

The runner's high is actually a special stress response. Scientists have studied the brain's response to running and found that the ability to achieve a high through running may be inherent in humans. This mechanism allows humans to overcome fatigue and pursue prey or escape danger over long distances. Long ago, successfully obtaining food meant survival for our ancestors. This desire to live drove them to run and run as fast as possible. The compounds that brought pleasure from running helped them achieve the necessary speed and distance. Dr. David A. Raichlen, an assistant professor at the University of Arizona, concluded that the "runner's high" might have been equivalent to a natural painkiller at that time (and still is now), allowing people to ignore fatigue and blistered feet.

People were full of imagination about the source of this euphoria until 2008, when Henning Becker and his team at the University of Bonn in Germany discovered through positron emission tomography (PET) scans of long-distance runners that this euphoria comes from endorphins secreted by the brain's pituitary gland.

Although running can stimulate hormone secretion to make you feel good, it's not just about running casually—both endorphins and endocannabinoids require certain conditions to be triggered.

The secretion of endorphins requires a certain intensity and duration of exercise. Moderate to high-intensity exercise needs to last for more than 30 minutes to stimulate its secretion. So, if Jiang Fangzhou, as she mentioned in her article,"When I lived near the Imperial Palace in Tokyo, running around the palace was just five kilometers. There were places along the way providing water and rest for runners. It was a running sanctuary in Tokyo, said to be a favorite spot for Haruki Murakami. To meet Haruki Murakami, I ran there every day for half a month."(Quoted from "Marathon is the Square Dance of the Middle Class," by Jiang Fangzhou, New Weekly, Issue 486)it might be difficult to achieve the running high. Additionally, regarding the purpose of running, although everyone has different reasons, Wuyan Zu does not recommend being too utilitarian. After all, the purpose of exercise should be pure. If it's just to meet your idol, it loses the meaning of exercise itself.

Does running faster and more make it easier to achieve the "high"? The answer is no.

Overly pursuing speed or distance can make runners too exhausted to achieve the high.In the research by German scientists, the test subjects were experienced runners. For them, running at a pace of 6-7 miles per hour (about 9.6-11.2 kilometers) for 2 hours was not particularly easy but not exhausting either. "Most of the runners I worked with felt the endorphin effect while running hard but not at their maximum effort."

A short, easy run is unlikely to trigger endorphins. If the speed or distance is too aggressive, runners may be too exhausted to feel the high. Although endorphins are powerful, they cannot override injuries or insufficient training (which is why beginners do not feel the runner's high when they start running). So, the example Jiang Fangzhou cited in her article,"A marathon runner tripped over a plastic bag near the starting line of the Boston Marathon, fell to the ground with his knee hitting the sidewalk, got up, and continued running. Until he approached 29 kilometers, his swollen knee gave out, and his thigh bone fractured. The runner did not notice this before, which is the numbing and calming effect of endorphins."is somewhat exaggerated unless the runner is a robot or a young Wolverine.

Additionally,training with others can be beneficial: a study from Oxford University found that rowers who trained together released significantly more endorphins than those who trained alone. If you train alone, consider wearing headphones; research also shows that your favorite music can boost endorphin levels.

Running fulfills the dual needs of humans to escape danger and seek pleasure and is effective in relieving stress. However, when the "high" comes, it can mask the feeling of fatigue and ignore the body's "pre-injury warnings." Of course, it won't be to the extent of not noticing a fracture. But Wuyan Zu reminds all runners not to be greedy for this pleasure and not to continue high-intensity exercise after the runner's high. You should train moderately, pay attention to training methods, and balance work and rest.

Rest is also a part of exercise. Every sport should be done in moderation; moderation is key. Not everyone can run a marathon. A marathon cannot be "conquered." Only those who respect the marathon and understand training and preparation can truly appreciate the essence of a marathon.

Well, since running can give you such an (censored) experience, why not run a marathon to find that feeling? Here are three events recommended by Miss Dong next door, one of which is a "Gold Label" event. These events usually require a rush to register... It seems the registration deadline is March 15, so hurry up if you want to participate! (＊Click the image to jump to the registration page)

It is said that Gold Label events require luck to register...

You don't need to buy YSL "Star," you can still have enviable "lipstick."

If you can't be a movie star, be a sports "star."

References:

1. "Why do humans experience a 'high' just from running?"

2. "Advanced Course in Exercise Physiology," Tian Ye et al., Higher Education Press

3. "The Relationship Between Endorphins and Exercise Behavior," Ma Jun, Journal of Shenyang Sports University, 2005 Issue 06 "Research Progress on Exercise and Endorphins"

4. "Research Progress on Exercise and Endorphins," Jiang Zhen, Anhui Sports Science, 2004 Issue 05