Gone running

http://www.thatsfit.com/2009/09/01/can-running-turn-into-addiction/

In high school, running became an “addiction” for me. No it did not become a problem where I was dropping whatever I was doing to go run, but if I did not run for more than a day I started to feel terrible. Yes there is some scientific fact behind this because of the release of the neurotransmitters including endorphins and dopamine, but there was also a social addiction.

Like Becker explains in “Becoming a Marihuana User”, I had to be taught how to run. By that I mean, I had to be taught the social aspect of running. Social construction allowed me to learn that running had to be full of fun and adventures. My friends and I would always urn to run through rivers or go out in a lightening storm. This excitement made running pleasurable. The object of this group of people I ran with was to think of something that was out of the ordinary and then go for it. This culture of “just going for it” became “normal” to all of us. Of course, it was not normal (to me) when I first was introduced to it. But over time through encouragement from others, seeking fun and exciting activities became a daily goal.

Now when I first joined the team, I read them as kinda nuts. But as Becker points out, if you do not learn how to enjoy the effects and take pleasure in whatever the activity, then chances are you are not to do it again. Luckily, I found pleasure in running for fun. However there were some people that did not find running through a flooded forest enjoyable. My ideology of running now is to always make it fun. I am just one of many subjects that take this ideology with them whenever they begin that watch. I now identify myself as a person who looks for the “ups” in the most boring or basic activities. It is great to look forward to not only "runners high", but "life high" too.