The recent legalization of cannabis has sparked surprising trends, including the growing popularity of weed and running. While cannabis was once stereotypically linked to inactivity, athletes are now embracing it as a way to enhance their workouts. Runners, in particular, have found that weed complements the natural high of exercise, helping with pain relief, stamina, and recovery.
Why Do Runners Pair Weed with Running?
Weed has a reputation for couch potatoes, but if you know the secret, it’s actually the perfect complement to the endorphins and physical high one gets from exercise. Just a few breaths can increase stamina and make running much more inherently enjoyable because the natural high pairs so perfectly with the runner’s high. But it’s not just about euphoria. It’s also about how your body feels and how well it recovers after a run. While we will definitely go into detail, cannabis helps to ease the aches and pains associated with running and even helps to prevent aches and stiffness when a run is over.
Exercise and cannabis go hand-in-hand, whether you puff before, during, or after a session or a long run. Let’s break it down into the several different reasons why runners love cannabis and many athletes would recommend a little cannabis to boost your performance and comfort with physical activity.
Weed Reduces Aches and Pains for Runners
You might think that runners are in it for the high, but really, they’re in it for the physical comfort. Cannabis has a unique quality of easing muscle soreness almost immediately and preventing it from returning after a workout. Runners who enjoy a little weed before they hit the trail will find that their muscles warm up more comfortably, that the stretching sensation when you push off feels good, and that you “feel the burn” without actually experiencing physical discomfort.
That physical fuzzy feeling provided by cannabis that most people associate with a “body high” also provides a warm supportive sensation for runners. And no, this isn’t’ fooling your muscles or putting you at risk of injury. Your muscles really are more relaxed while still fully being under your control which feels amazing and circumvents the aches and soreness that often come with runner training.
Weed Reduces Aches and Pains for Long Runs
That feel-good sensation that makes your whole body more warm and relaxed also has a unique way of reducing the fatigue we often feel while running, especially during long runs. When your body would usually start complaining and your mind would begin its laser-tight focus on counting the minutes until you can get into your shower at home, cannabis helps you continue to feel the joy of running even as your body gets tired.
A big part of the stamina enhancement is the reduction of muscle pain and, even more importantly, muscle stiffness as you wear yourself out. Anyone who has ever done a big workout with cannabis knows that the major missing component is pain. And when you don’t feel pain, you can reach your real stamina limits, not just what your brain says you can handle.
Weed Help Prevent Post-Run Pain
Of course, that lack of muscle soreness and stiffness isn’t’ just in the moment. You might be thinking “Yeah, but I’m sure you feel it an hour later, or the next day”. The surprising answer is that no, you don’t! Unlike drinking, cannabis paired with exercise isn’t “writing a check your body cashes later”. It relaxes your muscles in the moment, which means that you don’t tense up and it helps to avoid building up dangerous amounts of lactic acid in the muscles which is often what causes those signature aches and post-workout pains.
Weed Enhances the Runner’s High
Weed also has a unique way of enhancing the pure wonderful joy of running. If you love to exercise, to feel your body tune up to it’s most efficient state, to feel the wind in your face and endorphins pumping through your blood; well Cannabis only makes it better. We’ve all heard about the Runner’s High, that special euphoria we only get when we reach an optimal cardio workout and get to go really, really fast.
This euphoria pairs perfectly with the gentle high of cannabis. Both create a feeling of wellbeing and happiness. Both make your body feel light and energetic. Both activate the mind so you think your most creative and enlightened thoughts. And Cannabis makes the natural runner’s high feel that much more amazing without the nervous jitters that some people get after an intense workout. You will run longer, your muscles will feel better, and you will gain more joy out of each run by pairing the right strain of cannabis with your daily or weekly runs.
Weed Helps Fuel Your Body for the Run
The benefits of pairing weed with running don’t stop at enhancing the runner’s high—it can also help fuel your body for the journey. Many runners face challenges with eating before or after a workout, as the body’s ‘workout mode’ can make food feel unappealing or heavy. This is where cannabis becomes a useful ally.
A gentle high can help relax your stomach, making it easier to eat a light breakfast before a run or replenish with protein after. By boosting appetite and easing digestive discomfort, cannabis ensures you can get the nutrients your body needs to perform at its best and recover efficiently. With the right strain, you can keep your runs energized and your recovery on track—without sacrificing comfort.
How to Use Weed Without Affecting Your Lungs While Running
If you’re wondering how runners can use weed for running without harming their lungs, the answer is simple: modern cannabis consumption methods. Many runners avoid smoking altogether, opting for vapes, edibles, tinctures, or topicals to enjoy the benefits of cannabis without impacting their lung capacity.
Enhance Your Runner’s High with Euphoria Wellness
Whether you are a runner, a cannabis connoisseur, or just curious about how these things come together, let us assure you: Runners love cannabis because the two go perfectly hand-in-hand. Many athletes are enjoying legal recreational cannabis because it eases muscle pain before, during, and after intense exercise and naturally enhances the Runner’s High that good cardio can bring. For more insights into the benefits and varieties of today’s legal cannabis, contact us today!