The Scary Part of Endorphin Withdrawal

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After I ran the Golden Hills Marathon, immediately followed by the Coastal Marin 50K just a week later, I decided to take a break from running for a week. And then after s short loop around work this past Monday, I’ve pretty much been down with the Flu for most of this week. I think it’s the longest in a while since I’ve shied away from running. Maybe it’s the napping-induced hallucination or going through boxes of Kleenex or the non-caffeinated herbal tea – I’m definitely feeling the effects of endorphin withdrawal.

Endorphin Withdrawal

Pumpkin Run

Photo courtesy Mullica Hill Mom

The first week, I was tired and sore which I suppose, is understandable. But that following weekend, I could hear my brain starting to make excuses. “Oh the kids have sports, gotta drive them around” or “it’s too cold out in the morning”. Endorphin Withdrawal, also known as the Blerch Syndrome, is apparently in full effect. My original plan was to get back on hill repeats this week in anticipation of the Mt. Tam 50K which has a nice ~6,800ft elevation gain/loss. But right now, just looking at the neighborhood hills is making me tired. Of course, it could very well be the sneeze fits that I’m going through or the most I’ve sat around in a given length of time.

The worst part of not running is the scary thoughts that the brain sends out about gorging on food. The endorphin highs keeps the food intake at check. But after just 3 years of running, it’s so easy to revert back to the old ways. I can hear myself say, “I’ll just burn it off”. I’m flying solo next week with my wife out of town. It’s going go be one scary Halloween week as I valiantly attempt to find time for a run.

How do you deal with not running while sick?

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6 thoughts on “The Scary Part of Endorphin Withdrawal”

  2. I know how you feel. I’ve had the marathon flu a few times after a long training plan and race. I would suggest that you go to your Doctor and get some basic lab work. See if your CBC is low. Also add a cortisol level. If everything is good, I’ve found out the cure is simply putting something on the race calendar and start slow. Good luck!

  3. It IS scary how quickly those old lazy excuses and rationalizations creep back into the brain. 4 months of messing with a persistant calf injury and I have switch gears entirely to stregth and low impack cardio to keep the Blerch at bay.

  4. I just went through this!!! I burnt out between my kids, finals, back to back flu, and went almost 2 weeks without running and I became a different person. I was sleepy and unmotivated, craving foods I never ever crave (like cookies lol) and I drank wayyyyyyyy too much tea and stayed under a blanket … finally ran last night and I am completely back to normal. I didn’t even want to run, which for me is completely not normal. I forced myself to and once I started, a mile in I started running wonderfully and felt like myself again. This morning I got up and it is a regular, energized, healthy day. You just have to force yourself to get back on it and the rest will follow.