The runner’s high is a helluva drug!
On some level, every endurance athlete can kinda sorta relate to Sturla Holm Lægreid, the Norwegian Olympian who won a bronze medal in biathlon and then, during a teary-eyed TV interview, told the world about how he’d recently cheated on his girlfriend.
“I try to be a good role model, and I did something stupid,” he told Norwegian broadcaster NRK on February 10. “You have to admit when you do something you can’t stand for and hurt someone you love so much.”
Lægreid’s comments feel like the spiritual cousin of a sensation that most of us know all too well. You reach mile 12 of a half-marathon, or finish your local criterium bike race, and all of a sudden, some cocktail of brain chemicals magically transports you to your own private Burning Man. Nothing hurts! The post-race electrolyte swill tastes like champagne. You hug everyone. And yeah, maybe you blurt out some stream-of-consciousness word salad that captures whatever emotions bubbled to the surface during your kick to the finish.
It’s like therapy, only cheaper!
Conventional wisdom attributed the runner’s high—and the biathlon high—to the natural endorphins produced in the pituitary gland and the hypothalamus that act as “feel good” chemicals to block pain.
But new research suggests that endorphins aren’t to thank for bliss, euphoria, and introspection. Instead, exercise triggers our bodies to release endocannabinoids, the endogenous cousin to cannabinoids, the stuff found in marijuana.
So yeah, your thoughts after a long run—or after a biathlon—may be similar to the ones you get after taking a massive bong rip.
Believe me, I’ve done some soul searching while flying high on endurance sports. During the final painful strides of an Ironman triathlon more than a few years ago, my bedraggled brain became fixated on a bitter argument I’d recently had with my parents. I was in my mid-twenties at the time—not exactly a period of my life when I indulged in self-reflection. But as I crossed the line, my exhausted neurons achieved an emotional breakthrough. Man, my parents are so generous and good to me, and I don’t appreciate them enough! I called them the next day to apologize. They were equally happy and puzzled.
Of course, we weekend warriors are lucky that there’s no television camera at the finish line of our Ironman or Turkey Trot to capture our sweaty stoner talk and beam them across the globe. If so, there would be a super fun video of yours truly blubbering on about how much I love my mommy.
But let’s get back to Lægreid. Be they the product of endocannabinoids or some other neurologic chemical, his comments are undoubtedly the most cringe-worthy words uttered at the 2026 Winter Olympics (thus far). Shortly after winning bronze in the 20-kilometer biathlon, he confessed to cheating on “the love of my life, the most beautiful and kindest person.”
“I told her a week ago. And it’s been the worst week of my life,” he told NKR. “I had a gold medal in life, and there’s probably a lot of people out there who look at me differently now, but I only have eyes for her.”
He then admitted that the unnamed partner had dumped him after the confession.
“I’m not ready to give up. I hope that committing social suicide [like this] might show her how much I love her,” he added.
And then, the Internet took over. As of February 11, the story has been covered far and wide, and now tens of millions of people across the planet know about the once-private drama between Lægreid and his ex.
As anyone who watches nineties-era romantic comedies knows, there’s a fine line between charming overtures and boneheaded actions that result in deep psychological wounds. Lægreid’s act is more than a few notches toward the latter. And now, his poor former flame is embroiled in the whole situation.
On February 11, she gave an interview to Norwegian outlet VG, which agreed to keep her identity hidden. “I did not choose to be put in this position, and it hurts to have to be in it,” she said. “We have had contact and he is aware of my opinions on this.”
Doesn’t sound like they’re going to be rekindling things anytime soon.
Can we blame the runner’s high for this ordeal? Perhaps. Had I been Lægreid’s personal endorphine or endocannabinoid guide, I would have strongly advised him to pump the brakes on sharing details of his infidelity on the world’s biggest media stage.
Sturla, my dude, let’s rethink this. You’re just pulling her into a global media frenzy against her will. It’s only a matter of days before some dingbat from The New York Post or The Daily Mail starts dinging her doorbell!
I would have told him to wait a few days and then give her a call. Heck, maybe even send her the bronze medal as, you know, a conversation starter.
But for God’s sake, wait for that runner’s high to wear off!
The post No, Sturla Holm Lægreid! Noooo! appeared first on Outside Online.
