Cannabis for Runners

As cannabis legalization spreads across the country, more professional athletes are coming forward about the positive impact that the plant has had as a pre and post-workout supplement. Nowhere does this trend hold more accuracy than the world of running, where marijuana is used to build endurance and focus during long-distance training or even as an inflammation and pain relief medicine after a grueling workout. 

Check out this Cannabis for Runners guide to learn how you can use cannabis to maximize your performance and recovery!

How Cannabis Impacts Performance

Ask any runner, and they will tell you that mental fitness is just as necessary as physical fitness, especially when it comes to long-distance and endurance training. 

In situations where the body is active over a long period, cannabis can help increase athletes' pain threshold, allowing them to enjoy their run more and withstand the exercise for a much more extended period. In addition, cannabis gets the runner in a mindset that's entirely focused on the present moment and free of distraction, making it easier for the runner to control their breathing and pace. 

This intense level of focus and euphoria during endurance running is often called a "runner's high" and can come about without using any cannabis. However, sports scientists have proposed that the runner's high may be tied to our endocannabinoid system, the part of the body responsible for processing the effects of cannabis in the brain and nervous system!

Using Cannabis for Recovery

While consuming cannabis before a long workout can be great for getting in focus, using the plant as a post-workout supplement is even more beneficial in speeding up the muscle recovery process. 

One of cannabis's best medicinal qualities is its ability to relieve muscle and joint inflammation after strenuous exercise. Studies on the plant have shown that THC has twenty times the anti-inflammatory potency of aspirin and twice that of hydrocortisone, making it an excellent replacement for over-the-counter pharmaceuticals like aspirin or ibuprofen. In addition, many studies have shown that CBD also has the potential to help reduce inflammation and is a great pain relief option for athletes and fitness enthusiasts who are not looking to feel the psychoactive effects of cannabis. 

Getting a good night's sleep is also a vital part of the muscle recovery process. Sleeping at least 7-9 hours each night not only keeps you mentally alert and focused during the daytime, it also gives your muscles ample time to repair themselves after being put under stress during a workout. For years cannabis has been studied for benefits as a sleep aid, helping people with insomnia and anxiety conditions fall asleep and stay asleep easier. Using cannabis before bedtime, especially strains with higher Indica content, can give you a sedating effect that relaxes the body and relieves muscle tension, enabling you to fall asleep faster and get enough rest to recover fully. 

Getting the Runner's High

Here are a few tips on how to safely and properly integrate cannabis into your runs:

Lower Your Dose

If you're looking to consume cannabis before going on a run, it's best not to go overboard. Smoking a medium potency strain and only taking just one or two puffs is the most efficient method to help get in the zone, but not get too high!

Plan your Run

Remember that smoking before a run will get you slightly intoxicated, so planning out a route for your run isn't a bad idea! Try running in a local park or trail; you'll get to enjoy nature while you exercise, as well as avoiding traffic and crowds.

Try a Tincture

For athletes concerned about smoke inhalation from smoking flower or vape cartridges, using a sublingual tincture is an excellent option to get the medical benefits of cannabis still. Our Blue Agave Tincture is easy to add to food or drink before a run and our 1:1:1 variety contains CBG, a cannabinoid compound that works to fight inflammation and pain, and nausea in the body.

Visit our online store to see our full range of City Trees cannabis tinctures, vapes, and concentrates! For more tips on using cannabis as a health and fitness supplement, check our blog on the Benefits of Cannabis for Active Lifestyles.