I call this the vicious circle of computer obsession:
Sometimes I spend too much time on the computer, obsessing over programming. I start to eat poorly because I'm not giving myself enough of a break. This quickly leads to stress and tiredness. That leads to overconsumption of caffeine. This starts a downward spiral in my mind. Eventually, I can no longer concentrate on programming. And so I go for a run.
As I begin my run, I know intellectually that it will make me feel better. "Even though I'm tired now, I'll feel better once I start running." A mile or two passes, and the euphoria begins. At this point, I have two choices:
Choice number one is to continue my run, maybe three or four miles total, in about 30-40 minutes. This will give me an intense runner's high but leave me feeling tired after.
I usually pick the second choice: stop the run once runner's high is achieved and take a walk. This leaves me with a moderate amount of endorphins and clears my mind. When I feel the endorphin rush start to fade, I pick up running again. I usually do this alternation for about 2 hours. The idea being, 2 hours of moderate euphoria is more therapeutic than a single, intense run.
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