Active Community: Message List - ultrarunning and alcohol

Re: ultrarunning and alcohol

guest — Mon, 16 Jul 2007 21:33:00 GMT

I'm comfortable with knocking back 4 - 6 12oz beers each night. I train, I eat, I drink and sometimes I sleep. I'll go easy before a long run or none at all pre-race night, but otherwise I think of beer as another food group and think little of slamming down a whey shake with a beer chaser. (4:1, carb : protein) !http://www.coolrunning.com/forums/smile.gif|src=http://www.coolrunning.com/forums/smile.gif|border=0!

Some observations on over indulgences : decreased heat tolerance, irratable bowel, HR limits seem to decrease.

[http://This message has been edited by Stagger Lee (edited Jul-16-2007).|http://This message has been edited by Stagger Lee (edited Jul-16-2007).]

Re: ultrarunning and alcohol

guest — Sat, 07 Jul 2007 15:22:00 GMT

quote:
Originally posted by runnertim17011:
cheers! First round is on me folks!

I'm bringing some beer for my wino-drunken-beer bottle buddies at the JFK aks my "ultra buddies". Maybe I better hide the beer other wise the trail will be littered before the start of the race with beer bottles. I don't mind hopping over roots but beerbottles move when you step on them. lol!

If you like a beer after the race(or during) BEWARE mile 31 at the Pittsfield Ultra Challenge. They don't play fair. After 31 tough miles and almost ready to quite, mile 31 aid station tempts runners with cold beer and a BBQ. When I got there the two Sloveinian aid station workers already looked drunk and three runners looked like they had given up sitting in lawn chairs drinking beer and chowing down on chicken. I must of looked foolish standing there dazed for 30 seconds battling the temptation before grabbing a water bottle thinking to myself that I came here to run. I'll save the beer for later..

[http://This message has been edited by rolyone (edited Jul-07-2007).|http://This message has been edited by rolyone (edited Jul-07-2007).]

Re: ultrarunning and alcohol

guest — Sat, 07 Jul 2007 02:41:00 GMT

From a medical standpoint if you're a guy and drink more than 3 alcoholic beverages a day (2 for women) the health risks out weigh any neutral or beneficial effects. Those limits are what I would define as "moderation."

Problem drinkers can come from every facet of society and the ultra running community is probably not an exception. I've noticed that problem drinkers tend to find each other and hang around in groups so that their habits appear to be "normal" behavior within the group.

KateMD

[http://This message has been edited by kateMD (edited Jul-06-2007).|http://This message has been edited by kateMD (edited Jul-06-2007).]

Re: ultrarunning and alcohol

guest — Wed, 18 Jul 2007 19:29:00 GMT

I'm in the "addictive personality" group. I've dipped tobacco for over 25 years (yeah, gross), and I've struggled with alchohol in the past. I just thank the good Lord I never tried drugs. I feel pretty certain I would be dead or in jail if I had.

Re: ultrarunning and alcohol

guest — Wed, 18 Jul 2007 18:29:00 GMT

Hiiiii Bill - I am Mikey "The Pig" and recoverying from everything that I have deemed evil. The only reason I am in control of alchohol is because it interferes with my addiction to running.

So the question I have is how many ultra runners DON"T have an excessive cumpulsive or addictive personality?

If 1 mile is good isn't 50 better and 100 even better?

Re: ultrarunning and alcohol

guest — Tue, 17 Jul 2007 18:45:00 GMT

(All together now) Hiiiiiiiiiii Bill.

Re: ultrarunning and alcohol

guest — Tue, 17 Jul 2007 16:35:00 GMT

ahem......My name is Bill and I'm an Ultra runner...I love the idea that we can have our RA meetings out on the trails...and enjoy the fresh air and cameraderie of a social group..

Funny but I can't think fo a single one of my ultra buddies who embibe in more than one or two...and that's only after a big race...maybe one the night before a hunrun to settle the nerves...

me I'm a reformed guzzler of anything fermented or distilled or smokable for that matter...and have to stay away..I envy those who can have that one drink or one cigarette or whatever...since I still like the taste of beer....Odouls is my fave and does the trick as long as I don't have more that 2...I get bloated and thick in the head....

Re: ultrarunning and alcohol

guest — Tue, 17 Jul 2007 15:30:00 GMT

Bulkington,,,nicely put. I think it's all about addictive tendencies, whether running or drinking. It's not the amount, it's how much you choreograph your life (without regard to others) to support your habit.

Re: ultrarunning and alcohol

guest — Mon, 16 Jul 2007 23:45:00 GMT

quote:
Originally posted by dfcameron:
Actually I know a few former alcoholics or whatever they'd call themselves that traded one over-indulgence for another (ultrarunning).

I think that touches on an important point. I haven't personally met or seen any ultrarunners who drink excessively, but as an ultrarunner and an ex-drunk, I see the relationship. I doubt there are very many ultrarunners who couldn't name several acquaintances who are compulsive about running to the degree that the word "addiction" comes to mind. It's not to say that ultrarunners are all compulsive running addicts, but that within the running community, I think ultras probably attract addictive personalities at a pretty high rate. And with groups like hashers around, it'd be easy for someone to be disordered in two activities at once.

In my experience, moderation is a relative term. The quantity a person drinks doesn't always determine whether or not they are alcoholic. If someone knocks back 36 ounces of beer after a six hour run in the heat, I don't assume anything about a drinking problem. More telling to me is the pattern of their drinking, the degree to which their lives might be arranged around drinking, and how disruptive it is for that person to not drink.

Rephrase your question: Is it okay to have three or four beers? For some people, yes; for others, no.

Re: ultrarunning and alcohol

guest — Wed, 11 Jul 2007 00:37:00 GMT

McNaughton Park 100... The Running Buffalo aid station had a mini keg of Coors Light.. that was Great at Miles 49,50, 59, 60, 69, 70....

And just recently at the Pittsfield Peaks Ultra... the Slovakians had Urquel Pilsner at their aid station (Mile 34) and it was amazinglin refreshing...

And then later in the same race at the Sable aid station (Mile get me the hell outta here) I enjoyed some Long Trail Ale... and then 2 more cups of that at the Finish Line...

::burb::