Wednesday, October 10, 2012

What Beer is Best for Your Long Run?

I don’t encourage drinking alcohol before a long run.  I don’t discourage it either.  I’m realistic when it comes to my own habits.  I have a few beers on Saturday night.  I do my long run Sunday morning.  That means, every single one of my long runs is fueled, in part, by beer.  Add in the fact that it is football season, tortilla chips are flowing like salsa flavored electricity, and friends are over to help you yell at people on the TV and your long run just became more challenging.

I don’t fight it.  Beer:  It’s gonna happen.  Didn’t someone once say something about if it is inevitable you might as well enjoy it?  That's me.

So how do you mitigate its effects on your long run?  I suppose I could drink less.  But the football players on TV aren’t done running around and need my encouragement, berating, and directional assistance.  I cannot properly provide these things with water or Gatorade.  And, I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but the football is played all day according to channels 201, 202, 203, 231, 233, and 256. 

I suppose I could have only fruits and vegetables on Saturday.  I do:  there’s an orange wedge in my Oberon.  Sometimes I have some coconut flavored rum to switch things up.  Diversity!

I suppose I could do my long run Saturday morning before football begins.  But bad news there, my Friday night looks quite a bit like my Saturday night except with less football.

No, it’s inescapable really.  The beer will be drank.  But what brand is best?  I don’t mind a little gas.  Gas is fun, exciting and suspenseful.  I’d like to avoid the lump in the belly though.  Running 20 miles with rock gut is an unpleasant experience.  That means Heineken is out.  Good beer but it sits in my upper intestines like an unemployed Wall Street occupier. 

This past weekend was the Dos Equis experiment.  My friend provided the beer so I had no choice but to drink it.  Surprisingly, it went pretty well.  I was able to knock off my 16 miles with little to no gas and no rock gut.  This has me thinking that maybe I can squash a sixer of Sam Adams Octoberfest this coming Saturday.  But I don’t want to fly to close to the sun on wings of barley too soon.  Gas is okay.  A shart is entirely different.

Does anyone have any personal success stories?  Blue Moon, Moosehead, Leinenkuegel?  Something of more quality and/or substance?

Once I cross this hurdle, I can move along to my greater issue:  How pure does the meth need to be to fuel my long run?

Happy trails.
___________________________________

I always wondered what it would be like if I was one of those over exuberant jackhole parents watching their kids play sports.  Oh, wait, I do know.  And now so do you.  BFP ALERT!  Razz's car will be given away soon.  Don't miss out.

9 comments:

B. Kramer said...

Personal success stories? Have you not read my blog? I'm more partial to darker beers (porters and stouts), which provide a bit more substance, which in turn slows down the drinking machine but not the enjoyment. Bell's Double Cream Stout is the amazing. Cheers!

Running In Boise said...

I usually make sure I have a Nuun before my run to rehydrate. I completed a half marathon in May pretty, um, dehydrated thanks to some Wild Turkey. And I PR'ed.

B.o.B. said...

Can't help you with the beer. Now had you asked about wine, I'd give an entire lessen on which grapes produce the fastest long runs with no PC's (poopy cramps). BTW, I find it ironic that a Mexican beer gives you little to no gas. If it were Mexican water this would be a totally different blog post.

RunFasterDaddy said...

My long standing half-marathon PR came after a night of 9 Guinness. Once I hit the portapotty for my ritual PRP, I was fueled and ready to go.

Sun Runner said...

I went on a St Patrick's day party bender the night before I ran a PR in a 5K. The beer of choice that evening was mainly ABC's Sacred Cow IPA.

Whatever I imbibe the night before a long run, I make sure I hydrate, hydrate, HYDRATE before running. That seems to take care of any lingering issues, although it does mean I'm going to end up squatting behind a bush in a cornfield.

Danielle in Iowa in Ireland said...

Oh, I thought you meant for DURING your long run.

Elizabeth said...

Drinking beer the night before a long run has never bothered me. And I have tried all different types of brands. I also have tried both abstaining from alcohol and going all out the night before a big run and have not seen a big difference either way. Whether or not I feel shitty on a long run has everything to do with hydration during the run (I do not recommend drinking beer DURING a run to stay hydrated).

Anonymous said...

If you are thinking on the "light" side, consider looking for a Kolsch style of beer. If you are think "healthy" is the way to go, remember that hoppier beers have more polyphenols and other goodness. In the end, it doesn't really matter as long as the beer in question doesn't leave you bloated.

Drea said...

Sadly I must be the downer at the party. I never drink before the long workout. However as soon as its over- I dont see why not. I have tried marathon cycles of complete abstinence and cycles of well the exact opposite. I always run close to the same. So I dont think it matters too much. I like Guiness though- not too much bloat and tastes like a meal.