A Pro Runner's Take on Beer

"Responsible drinking" means different things at different times of the year.

By

Nick Symmonds

The week I have been waiting for has finally arrived! Runner's World is devoting the next seven days to two of my favorite things, running and beer. Given that I have a column on this site, my passion for running might seem obvious, but unless you have watched me race a beer mile or heard me preach about how beer greatly improves sporting events, then you might not know of my long-term relationship with the alcoholic beverage.

Before you get too concerned and call an intervention, allow me to characterize said relationship. I have enjoyed consuming beer for most of the past decade. Though I try to always do so responsibly, I'd be lying if I said I have never been over-served. Just how does a runner go about defining what is and isn't responsible drinking?

I've known very successful runners who have defined "responsible" as total abstinence. I've also known very successful runners who, through slurred speech and blurry eyes and while chugging their 10th pint of the night, have told me they always drink responsibly.

While I'm in no place to judge another's personal definition, I can offer my own. To me, responsible drinking means three things:

1. Don't drink if you are not of age;
2. Don't drink and drive; and
3. Don't drink so much you feel like crap in the morning.

Those first two are laws that exist for our protection, and shouldn't be broken. The third, however, is open to interpretation. I've always found that waking up even a little hungover has detrimental effects on my training for that day. As someone who wants to be the best runner I can be, doing something that negatively impacts my career is, to me, not responsible.

Like many professional athletes, I am more responsible when in season than I am during the off season. It isn't uncommon for me to kill a six-pack in the fall, when my racing is done for the year and I haven't yet started the hard training for the following year's races.. Conversely, I don't often have more than a drink or two in one sitting when I am in season.

I think the most important thing is that each person finds a balance that works best for them. Beer has decent nutritional value, tastes good, and can be a well-deserved treat after a hard run. However, it isn't a meal replacement, tastes terrible on the way back up, and can add a lot of unwanted pounds if you haven't earned it.

As Benjamin Franklin said, "Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy," so don't be afraid to crack open a cold one. Just make sure you do so responsibly!