Beer and Running

As some of you runners know, there’s nothing better than a nice cold beer after a long hot run. Even I enjoy a cold one (or two) after a race. But the questions I always get asked “Is this beer doing more harm than good for my recover?”

The effects of alcohol can vary depending on the amount of food in your stomach, your hydration levels, the weather, your body weight, and your tolerance level. Consuming two beers after a hot weather race, may affect you like a six-pack.

Alcohol before a race:

Alcohol acts as a diuretic. So starting the race partially dehydrated from a few beers the night before is madness. Even mild dehydration by one to two percent can impair our cardiovascular function and our mental ability. For each one-percent loss in bodyweight due to dehydration typically leads to a two to three percent reduction in running performance.

Participating in a summer race after a few beers the night before means you’re starting off dehydrated when the gun goes off, and your performance will get worse from there as you sweat out additional fluids.

If you do indulge in a drink the night before the race, avoid mix drinks and stick to low-calorie beers. Be sure to drink water or a sports drink between each beer.

Alcohol after the race:

You may feel like a beer after an arduous race, but instead you need to replace fluids and replenish carbohydrates by drinking water or a sports drink. You also should consume about 30 – 60 grams of carbohydrates and 10 grams of protein immediately after a race to help speed recovery. If you want to recover as quickly as possible from the race, you should not drink any alcohol. However, if your life’s balance includes social drinking, you can afford to indulge in a couple of beers or glasses of wine after you have resupplied your body’s needs.