I’ve been watching a lot of "Training with " videos and I’ve noticed that everybody drinks coffee and uses caffeine. While I’ve tried it in the past I decided it wasn’t for me but that was before I became a triathlete/runner. Since then I have not knowingly taken any caffeine and I’m starting to wonder if that is an advantage or a detriment. I definitely don’t like the taste of any coffee product but teas I’m sure I could tolerate or even caffeine in pill form. My biggest question is what are the advantages (from an athletic perspective) in doing so. Do other find they are reliant on it now?
Surely I’ll get flamers saying this is a stupid question to ask but I’m rethinking my approach a bit and seeking answers from those who have the expertise/experience. Any help would be appreciated.
No coffee for me. I think it tastes and smells gross. Also, when I was a kid, old people always drank coffee. At some point that morphed into me never wanting to grow old, and therefore never drinking coffee.
I have never drank coffee. Why, I see nothing positive with it. Just something else for some folks to be dependent on.
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That’s my exact reason! I am already addicted to swimming, biking and running I don’t think I need any other vices. That being said it just seems like people down it so often. I watched the Specialized Tim Don video and this guy drank like 5 espressos in one day (maybe that’s an exaggeration) and I began to notice many others who do the same. Figured it would be worth investigating
You asked about the advantages. There are certainly some studies around. The most recent piece I read is in Friel and Vance’s Triathlon Science:
“Caffeine is one of the most well-researched ergogenic aids. Caffeine acts on the central nervous system as a stimulant by increasing the release of adrenaline, which can improve mental alertness, using body fat as fuel, and sparing glycogen at low- to moderate-intensity exercise. In higher intensity exercise, caffeine has been shown to decrease the rating of perceived exertion, increase carbohydrate oxidation when consumed with a carbohydrate source, and allow athletes to reach a higher levels of lactate.” – Excerpt From: Joe Friel; Jim Vance. “Triathlon Science.” iBooks. https://itun.es/us/Y2jdL.l
Not enough to make me start drinking it - wow, I could go from an average age-grouper to a slightly above average age-grouper - but still interesting.
The reference listed at the back of the book is:
“Graham, T.E. 2001. Caffeine and exercise: Metabolism, endurance and performance. Sports Medicine, 31, 785–807.”
I have never drank coffee. Why, I see nothing positive with it. Just something else for some folks to be dependent on.
.
That’s my exact reason! I am already addicted to swimming, biking and running I don’t think I need any other vices. That being said it just seems like people down it so often. I watched the Specialized Tim Don video and this guy drank like 5 espressos in one day (maybe that’s an exaggeration) and I began to notice many others who do the same. Figured it would be worth investigating
Caffeine is just an upper. I am hyper enough, why do I need to take an upper whether from caffeine or other pill forms.
Nah, just because I see someone in our sport doing something I see makes no sense, why would I want to follow them?
Maybe they do not get enough sleep or have other issues that they need to take uppers to stay awake.
I don’t “use caffeine”. I do drink coffee. I like coffee, I like the flavour, and I like a warm beverage on cold mornings. In my mind, it is no more addicting than any other type of food. I’ve gone for months without any just because my coffee maker was broken at the time. There were no “withdrawal symptoms”, no cravings any more than if you routinely had a bagel with cream cheese in the morning and then stopped doing that.
I have never drank coffee. Why, I see nothing positive with it. Just something else for some folks to be dependent on.
.
That’s my exact reason! I am already addicted to swimming, biking and running I don’t think I need any other vices. That being said it just seems like people down it so often. I watched the Specialized Tim Don video and this guy drank like 5 espressos in one day (maybe that’s an exaggeration) and I began to notice many others who do the same. Figured it would be worth investigating
Caffeine is just an upper. I am hyper enough, why do I need to take an upper whether from caffeine or other pill forms.
Nah, just because I see someone in our sport doing something I see makes no sense, why would I want to follow them?
Maybe they do not get enough sleep or have other issues that they need to take uppers to stay awake.
.
Exactly why I wanted to ask the benefits from those more experienced to weight the pros and cons. I’m almost sure I won’t begin to take caffeine / drink coffee. I typically only drink water or coconut water and of course some electrolyte drink during races (Gu Brew). I appreciate your perspective and fully agree I won’t do it just because others are but it’s worth considering when world champions are doing something you’re not. I know it’s the 30-40 hours a week of quality training and not the coffee.
I have never drank coffee. Why, I see nothing positive with it. Just something else for some folks to be dependent on.
.
That’s my exact reason! I am already addicted to swimming, biking and running I don’t think I need any other vices. That being said it just seems like people down it so often. I watched the Specialized Tim Don video and this guy drank like 5 espressos in one day (maybe that’s an exaggeration) and I began to notice many others who do the same. Figured it would be worth investigating
Caffeine is just an upper. I am hyper enough, why do I need to take an upper whether from caffeine or other pill forms.
Nah, just because I see someone in our sport doing something I see makes no sense, why would I want to follow them?
Maybe they do not get enough sleep or have other issues that they need to take uppers to stay awake.
.
People with ADHD are routinely prescribed stimulants, much stronger ones than caffeine, to manage their hyperactivity.
Cool. I knew about the cat poop coffee, but now they have elephant poop coffee too. Awesome.
Is it best prepared as a drip, french press, or espresso?
haha…good question - who does the grinding? I wonder if you can use the same grinder after you’ve effectively ground poop in it?
I’m with you on the consumption front too - I don’t see it as a vice. I’ll have 1 / day and I like the flavor. I do, however, get a mild headache if I don’t have one…or at least I think I do, I’m not sure. When in Europe, I love the social aspect of it. At our Swiss office I’ll have 4 small cups a day just to sit around the coffee area and shoot the breeze with colleagues I don’t get to see very often. And their coffee is far superior in every coffee measure to the grainy sludge from the 25 cent/cup machine here in our office. I have a decent espresso machine at home.
I tried it once, on my first day of my first attempt at college, figuring I was an adult and was supposed to drink it. Took 1 sip, added cream and sugar, took another sip, tossed it out and haven’t touched it since.
I am surrounded by Starbucks junkies, and glad I never got hooked on coffee, as quite a few people around here drop $300+ a month on twice-daily runs to Starbucks.
I do like the smell of the beans as I walk through the grocery store, though.
Exactly why I wanted to ask the benefits from those more experienced to weight the pros and cons. …I typically only drink water or coconut water and of course some electrolyte drink during races (Gu Brew).
Forget the ‘benefits’, some people just drink coffee for the pleasure of it. What are the benefits of coconut water that you experience?
I’ve been watching a lot of "Training with " videos and I’ve noticed that everybody drinks coffee and uses caffeine. While I’ve tried it in the past I decided it wasn’t for me but that was before I became a triathlete/runner. Since then I have not knowingly taken any caffeine and I’m starting to wonder if that is an advantage or a detriment. I definitely don’t like the taste of any coffee product but teas I’m sure I could tolerate or even caffeine in pill form. My biggest question is what are the advantages (from an athletic perspective) in doing so. Do other find they are reliant on it now?
Surely I’ll get flamers saying this is a stupid question to ask but I’m rethinking my approach a bit and seeking answers from those who have the expertise/experience. Any help would be appreciated.
I don’t like the taste, but if I did I would drink it. I am addicted to my wife’s dark hot chocolate (not much caffeine). For racing, etc. gels and blocks have caffeine. I can tolerate the taste of Red Bull.
Exactly why I wanted to ask the benefits from those more experienced to weight the pros and cons. …I typically only drink water or coconut water and of course some electrolyte drink during races (Gu Brew).
Forget the ‘benefits’, some people just drink coffee for the pleasure of it. What are the benefits of coconut water that you experience?
For me it’s similar, the pleasure of it but it also has higher levels of potassium which never hurts. I aim to drink things without any refined sugars and or processing to keep my diet clean if I can and only relay on the others when absolutely necessary e.g. brick workouts and race day.