Since everyone in my life has wildly differing views or not a clue about both subjects, I thought that I would ask all of you what you thought, or know about training and drinking alcohol (not at the same time).
I give up the sauce either the week before or two weeks before a race. Am I wasting my time, or does alcohol really affect performance - assuming that you are not overdoing it.
I know that I feel like Sh!* after a hard night of boozing, but how much will this set me back, and if i go light, will it affect me at all?
kittycat - I know you will advocate for wine as carbs - I hear you, only I like my carbs frothy.
Well maybe cut back on your hard night of boozing. But a drink or two per night and you should be good. Realize that alcohol can affect your sleep cycles compromising recovery.
Well, I am a straight-edger: Never been high or drank anything- haven’t even tasted an alcoholic beverage.
The way I see it, I avoid activities that don’t benefit me, and I don’t see the benefit to drinking alcohol. I know that is a rather polarized perspective.
Geeze Tom? Never a drink? How did they not boot you out of the forces?
There are so many parts of your body that are effected by excess alcohol consumption (hydration, balance, fine motor control, liver, kidney…) that it’s hard to believe you could operate at anything close to peak levels if you keep having big nights out. I imagine the effects are worse for athletes as they have less body mass to absorb the alcohol.
Personally I like a red wine or two every now and then. However as much as I like beer I know it’s a bunch of empty calories that I’ll have to burn off tomorrow.
It maybe a cliche… but I’d say “everything in moderation” is your best option.
I have had some of my best races with a raging hangover. I was much younger at the time, but felt that getting hammered was a good way to relax the night before a big race. I can’t handle that any more and rarely drink enough to get drunk.
I think each individual reacts differently to hangovers and athletics. I went out drinking with Rod Dixon one time and he drank me and my buddies under the table then jogged thru an ez low 29 min 10k the next morning. That was one of the three times in my adult life that I ever puked under any circumstance but pulled a low 35 min 10k.(second best 10k time I ever did) even with a puke at the first aid station.
Yes you will be dehydrated, yes it will hurt, but sometimes you have to be a tough guy. I have heard that Kenny S and Paul have been known to throw back a few now and then as well. If you are afraid of getting too drunk before a race, my advice is to stay away from any Austrailans. My personal experience is that they can hurt you on and off the field of play. Bad real bad. That is another story.
the irony is a friend if mine drank so much that when he raced sober, he was horrible. i remember last year at a race, he was boozing all night, then had to drive the team van hungover 3 hours to the race, then proceeded to spank the entire field.
it was amazing. the next race, stone sober he was horrible.
i’ve not drank for 2 weeks or more before and I feel really different. like, for example, I’m up and completely at it–and it’s not even 6:30 am yet. This is nothing short of a miracle (and is because i had no vino last night).
For me, as my buddy Erik Clark has pointed out…lol, I’m obviously effected with just one glass of wine. two and I’m talking everybody’s ear off and just about 2 sheets to the wine. the next day I’ll feel bummed out, or just slower in general (even with just one glass of wine).
beer is the same thing for me. 2 will effect my sleeping negatively. not to mention will go straight to my fat stores.
so, yes, before a big race, don’t drink 2 weeks. i don’t know how old you are, but as you get older you’ll see the benefits more and more and more.
i’m working on not drinking through the week, and having just one weekend night where I get together with friends–and enjoy wine then. ok, maybe wine on both weekend nights, we’ll see :).
besides, during the race you’ll be thinking of that cold beer at the finish line. that’s worth waiting for!!
Ah, what a topic! Today marks 19 consecutive years since I had any alcohol or anything else along those lines.
Since I’ve been doing triathlons for only about a dozen years that means I have no direct experience to lend. BUT, for years I trained with (well, behind really) several top pros and a few who are now moving up the ladder. I could never understand how they could party so hard weekend after weekend and still get up and train. I’d go out with them at night and was always blown away by how late they stayed up as well as how much they could drink. Still, even staying sober and going to bed early, they could ride and run circles around me.
Never saw them do that the night or two before a race, but during training, you bet!
