How much did you consume before training and how did giving it up seem to help you? What benefits did you notice? What were the drawbacks?
I guarantee if I gave up booze I’d be a much better race geek. I wouldn’t lose training days due to hangovers, I wouldn’t skip workouts to hang out in the bar watching the big game. Parties don’t end at 9pm so I can get a good night’s rest. That being said, I won’t give any of that up.
Even if you thought it would make the difference in qualifying for Kona?
I can’t say I gave up alcohol, but how much and when I drink is very limited. I allow myself a few beers on Saturday and Sunday afternoons. The advantages to limiting alcohol intake, for me, are that I’m rested and hydrated. Caffeine has never been a problem because I only drink coffee after training. Keep in mind though, I train very early–at sunrise or earlier.
I didn’t give up caffeine and alcohol specifically for training, caffeine & alcohol were exacerbating a heart arrythmia. I dropped both about 3 years ago except for the occasional beer. It was rough at first with the caffeine, so I slowly weaned myself to decaf coffee, then dropped coffee altogether (even decaf coffee has a noticable amount of caffeine). I was never a big drinker, so the alcohol was not much of an issue.
My sleep greatly improved. I was surprised since when I was caffenated, I confined consumption to the morning and limited it to 1-2 cups, but I was still not having good sleep all the time. Once I dropped the caffeine, I started sleeping really well, no problems falling asleep and I did not wake up during the night.
I thought I would miss the caffeine jolt before a race, but I have not felt like I have suffered starting races uncaffenated.
Now I start every morning with a big mug of caffeine free chai tea with soy milk and honey. The tea is loaded with anti-oxidants, I’m getting some protein and carbs from the soy and honey, and my brain still thinks I’m drinking coffee.
The other positive effect is the money savings. No Starbucks or Peets saves me about $81/month! That’s an Oly race entry out here in Cali.
Hey I don’t give up caffeine but I have given up alcohol during training. I only give it up if I have a really big goal. Last year I wanted to go back to Kona so I gave up alcohol. It’s not like I really even drink a lot. I like to have maybe 2 beers/drinks on a Sat night. The reason I gave it up is that I find if I drink I have trouble sleeping during heavy training. Actually I wake up in the middle of the night and can’t get back to sleep. Also I make poor food choices when I have a drink. One drink and I’m buzzed. It also affects my performance the next day. This year I’m not doing an IM so I’m back on the sauce!!
I would not, could not, and for the safety of others should not give up caffeine…Alcohol, on the other hand, don’t touch the stuff.
It’s not that I have given it up but being that my workouts are so close together and most of my free time is spent in the pool, on the bike or running it’s hard for me to drink. If I drink the night before, my workout the next morning will suck. I just said screw it.
As I get into my training I tend to stop drinking altogether. For some reason I need to hydrate with water/juice and alcohol tends to taste crappy to me. And when hot weather really hits no booze at all… Still drink caffeine on the way to training sessions.
I don’t give the booze up, but it does get curbed during training. I don’t even really try to cut back, it just seems to happen that way. I’ll drink a few on the weekend if im out with the boys though, or a few if im really in the mood. Otherwise, i don’t really miss it.
I don’t give up or cut back on Caffeine…ever.
Alcohol I do cut back but not out. I have a beer most every day and that will not change. I will stop attending the Thur or Fri bar stop after work come the 1st week of March.
There are a few races that are known for thier Post Race Party. Those I will partake in.
Alcohol yes. Caffeine…HELL NO.
**Even if you thought it would make the difference in qualifying for Kona? **
It won’t. That is if you are drinking both in moderation.
Now if you are downing 10 cups of coffee a day and going out on a beer/wine/booze bender every other night, then that’s another story.
Caffeine I try to taper leading up to comps so I get a bigger kick during comps, that being said I drink a bunch of caffeine at various times. I find it helps with training short term. I don’t kid myself about the long-term effect. They are pretty established and not good. I will kick it one of these days.
Regarding alcohol… I, at various times, drink a **bunch. **I know this effects my training. Most importantly when I skip training altogether due to lack of sleep/hungover. It also negatively effects my weight. I realized I don’t have a weight problem that is not more accurately an alcohol problem. Just search my posts if you want some examples. It definately doesn’t help with my recovery, even in moderation. So I have given it up during my build to the Philly-Tri in June. It’s been two weeks. Might go all the way with this. I have probably drank enough for this lifetime, definately haven’t raced fast enough for this lifetime.
Neither substance is long-term healthy. Alcohol is ultimately bad. It acts as a simple sugar that you’re body will use as a primary energy source when available. It will effect your brain, long term health, relationships when abused, and your wallet.
I know there are far more people that use it in moderation with no ill effects. That ain’t me. But the bad physical effects are there at whatever levels. And I don’t buy the good for the heart stuff, generally cited regarding red wine. The damage more than outweighs any good done. I think this is beginning to become clear with further research.
I challenge ANYBODY to show me any evidence that giving up either alcohol or caffeine will improve athletic performance. Of course I’m talking in moderation of course. A daily coffee or glass of red wine or bottle of beer isn’t going to harm you. If you’re drinking to get drunk or having twenty coffees a day then that’s an entirely different matter.
Since I constantly check my blood sugars I see what the effects of alchohol are in the short term. When you consume alchohol your liver stops producing glucose as it removes the toxins from your system. With a lack of glucose in your system your muscles have nothing to utilize to recover. 1 glass of wine can throw my blood sugars all out of whack; during college football I wouldn’t touch alchohol during the week but would binge on saturday after games; your recovery is really aided by not drinking - but then again mental fatigue may be harder to deal with if you don’t let loose now and again!
give up alcohol? I thought it was bad to skip breakfast.
I give up both during heavy training. I want caffeine to help during competition so I don’t want a tolerance. Alcohol is just empty calories so I cut that plus training with a hangover is no fun.
Not hard to give up when one has never used.
Dave
"Not hard to give up when one has never used. "
You don’t drink coffee either Dave? 