Drinking Tea

I usually stop drinking tea 2 weeks before a race.  Is it better not to drink tea?

 What do top runners have in their diets?

*adds "keeps drinking tea" to list of excuses for being rubbish*

Just about to start my 4th mug

Why no tea?  For the caffeine?

If you are using caffeine as part of your race tools, you only need to stop / cut down your caffeine intake in the 3 days pre-race to optimise your susceptibility to it.

There isn't that much caffeine in tea.  I still find a big-ish dose of caffeine (100mg) feels like a rocket pack even if I don't cut down my 4 cups a day habit.

Damn, another illusion shattered then!

So maybe I should train a bit then I would be less rubbish?

Life without tea is just too dreadful to contemplate . But why give it up before a marathon?

You can prove and disprove all sorts of things by carefully selecting your sources, but this is the article that I like to quote.

I did a 10K this morning in scorching heat - straight after finishing I was in a local caff for a cuppa. Off downstairs now to put the kettle on for my second since getting home. Co-op 99 tea ... mmmmm ....

I love tea. There is no way I could ever give it up. I try not to drink more than 4 or 5 cups a day though. I drink less at the weekends as I'm away from my tea-obsessed office!

I tried Redbush once, it was like something had died in my mouth...

I drink a lot of fruit teas, ginger and lemon is nice, as is white tea (especially white tea with pomegranate) 

Phew BDB! I had to go for a lie down earlier, mentioning the T word

There was a mini sample pack of tea bags in the Plymouth half goody bag, including some Redbush, which went straight in the bin. The extra strong tea went straight in a big mug once we were home.

Mr K drinks a lot of herbal teas from his days on board boats when they only had UHT milk <gags>

 @ UHT milk.  I agree completely.

That Redbush stuff is nasty.  I do quite like Nettle & Peppermint tea though.

I don't get extra strong tea bags.  Don't you just leave the bag in the mug for a bit longer to get the same effect?

milk in, hot  (just off the boil) water +tea bag in, brew for approx 1 minute, remove teabag. Perfect cuppa.

If you leave the bag in too long it'll stew and that's nasty, you're better off using stronger leaves or making it in a pot with more teabags than usual.

I know too much about tea. Must get out more.

Hope the lay dopwn helped kwilter

You can't put milk in before the bag - it doesn't brew properly.  I can never get it strong enough that way.

English Breakfast tea for me all the time, appart from the odd peppermint which is very refreshing.

From the article Muttley referred to: Tea drinking is most common in older people, the 40 plus age range.

Carly, milk in second surely? Tea bag in mug, fresh boiling water over bag, leave while you get milk and tea spoon, take bag out and squeeze against side of mug, pour in milk and stir. At least you don't add sugar.

I can see I'm going to have fun on holiday in summer...off to Boston, where they make it with cold salty water apparantly

Ah no, no squeezing of tea bag! You bruise the leaves and get manky drizzle tarnishing your tea!

I don't like strong tea though, I usually have mine fairly milky...

In my office there is a definite trend of those who grew up 'oop norf' liking strong tea and those who grew up 'daaan saaf' liking it milky.

If invited to a tea party kwilter, politely decline.

A must for all tea drinkers

"Tea drinking is most common in older people, the 40 plus age range" Oh dear, I didn't know that would betray my vintage ... guilty as charged, m'lud. Although Muttley Jnr, 15, is partial to a cuppa.

Redbush also comes in infusions ... the one with Vanilla is nice, honest.

As for Boston - yes, they are a weird lot in Lincolnshire.

When I brew for the office, I leave peoples bags in according to their accent. The more northern they sound the longer the bag stays.

My second rule for survival is never to criticize someone's tea making skills, you don't want them spitting in it next time or stirring it with a dirty spoon. The first rule is never criticize someone's driving, in case they tell me to get out and walk