Booze

Booze.  I quite like it.  Real ale and red wine are my poisons.  I tend to cut down a couple of weeks before a race, then celebrate immediately afterwards.

My first Ironman next year -- so I'm thinking Jan 1st would be a good day to hit the wagon for at least 6 months.  It can only be a good thing (and 6 months off will pay for hefty entry fee).

So what do others do?  Abstain completely?  Not drink for a few weeks before a race?  Interested to hear your thoughts.    

Ohhh really !!   

I like a beer...and to be honest I usually have a beer several nights a week, but only the one. I think that I would cut down to just a beer on the weekend to be honest, to reward myself for another hard week's training chalked off! However, that is what would work for me, because I would do as Iron Rose says and end up procrastinating on training!

I've never abstained before a race, or in fact through my adult life - perhaps as an rugby player from the era when we played hard and drank harder, that's why

I have no idea whether abstinence would make any difference to me at all at my age - and frankly I can't be arsed even trying

I think the trick however is to drink in moderation - avoid the binge sessions (although 1 or 2 of them when not at the height of training won't hurt).  if it's part of who you are, then it's manageable.

If you need to shift the lard then cutting out the booze is the way to go.

I'd recommend cutting out all together and just accept you wonr drink - black and white rules work for me.

Personally I drink too much, carry too much weight and therefore don't hit the potential times I could.

For 2013, I'm hoping to cut down both the booze and the lard.

Gary Fegan wrote (see)

If you need to shift the lard then cutting out the booze is the way to go.

I'd recommend cutting out all together and just accept you wonr drink - black and white rules work for me.

Personally I drink too much, carry too much weight and therefore don't hit the potential times I could.

For 2013, I'm hoping to cut down both the booze and the lard.

it's not just the booze though if you want to shift the lard, but also attention to diet.  I'm not saying that won't notice a difference if you cut the booze,but if your diet is also ferked up at the same time, then it won't make that a huge difference.   perhaps it's a whole lifestyle change that would help most and I would suggest that is tough - and well done to those who have managed it.  

btw - that's a generic comment Gary - not one aimed at you  

If a few drinks helps you relax then it's probably doing you more good than harm - might explain why tea totallers tend to die younger than moderate drinkers.   Personally so long as I wasn't getting hammered I don't see the problem with drinking - maybe not the night before an important race but even then when I've done it I haven't really noticed any difference in performance.   

Agree though that if weight is a limiter then cutting right back on the booze can help with that.   

I'm with Gary, when I was marathon training I just gave up completely. Virtually all of my drinking is done when I'm out with friends, and I find it too easy for one drink to turn into four drinks in those situations. I couldn't be bothered to deal with the hangover / feeling like I'd rather stay on the sofa with a bacon sandwich than train the next day.

I'm backing FBs first comment.

For my first IM race (last year), I flew out to Florida along with a mate who I'd trained with.  Save him having a TT bike which would usually see him cover 100+ mile training ride with 15 minutes on me, we were largely on a level par in all three disciplines.

A week before the race was his joint 30th birthday bash / engagement party.  I had abstained from alcohol for a month preceding race-day and whilst it was a horrible test of my generally weak will power, I didn't not buckle to peer pressure at the bash (regretfully).  My mate, on the other hand,got absolutely ruined on gin and tonics supplemented by jagerbombs and a few cigarettes.

Come race day the jaegerbombs seemed to have little effect other than the main component living up to it's promise and giving him wings.  He trimmed at further 15 minutes off the cycle and 25 off the run.  Finishing almost the best part of an hour ahead of me.

An unscientific example, yes, but if you are hitting your first IM to "complete" rather than "compete", don't take alcohol out of your life if with it go the associated pleasures of a good night out.


Rw

fat buddha wrote (see)

Gary Fegan wrote (see)

If you need to shift the lard then cutting out the booze is the way to go.

I'd recommend cutting out all together and just accept you wonr drink - black and white rules work for me.

Personally I drink too much, carry too much weight and therefore don't hit the potential times I could.

For 2013, I'm hoping to cut down both the booze and the lard.

it's not just the booze though if you want to shift the lard, but also attention to diet.  I'm not saying that won't notice a difference if you cut the booze,but if your diet is also ferked up at the same time, then it won't make that a huge difference.   perhaps it's a whole lifestyle change that would help most and I would suggest that is tough - and well done to those who have managed it.  

btw - that's a generic comment Gary - not one aimed at you  

 

FB - I drink too much - like 3/4 bottle of wine per night too much (the other 1/4 is fine).

So for me its a huge amount of added caloires. Having a glass or two each night is perfectly fine, training or not. My problem is that my life is usually about excess, so moderation is harder than avoidance.

If you have the odd beer or glass of wine then cutting it out will make no difference. If you like to go OTT then eat a chippy and a family size bag of crisps, then maybe giving it up is an easy option.

Gary - I'd agree that a bottle a night is too much - I do 1/2 bottle as P has the other 1/2!   but that would also be on the back of a can or 2 of Stella for me.   that's been my regime for some time BUT we have made a sea change this year and cut out either the Stella or the wine - usually the wine, and just stuck with a can of Stella.  which is more calorific - beer or wine - I'm not sure.....

we have also given ourselves the added incentive of every bottle of wine we don't drink, a fiver goes into a buffalo clip - we're onto a bigger buffalo clip now and there's over a few hundred quid there for some indeterminate purpose sometime

it's a start as both of us realised we were drinking a little too much anyway on a regular basis (moderation has different meanings I guess!!) and as I am not exercising so much (due to injury) to burn it off, then I am seeing the knock on effects on my already ample waistline.  something needed to be done.

but I guess the good point is that we can recognise these issues and do something proactive about it when it needs to be done - the problem for many is that they can't/won't do anything about it and matters get worse or they don't see improvements in performance

I didn't give up this year... choosing instead for a social life and going out with friends. I have tried it before because of training and end up not seeing large groups of people I normally hang out with... and ended up just becoming an anti social bugger.

I binge drink fairly regularly, sometimes once a week, sometimes once every fortnight... sometimes twice a week. I try not to drink at home alone very often though - the rare beer / whisky or wine whilst watching the TV is usually just a treat. 

My approach gets in the way of training, and certainly isn't the healthiest... but I am 24 ffs... I have realised there is much more to life than just triathlon.. and I might consume a little more than others but compare me to a cross section of most 24 year olds across the country and I am definitely a cut above the rest!

I have realised that 7 pints the night before trying to go for a half-decent time at Ironman probably is not the best idea

Agreed GB.  I have always understood the drinking before Ironman formula to be 1 pint x every hour of your target time.  I think you were rather overambitious ... with your target time.

I'm not that excessive right now, I probably drink 2 or 3 nights per week, but it'll be 2 or 3 beers or a whole bottle of vino tinto.  I frequently abstain for January, partly cos of inevitable Xmas excess, and partly to make sure I can!  So I reckon next year I'll give myself the 6 month challenge.  And that'll pay for IM entry, which will make the OH happy.