Beer Mile Part Two

Before I go on, let me say that I DID NOT end up running the Beer Mile just yet, I was close, even started to practice, but life gets in the way sometimes as they say.

Had to bail. too much going on that day and next, couldn't see myself getting this done, kinda like entering a marathon with no long runs (done that before, stupid).

Lucky for me the entry wasn't mailed in.

I did take this seriously, I mean it represented another chance at a P.B., always something to look forward to as an aging runner...just try a new distance for the first time.

Now I have done some fast miles before, including one at the track of my old High School, when a teacher friend convinced me to show up and run for his students, to show them what a 5-minute mile looked like. Steve and I met the night prior, so it was tough to get up early and do this, and rip around fast enough to hit the target...

Since I am now training for an Ironman, and I am getting in pretty decent shape, I figured I might as well prepare for my first Beer Mile and try to win the darn thing outright.

So around 10 days before the event, I decide to "practice" for this unique combination of fluid consumption and speed afoot, the only difficulty of course being where to do this, and when.

It's not exactly the early morning breakfast of champions for me, and I might get some weird stares from the passersby with my funny-looking water bottle!

You also have to be in a special mood to train for this race, as it's one thing to just "run out the door" for a 5 or 10 km run, quite another to run fast and drink and make sure no one is watching...(:

So it's 10pm and Jefferson could use another walk, so I grab a Coors Light and hide it in a plastic bag, head out the door with the lightweight racing flats, and go somewhere quiet and isolated where I can also run fairly fast and not be interrupted by a street light, pedestrians or more importantly, the police.

Careful not to shake the bottle too much either...

I find my spot, swig 1/2 the beer, race as fast as I can for what I am guessing is 60-seconds, then grab the beer I have left sitting on a park bench. Guzzle the rest of the beer, then race again around the same loop.

Impossible.

Yes, despite what the Adidas advertisements say (Impossible is Nothing), I have a very difficult time getting the beer down while huffing and puffing (plus it tastes like CRAP), and after taking off for lap #2 I can see why this will become a difficult chore.

Am I not alone?

Apparently if you look at this picture, the answer is no.

http://www.mynextrace.com/Article659.htm

Time to train smarter, harder and maybe pick another brand!

I will do this again, promise.

PD

peter@mynextrace.com 

Fashion tips (running)

Here we go, more useless information!

Unless of course you care what people think about you "on the run", not something I have ever really cared about, these days I am lucky if my socks match, and I still wear some of the stupid shorts I purchased over ten years ago at race expo's in the states - the price was too good to pass up!

I was reminded of this as I stood at a red light today, with Jefferson, and beside us was a gal jogging on the spot.

like we haven't all seen this before...

Anyone guilty as charged reading this?

Tap on shoulder....

Ipod headphones come off, quizzical look in my direction...

"May I ask why you are doing this?"

"Doing what?"

"Jogging on the spot, I'll give you some advice, it's not going to make you look any more

cool"

(She has that "look", like she not only wants to get fit but more importantly fit in"...

"Oh, I'm not a jogger"

(What the hell are you then I want to ask?

"It's much better to either stand and wait for the light, or run that way for 15 seconds, turn around and come back, jogging on the spot makes you look like a jogger"

"Consider this free fashion advice!"

"Okay, thanks I guess..."

She stops. light turns green, we both proceed....

"You'll thank me later one day for this"...as we pedal along looking for the next fashion victim....ah these young newbies, never appreciative of such wise words of wisdom...

More advice to follow, maybe Runner's World needs a guest column here?

PD

peter@mynextrace.com 

The beer mile

Something tells me I really have your attention now...

Finally…

A race suited to my disposition! Strong stomach, excellent track speed, ability to withstand pain and suffering over a short period of time. Most importantly though:

Willing to embarrass myself for no particular logical reason…

Never heard of this event before? Read more here –

www.beermile.com

Or search on you-tube for some hilarious videos. Not exactly what De Coubertin had in mind when he created the Olympic movement.

“Higher, Faster, Stronger” suddenly becomes “Puke and it’s an extra lap”.

The cardinal rule of the Beer Mile….

So, thanks to Facebook, I hear from some friends about this underground activity, and jump at the chance to put another notch on the sports-endurance ladder:

- marathon (check)

- adventure race (check)

- 24hr cycling event (check)

- 24hr running relay event (check)

- ultra race (not yet)

- cycling criterium (not yet)

- triathlon (check)

- ironman (almost a check, we’re still in training here, the entry is “in”)

- indoor track race on spikes (I made this up, but it’s cool, and tough)

- crazy, un-planned long-distance attempt of any kind (many here, mostly on a bike - like attempting Vaughan, ON to Niagara Falls on a mountain bike, without a map...)

It hasn’t exactly been the first time I really thought about this, every year I run a popular, local 10km race on a team called 9 Drunks and a Runner, so we talk about the Beer Mile every time. Being a promoter, I even had a meeting once with the president of a local beer company, to look into bringing this “underground” event “above ground”. He was all in favour of the idea, however his staff were a little “queasy” and the City of Toronto permit people were quite against the idea (although two emailed me separately and wanted to enter)!

Now, being the competitive type, I immediately determine that PRACTICE is needed, after-all, “practice makes perfect”, no? It must be noted that it will not be the first time I exercise while under the influence (E.W.U.T.I.). Ever heard of the Santa Speedo Run? Go ahead and google that event and see what you find, but at only 2-3km and at a leisurely pace, it’s not comparable to going to the wall around a track.

Of course the colder weather would certainly “speed” things up immeasurably here…

My only question is now, regular or light?

Stay tuned for the secret training update...

P.D.

peter@mynextrace.com 

Beverage updates...beer please.

We just keep re-visiting this topic don't we! do we have the attention of the guys now?

The debate continues….

What is the best liquid fuel for athletes prior to competition? Feel free to take this quiz:

• Water

• Sports drink

• Coffee

• Beer

I’ve tried all of these, BUT two beers and a shot of Jagermeister before the Santa Speedo Run is not exactly for performance reasons. Anxiety maybe…

(:

I ran into a long-time running friend today, in a running store of course, this amazing runner also coaches athletes, so I think he knows a few things about the sport. We’ll leave his name un-mentioned for now, he’s one of those strong, silent types I suspect. I’ve also lost track of the number of marathons he’s completed, possibly an average of 5-6 per year in the 15 years that I have known him, and oh so many marathons between 2:50 and 3:10.

But never a sub-3:00 hr marathon in Boston!

Until we brought Beer into the equation.

This year however, our friend did manage a P.B. in Boston, his first under 3:00 in fact, and do you want to know what he did differently this time around, after 11 previous attempts?

Train Harder...unlikely.

Better weather...not really.

Better pre-race preparation...did you spend winter in Canada (circa 2008)?

To make a long story short, on the bus to the start, said friend has a tall-boy (can) passed to him approx. 60-minutes before the gun goes off. Talk about a tip from the back of the bus...

I guess after so many attempts one has to just say:

"What the ^%^$!"

Crack open the can.

Guzzle.

Relax.

Hopefully pee.

P.B.

(:

My kinda strategy, but how do I sneak a can onto the bike course at ironman this year?

P.D.

peter@mynextrace.com