Alcohol, Training, and Dabbling in Sobriety

Anyone that knows me, knows that I like my drinks.   I always have and I always will.   I never really consumed any alcohol until I was about 20, and actually started racing triathlon because of it. No joke.

In the summer of 2003, I finally learned to let loose and have a good time... I can attribute that to learning to have a few drinks and relax.  With that new relaxed attitude, I tried something new in triathlons.  Over the next few years, I think that I was in catch up mode for all of those high school and college parties that I missed.   In 2006/2007, I was in party mode all the time and consumed a bit (no, way) too much for any good, and in March of 2010 I gave it up completely for nine months while waiting for my son to be born.

That complete sobriety in 2010 was a nice halt of daily consumption for me...  I will think of it as my re-set button on my consumption habits.  Since then, I have pretty much limited any alcohol consumption to one or two days per week (lately, more like one).  I will note that vacations are not included in that though.  I'll indulge when I get my travels on!

So what has limiting alcohol consumption done for training and racing and life?  Have I noticed a difference?

Yes and no.

First, the yes

The biggest place I notice the difference of non-daily alcohol consumption is mornings.  This is huge for me as I am a very very big morning person.  It's my absolute most productive and favorite part of the day.  I truly enjoy waking up feeling close to 100% every day and I attribute no drinking to feeling that way.  I love it.

I don't have an excuse to skip workouts.

I dropped about 10 pounds in the first month back in 2010.  I have stayed at 147 to 151 ever since.  I feel that it's a good race weight.  I also notice a difference in body composition.  I feel much more lean, even if I am only 10 lbs lighter.

I sleep better

I am fully sober much more often.  This can't be bad - or can it?


Then, the no

I don't think that it changing my drinking habits really affects performance in races (too much).  During all three of my ironman races this past summer, I consumed ample amounts leading up to the race and consumed a minimum of two drinks the night before each of these races.  I think this was just a mental thing though.  - It gave me a break from the daily anxiety of thinking of the race.  I treated the travel to, and the experience of racing as a nice vacation.


So there are my thoughts on this subject.  Overall, I like not drinking much and I do think it helps overall in life.  I do feel healthier and happier because I limit myself to a day or so per week.  With that being said, it's been about two weeks since I have had a beer - I think I will wait for the weekend though.  5:00 am is  a bit too early.

One of many pre-race beverages from Kona this past October