For many runners, a post-race beer is a relaxing and rewarding ritual to celebrate a big accomplishment or fun event. But what about having a drink the night before a race or a hard run? Will this impact your performance? While it’s hard to say for sure, there are some thing you can consider when deciding whether or not to indulge. Here’s what you need to know about running and alcohol and how it affects performance.
The Effects of Alcohol on the Body
We know that alcohol can have negative effects on the body, such as dehydration and disrupted sleep. It can also impact how much glycogen our bodies can store, which we need for running longer distances. Another consideration is how it impacts recovery. Too much alcohol following a race can put our liver into overdrive, and it won’t be able to support our recovery as well. Additionally, drinking alcohol can increase blood pressure and affect how well our heart is able to work during exercise. It’s important to keep in mind that these effects are going to be impacted by the amount of alcohol consumed and how often it is consumed.
What are your running goals?
When considering if you should have a drink or not the night before a workout or race, think about your running goals. Are you just running for fun, or is this a really important workout or race? For runners who are training almost year round, we don’t want to necessarily have to ALWAYS avoid indulging. Therefore, it’s important to balance out times when we really need to run our best with times that we can be a little more laid back. If we are constantly restricting ourselves from doing things we enjoy, it may lead to burnout. On the other hand, if running is important to you and you want to make progress, there are certain sacrifices you may need to make in order to run your best.
Are you drinking in moderation?
There’s obviously a big difference between having 1 glass of wine or 1 beer the evening before a run, or going out to a bar and drinking 10 beers late at night. You need to know your own body and what you can handle, but most guidelines will suggest limiting alcohol consumption to 1-2 drinks. Some people can have 2 drinks and feel totally fine the next day, and others will feel more sluggish and dehydrated, or may have other physical effects from the alcohol.
Consider why you are going to drink
Are you having a drink to relax? Is is a special occasion? Or is it more of a habit, or a way to cope with something negative going on in your life? I mean it’s 2020 and I am certainly not placing judgement on anyone for drinking after a stressful day. But if you think about why you want to have a drink you may find that you can do something else instead if you are concerned about your running performance.
Can you still stay hydrated and get enough sleep?
If I am going to drink before a harder run or race, I make sure it is early enough in the evening that I can still get a good night’s sleep. I may have a drink with dinner, around 6, and then focus on drinking plenty of water throughout the rest of the evening. If you decide to have a drink before you go to bed, make sure you are drinking water alongside your drink so that you don’t end up dehydrated. If possible, drink at least a full glass of water before going to bed.
What about a post-run drink?
You may be wondering if it’s ok to enjoy that free race beer or to celebrate a great run with a glass of wine. As I was doing some research into this, the main reason for avoiding a post-run drink was that your body will need to use energy to process the alcohol, rather than to support your recovery. As much as I appreciate this perspective, personally I don’t see a problem with having drink after a run. (I’m not saying this should be every day, but once in awhile or after a big race.)
If you are recovering properly in other ways, like cooling down, drinking water, getting rest, etc., then I don’t think that one drink is going to have a big impact on how you feel by the time you have your next hard run or workout. It was refreshing to read Laura’s post about the benefits of beer for runners, including improving bone strength, antioxidants and carbohydrates to support recovery, and B-vitamins which provide multiple health benefits.
Everything in Moderation
Drinking alcohol before a run or race will have different effects on different runners. The key is to decide for you personally how it will effect you. If you decide to indulge, it’s important to do so in moderation. We don’t want running to completely take over our lives, and if you enjoy an occasional drink there are plenty of ways to do so and still run and race well.
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Do you drink alcohol the night before a hard workout or race?
After a race do you celebrate with a drink?
Have you noticed if drinking impacts your performance or recovery?
Now it’s time for the Runners’ Roundup! Link up your running and fitness posts below! Join myself, Coach Debbie Runs, Confessions of a Mother Runner, Runs with Pugs , and Laura Norris Running to post your favorite running tips, experiences, race and training recaps, workouts, gear, and coaching ideas.
A great post, Lisa! I like your balanced approach.
I wear my Garmin 24/7 and it helps me monitor my sleep and resting heart rate.
It seems that my body is sensitive to alcohol – even one glass of wine will send my heart rate up and disrupt my sleep pattern.
I stopped drinking alcohol altogher since September. My resting heart rate is now at 48 instead of in the 50s.
Oh that is really interesting! I never thought to use my Garmin in this way. I bet its good to know that alcohol can affect you in that way!
(raising hand guiltily) I have always been a proponent of everything in moderation. I do have a glass or 2 of wine almost daily. It’s become a habit but it’s also something i look forward to. More than that definitely trashes my sleep and my running!
I look forward to a glass of wine a few nights a week as well. My limit is 2 because I definitely don’t sleep as well if I have more than that. Most nights 1 glass is the perfect amount to help me relax and unwind!
Great topic! My reaction to alcohol varies a lot. Sometimes I can have a few drinks and not feel it the next day, but sometimes it makes me feel sluggish, so I generally try to avoid drinking the night before a race just in case. When I first started doing long runs, I had GI issues and found that avoiding alcohol the night before was very helpful to get it under control, and thankfully over time the problem resolved itself. I do love having a beer after a half and since I only run a few of those a year, I think my body can handle it.
That’s why I think its totally fine to have a drink after a race, when its only a few times a year. We need to celebrate our accomplishments, right?!
I don’t drink the night before a long run or race. Otherwise I like my nightly glass of wine to relax. After I run or race it’s Team chocolate milk. Though that dark n stormy tastes great in Bermuda.
A nightly glass of wine is the best. I have one a few days a week but try to avoid it the night before my harder or longer runs.
I am not a huge drinker to begin with but after a race, the last thing I want is a beer. I love it when they have iced cold chocolate milk or Gatorade. Wine sometimes does mess up my sleep so I usually don’t have it the night before a race. I like my wine a few hours after the race and the shower!
It’s interesting how we all crave different things after a race!
I’m not much of an “indulger,” so I don’t have a lot of insight into this LOL My tolerance is very low. A glass of wine, or a stein of hard cider, will have me giddy and loopy, so I don’t partake on the daily. On occasion, though, I will have a drink the evening prior to a big race because I know it will help me fall asleep.
I always get a little nervous that if I have a drink I won’t sleep as well! Usually with just 1 drink I’m ok, but every once in awhile I won’t have a great nights sleep- I’m sure it could be due to other things though.
Interesting topic. If I drink a glass of wine before a race I try to limit it to one, and drink extra water to kind of offset the dehydration effect. And I usually don’t feel like drinking alcohol after a race, so that’s never been an issue. 🙂
The extra glass of water really helps! For me the post-race drink really just depends on how I’m feeling. Sometimes i need a little while to eat something and cool down before I want a drink.
I’m a proponent of moderation. Most days I have one beer or glass of red wine…on weekends I may have two, but seldom ever more than that. I tolerate one drink well but don’t like how more than two makes me feel. If I have a race or big workout, I usually skip alcohol the night before to focus on hydration. Admittedly, more than once I have finished a long run and had a cold beer shortly afterward.
I agree that moderation is key! I also tend to avoid drinking before a race because it makes it easier to focus on hydration. I also worry that it may impact my sleep that night.
I personally would rather eat my calories than drink them, so I gave up alcohol a long time ago. I was never a very big drinker anyway. So for me it was an easy decision.
I have plenty of friends that do enjoy relaxing with a drink, though, so it’s still good info to have!
That’s great that you were able to make that decision for yourself! It can be relaxing for alot of people. It’s all about finding a good balance that allows you to enjoy yourself without impacting your running too much.
I love one glass of wine the night before a race. It helps take the edge off. And I do love a cold beer after a race, although it’s not necessary. I don’t really drink very much anymore. it ends up keeping me awake and my insomnia is already bad enough LOL!
Lately I’ve been concerned about how having a drink impacts my sleep! It was never an issue for me before but there have been a few nights lately when I could’t sleep, and I did have a drink those evenings. However, there are many nights I drink and have no problem sleeping, so who knows!
If I’m racing, I “usually” don’t drink alcohol the night before, but if I do, I keep it minimal. I always adjust my water intake to accommodate the alcohol, though. Immediately after a race, alcohol is the last thing I want.
It’s so important to keep up with drinking water if you have alcohol the night before a run. Usually I like having a post-race drink, but it depends.