From the August 2004 issue of Runner's World
Pace Yourself, Cherie
You'll notice that Clark says one glass, not one bottle. Moderation is the key to reaping the health benefits of alcohol and avoiding any negative effects on your running. In general that means women should limit their alcohol intake to one drink (equal to five ounces of wine) a day, and men (who tend to be larger than women) two drinks per day. But nutritionists say that because people process alcohol differently, it's not simply the amount you drink. For instance, large, muscular people can usually handle more alcohol than smaller people. Women are more susceptible than men to the effects of alcohol due to hormonal and body-fat differences. Women also tend to have less dehydrogenase, a liver enzyme that breaks down alcohol. And regular drinkers can process alcohol more easily than nondrinkers can. In the end, you need to know how alcohol affects you and your performance--preferably well before race day.
"Running, biking, and swimming are part of my life every day, just like having a glass of wine every night," says Sarah Gott, a competitive amateur triathlete and a winemaker living in Napa Valley. Gott limits herself to one or two glasses of wine or beer a day, and drinks plenty of water to compensate for dehydration, particularly before a big training day or race.
And while a finish-line beer seems like a well-earned reward, it is no substitute for proper refueling. Some runners believe that the high-carbohydrate content of beer will help them recover. But alcohol is a poor source of carbohydrates (a 12-ounce can of beer has only about 11 grams of carbs), and it also interferes with glycogen replenishment, delaying recovery. So hold off on the beer until you've eaten something and had the chance to rehydrate with water or sports drink.
"I don't push nondrinkers to start drinking," says Clark, "but if athletes enjoy alcohol, there are the known health benefits, plus the psychological benefit of slowing down and socializing with friends." We'll drink to that.
