I Gave Up Alcohol to Improve My Running. Here’s What Happened.

“Mmmm, beer!!” This is a common quote by one of the greatest minds of the last century, Homer Simpson. It also was a common thought that went through my head a few times a week. “Mmm, this beer really hits the spot.” That’s more what my tastebuds were telling my brain. For most of my adult life, I enjoyed a few beers a week. I never got into liquor or cocktails, just a few beers per week. Occasionally, I might have some wine if we were somewhere fancy or for a special event. It didn’t seem like it really mattered. If I had two beers in the evening, I would still get up and go to the gym or for a run the next morning. It would usually just take me a little longer to get going.

The Turning Point

My wife quit drinking exactly four years ago. She has a stressful job and alcohol was a crutch she would lean on to relieve stress. Eventually, she started researching all the negative health effects of alcohol and she realized it was having a bigger impact on her health than she had previously understood. Her research led her to quit drinking completely in July of 2022. Initially I don’t think it was a permanent plan, more just a long break. I witnessed a lot of really positive changes in her mentally and physically. We were both doing a very popular brand of HIIT workouts at the time that had cardio, strength, gymnastics, and calisthenics. She suddenly got substantially better at all of these areas while I continued drinking beers a few times per week. Her sleep improved, her stress levels went down, and she seemed to be happier and less stressed all around.

Hitting the Wall at 40

I was a little slower to realize the effects alcohol had on me. I would drink a nice craft IPA or two about three or four times a week. If I was with some friends, that number might go up to three drinks and maybe the occasional four. Nothing crazy, but it started to catch up with me after I hit 40.

I was going to the gym 5-6 days per week and doing very high intensity workouts. My diet was not great and the beer didn’t help with the calorie intake, so as you can guess I started to gain weight. A breaking point came for me in early fall two years ago. We had a retirement party for some family members. It was a great night and I had a few glasses of red wine. The next day, I woke up and felt fuzzy. I didn’t have a pounding headache or feel sick to my stomach, just a little off. I came to the conclusion it was the wine, and I didn’t like it and didn’t need this sensation anymore in my life.

The Unexpected Benefits of Cutting Out Alcohol

I decided to take a break from drinking, just like my wife. What I found was not expected. I quit doing the HIIT workouts shortly thereafter and transitioned back to running a more regimented schedule. My diet improved along with this. I started cutting back on refined sugars and highly processed foods. It’s a lot easier to resist pizza and cookies if I am also cutting out alcohol.

Related: If you want to see exactly how I overhauled my daily fuel after dropping the alcohol, check out my article on nutrition and running.

My running times have improved and I even ran my fastest 10k ever at age 43. I’m also happier and healthier than I have felt in a long time. I don’t have the constant injuries that I was accustomed to (not sure if it was alcohol or the workout routine, likely a combination) and my inflammation through my body has greatly decreased. Plus, did I mention I LOST OVER 40 POUNDS??

What Changed When I Quit Drinking

• Better sleep
• More consistent training
• Easier nutrition choices
• Better recovery between workouts
• Fewer nagging injuries
• Losing over 40 pounds through better habits

The Science of Performance

You might be thinking, “Wait, I only have a few drinks a week. Does it really matter?” That was exactly my mindset. I wasn’t drinking heavily, and I could still wake up and get my workout done the next morning. But over time, I started to realize that “getting the workout done” and “performing at my best” are two very different things.

Alcohol can affect many of the things runners depend on most: quality sleep, muscle recovery, hydration, and the body’s ability to repair itself after hard training. Even a few drinks in the evening can leave you less recovered and less prepared for your next workout.

That was the biggest lesson for me. The beer itself wasn’t ruining my life, but it also wasn’t helping me become the runner I wanted to be. Once I removed it, I gave my body the best possible chance to recover, adapt, and improve. For me, the tradeoff became pretty simple: a temporary buzz was not worth sacrificing better health, better training, and faster race times.

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