Posted on by Crushing Iron

Caffeine and Training

Sometimes I feel like a real jackass writing about Ironman training.  I mean, who am I to figure like I know stuff?

But then, I start to rationalize . . . “Hey, maybe I do know stuff.”  Well, at least I know what’s going on in my own mind and body.  That counts for something, right?

Today, what’s going on in my mind and body is a little more stillness than usual.  Last night I ran with the East Nasty crew, then had pizza, a salad, and a Schlitz tallboy before heading home to bed at 10.  When I woke up, I felt rested for the first time in weeks.  Sleep matters.

Monday through yesterday afternoon of this week I was on edge.  I wasn’t sure why, but love to speculate about my health.  This morning it came to me.  I haven’t had caffeine for the last two days.

This is a sticky subject with me.  I have a natural lean toward having a buzz and being a tad compulsive about it.  During my college years it was beer.  For hangovers I drank water.

I used to give my buddies a lot of shit for slamming down soda (we called it pop).  I never drank coffee, either, unless it was to be cool on all night exam crams.  But a few years after college, I started a business and became a Mountain Dew whore.

I pounded yellow juice all day long and was typically short tempered, though I knew that wasn’t acting like “me.” I never openly associated my crankiness and lethargy to the drug.  In Alcoholics Anonymous they say that “Alcohol is cunning and baffling,” but now I’m starting to think the same can be said for caffeine (or any addictive substance).

Of course, this isn’t for everyone to hear.  I have a tendency to overdo things.  Like pound not one, but two large coffees in search for that edge.  I’m not even sure if I’ll stop or not, but have decided to turn that one over to a higher power.

7 Replies to “Caffeine and Training”

  1. If being addicted to coffee is wrong, then I don’t want to be right. Even before I workout, I have my two cups–can’t have a good workout if you’re still sleeping, right?

    2. This is true. Bed workouts are limited! Ha… But seriously… One of my biggest goals before a race is to be relaxed going into the water and I find that coffee, with all it’s awesome forces, typically makes me more uptight or on edge. That’s just me, though. I have a friend who claims he can drink two pots and not be affected at all! I think I’m just overly sensitive. And if you don’t believe me, read my poetry book!

  2. If you’ve ever woken up nude, on the hood of your car, with your keys stuck in your ass, thinking your car won’t start because it’s flooded… Because of coffee, you might want to think about quitting – in the meantime, us friends of Bill love that fantastic black liquid.

    Besides, coffee has more antioxidants in it than any other food source on earth… It’s all good!

    1. Ha… fair enough. And believe me, I am not making light of anything AA. My life is surrounded by and better because of it. I am always over analyzing things and looking for answers.

      What I find so intriguing is how I react to coffee. Some days it’s great. Others, I feel like it brings on waves of anxiety. Thanks for the input. I could talk about this stuff all day!

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