Perk up your Performance with Coffee?
A couple of weeks ago (April 5th) an article appeared in the Edmonton Journal that has got me thinking. It talked about the many times proven benefit and effect of drinking coffee before a run – or any other sporting activity – to improve performance.
I’ve been having a hard time coming back to my running with the same energy I once had, after being off for an extended period of time due to an injury. Being a non-coffee drinker and noticing how much more effort my training is taking me these days, I wondered if coffee might make the difference for me. It also reminded me of the fact, that when I was marathon running, I would use watered-down, flat Coke as my pick-me-up drink in the second half of the marathon. It seemed to work better for me than a lot of the other sports drinks, gels, etc. The caffeine-sugar combination was probably enough to spur me on – particularly because my body was not conditioned for the caffeine.
I don’t really want to start drinking coffee again, but would certainly love a little of that energy jolt. The article talks about avoiding coffee for a few days prior to a running event and then having a cuppa (4 oz. is all that is necessary!) an hour before the beginning of a race. (That 4 oz. of coffee is apparently equivalent to 2 – 12 oz. cans of Coke.)
However, the article also mentions an individual who tried the caffeine and decided he never wanted to experience that again – he found he was wired, shaky, his heart was pounding and would not slow down. Bit scary.
Maybe I’ll just go back to trying the watered-down, flat Coke again, and see if this is a help before submitting myself to the full effect of a cup of coffee! But for the coffee drinkers out there – maybe you can use this to get the best out of your workout!
Heather
Posting your comment
Curtis | November 16, 2009 @ 11:26 pm
Don’t even start with the stims, seriously! Caffine will lead to dehydration and beyond that cause
irratic heart rhythm, which can become serious under increased stress. Just stick with water or small amounts of sports drinks.
Trisha Bosio | January 13, 2010 @ 1:37 am
I am going to start training for a local marathon and I am using a program developed by Marrius Bakken. It’s a really good system, I am just throwing it out there for those who are interested in a good system.