DRAFT Magazine

Last weekend I finished my fourth marathon, and at this point I’m starting to develop regular post-race habits.

After stumbling through the finish chute and grabbing my shiny solar blanket, I head to the food tent to load up on bagels and bananas and orange wedges. Then I attempt to eat said bagels and bananas and oranges, only to remember that my body has temporary lost the ability to choke down solid food.

No problem.

I just go to the beer tent and stock up. Fast carbs. Goes down smooth. The perfect post-race recovery drink.

The Beer Runner in action

From Lakefront Marathon

This particular marathon takes place in Milwaukee, and the beer is supplied by local brew pub The Milwaukee Ale House. I grab a creamy dark Louie’s Demise in one hand and a refreshing Downtown Light in the other. Delicious.

This should come as no surprise to anyone who’s completed a marathon, a triathlon or even a few very generous 5Ks. Beer has become a finish line fixture. The post-race party is a scene that plays out across the country. Sometimes it starts even before the finish line, like at the annual Riverwest Beer Run in my own residence of Milwaukee.

So is it the beer that motivates someone to pay $20, $50, sometimes even hundreds of dollars to enter a race? I mean, anyone can go out and run, bike and swim on their own. Or buy themselves a six-pack.

Of course it’s an oversimplification to say they’re bribed with beer. But I don’t think its exaggeration to say that there’s motivation to be part of a vibrant community of like-minded individuals.

That’s where beer culture and active lifestyles intersect.

At first, it might seem that these two types of people are the complete opposite of each other. But that’s only if judged by old outdated standards. In reality, the new beer drinking culture and the new active outdoor culture are two sides of the same recreational coin.

Endurance athletes and beer drinkers are leaving behind the old stereotypes. Independently they’re each building exciting new cultures that mesh well with each other. When you think about it, it makes perfect sense.

Drinking is no longer about buying the cheapest swill you can find and getting drunk in front of the TV. It’s about seeking out new varieties of craftsmanship, increasingly your knowledge and cultivating your tastes.

Being an endurance athlete is not about asceticism and self-denial. It’s about pushing your limits, experiencing new frontiers and finding something within yourself that you didn’t know you had before.

Ultimately, they’re both about heightening the senses, expanding the mind and nourishing the body.

For a perfect example think of hikers who wash the dust out with locally-made microbrews. Or the tavern owner who’s president of a mountain bike club. Or the road racing team sponsored by the restaurant known for their Belgian ales and imported European beer.

I know they exist because I’ve met them. And you’ll meet them, too.

Of course, those cultures wouldn’t be nearly as rich if it wasn’t for our ability to share. That’s why both of these groups are incredibly social. That’s why we race. That’s why we drink beer in pubs. And that’s why both groups come together so easily.

That, in a nutshell, is the focus of this blog. It’s a meeting place for beer and active cultures to intermingle.

Welcome to the Beer Runner.