DRAFT Magazine

Beer Runner: What are your beer runner credentials?

Joe “Maverick” Frye, thrower on a Division I track and field team:

I’m 21 years old and enjoy stouts and porters, mostly, but will drink just about anything. I lift 3-4 days a week, and practice more; the beer mile thing is kind of a newfound hobby. I love the idea of beer and exercise, and I think I’ll probably expand into the cycling realm.

BR: You recently ran a Beer Mile with your teammates and made a video documenting the experience. How did it get started?

JF: I heard about it from Matt Fiedler, the guy who started www.trackwithnotrack.com, and was told some of the team was getting together to run one. I thought I might do alright if I could just pace myself and drink well. So, I figured, why not?

BR: What were the highlights for you of the Beer Mile?

JF: The last lap, my best split, was the highlight. I had a bet going with one of the other guys for a sub-7:00 time, and so that was some of my motivation, but mostly, I just wanted to prove a 6′6″, 250lb hammer thrower could compete with the real talent if some glorious substance like beer was involved. When I got to my last lap, and realized that I was right on target for the 7:00 beer mile, I just coasted… ecstatic the entire time.

BR: What’s it like to be a track team with no track?

JF: Well, it’s a little disheartening… We want to continue to do well, and have the natural talent to do so, but unfortunately, the odds are against us. Thankfully, a big part of throwing is strength, and I’ve got a great coach who puts me through the right workouts, so I am able to stay at the top with the competition. For the running-based athletes, however, it’s got to be much worse, though they still do work at the meets!

BR: Is it possible to be a Div 1 track athlete and a beer runner?

JF: I definitely think it is; it would be hard to be a good/efficient beer runner without having an athletic background. Of course, I think the main goal of beer running is the fun and comradery, but being a Division I athlete naturally makes me slide a competitive edge into the whole thing.

BR: What are your goals for this year’s upcoming track season?

JF: I plan on fighting for conference titles in the four outdoor events I do (hammer throw, shot put, discus, and javelin) and perhaps going on to Regionals, and, God-willing, Nationals. Lofty goals, but I like to aim high.

BR: Who has some of the biggest beer runner tendencies on your team? How so?

JF: I would say most runners on our team took his first lap a little fast, leading to a vomiting exhibition during the next lap. Most of the guys out there can run a sub-5 mile, so if each of them can get his lap-pace and chug times down, I think we could be a great unit!

BR: Do you ever celebrate any of your meets with beer afterward?

JF: Most definitely! Shiner Bock is a favorite of mine, along with a good Guinness or Smithwick’s. Of course, being a college student, often times we have got to stick with Keystone or some other cheap alternative.

BR: Anything else to add?

I’ve got a great team and a lot of motivation! There’s no reason to settle for a 6:59 beer mile; I’m aiming for 6:30 in the spring!

Adam (center) & Friends: Tour de France 2009

Beer Runner: What are your beer runner credentials?

Adam Benedetto: As a Fat Tire Bicycle Tour guide in Paris, I enjoyed beer and bicycles a lot. Sometimes I’m into both at the same time—even while working. Light exercise like biking though a city really helps the body process beer. Since working for Fat Tire I generally don’t like to sit in a bar. My body just feels lousy during and afterward. Better to have a drink, ride somewhere, have another drink and then, eventually, be responsible and lock the bike up.

BR: How did you end up from living in Wisconsin to giving international bike tours?

AB: My friend Colin Hughes is a guru at finding interesting opportunities in the world. He first got a job at Fat Tire and hooked me in. I decided in 2006 to make a long trip out of America and so I took the job in Paris. Giving bicycle tours was so fun that when I later moved to Shanghai I set up my own bike tours there. I love travel, bikes, beer and history. Giving historical bicycle tours is a great way to live abroad. Plus, I’ve never given a tour without drinking at least one beer. Tourism and beer go hand and hand.

BR: What’s the typical day in the life of a guide for Fat Tire Bike Tours?

AB: I meet the tourists at nine in the morning, take them on a train from Paris to Versailles and then bring them to the market where we shop for a picnic lunch. The Versailles market’s food, wine, and beer made my life there very good. We picnicked in Marie Antoinette’s favorite picnic spot at the end of the Grand Canal. Once lunch was over I’d take them to the Palace and drop them off to view opulence while I went to drink beer with another tour guide from Wisconsin, Andrew Golden. If the beer was really good they’d have to get back on their own. (That’s a joke.) At the end of the day I’d always say, “I you loved Versailles, if you loved Paris, then realize that the bicycle is the window by which you saw the city. All cities are beautiful when you look though this window.” Then I’d pat the bike. I suppose the same is true with beer.

BR: What beer do you drink when you meet fellow tour guides for beer in Paris?

AB: French beer is very light and so it’s easy to drink and not feel heavy afterward. 1664, Kronenbourg, and Carlsberg are the beers that are on par with Heineken. They’re good but mass produced. France really needs to go through the micro-brew revolution that has happened in America. They tend to be focused on wine and so the beer culture hasn’t developed in the same way. Still, many bars have Leffe Blonde which is a good Belgian beer, a little bit more rich, but still very light. The French don’t like bitter beer and usually the bars don’t carry the Leffe Dark which is my all-time-super-#1 favorite beer. Too bad.

There’s also a cheap local beer called, Fisher, which is very light and what the locals drink. The French kids, after a day of high school, will often sit around and casually drink beers with grenadine. Sometimes they add another sweet green liquid which is a kind of menthol flavor. I got a kick out of that. But I liked that 16 year olds would behave responsibly while drinking beer socially. Our culture has a lot to learn from them, and the sooner we get rid of the drinking age in America the better.

BR: Being from Wisconsin and then traveling around the world, where have you found the best beer?

Augustiner Brau Munchen

AB: I miss Lake Louie’s Milk Stout, New Glarus Spotted Cow, and The Great Dane beers all the time. Wisconsin really has fantastic beer. But I would say that different places have different beers for a reason. In Brazil you get this light “chop” beer which they serve in 7 oz glasses as fast as they can pour them. It’s hot there so a light beer tastes great. In China the wine is terrible—really bad, and so it’s best to stick with big and very cheap bottles of Tsing Tao Beer. I’m in Berlin right now and they have this beer called Augustiner Brau Munchen by Helles Vollbier and I really have had a lot of it in the past month. It’s got some hops to it and so it’s a refreshing change from France. The German Heritage of Wisconsin rubbed off on me and I feel at home here.

But I don’t want to forget one other special beer, La Gazelle, which you can find in Senegal and Western Africa. It has some weird quality that makes you laugh uncontrollably. We need to find out what’s in that stuff because it’s great. It’s like drinking beer as the dentist hands you a gas mask… but it may have also been the malaria pills.

BR: Do you have a favorite story that involves beer and biking?

AB: Not really one story in particular. I will say that it’s a very social, fun, and healthy lifestyle. If you keep your weight down and keep active while drinking beer – life is very good. The other day I took the Fat Tire Bicycle Tour of Berlin and they brought us to a big beer “garten” for lunch. The beers were fantastic. It was an excellent time and if you’re a beer lover I can’t recommend the Berlin Tour enough. I also love a good locally crafted beer after five hours on a road bike or an intense mountain bike ride—nothing tops a beer after that.

BR: In 2002, you ran for Sheriff of Dane County as a member of the Green Party. If you had won, what beer would you have had on election night to celebrate your victory?

AB: I would have had one of the fine locally crafted brews that they serve at the Weary Traveler Free House in Madison. They always have great beers there so I usually just ask the bartender to give me what they recommend. I like them all. In fact, on election night I think I had two before US Senator Russ Feingold showed up and gave a speech about the the electoral outcomes of that evening. After he spoke I think I drank a few more because he was the bearer of bad news. But it was still a grand evening.

BR: What’s your favorite progressive-themed beer (if you have one)?

AB: Good question. Beer is necessary for a healthy and robust democracy. Drinking it helps divergent thinking and when people have differing opinions they usually aren’t as prone to the democracy destroying effects of Nationalism, War Culture, and Mass Hysteria. Usually people drink beer and discuss news, politics, ideas, and culture. Beer gives us a good reason to sit around and enjoy each other’s company and social relationships build community and thus, democracy. It also sometimes makes us say things we wouldn’t otherwise have the courage or the commonsense to say—which makes for fun political arguments.

BR: And anything else to add?

AB: Now, that I’m thinking about it, I haven’t lived in a country that has a drinking age for more than three years. It’s been wonderful that there’s no cultural divide between under- and over-21. I really see the 21 year old drinking law existing in America to divide the student body socially and politically. I hope that readers of this blog would revisit that idea. Responsibility can’t be a law, it’s cultural.

Beer Runner: What are your beer runner credentials?

Joel Patenaude: I use marathons, the American Birkebeiner and epic mountain bike races as goals to keep me exercising and enjoying the outdoors. One of the perks that comes with being relatively fit and occasionally able to place well in my age group is that I can have a beer at dinner, and maybe another after dinner, without feeling the least bit guilty.

BR: What kind of beer do you prefer?

JP: Dark microbrews, the more local the better. Fortunately in east-central Wisconsin where I live, there’s the Central Waters Brewery in Amherst. They make my mainstay, the hoppy Mud Puppy Porter. But probably the most satisfying of their beer I’ve had was the Glacial Trail IPA I had this fall right after running the Glacial Trail 50K, my first ultra, through the Northern Kettle Moraine State Forest. That was a brilliant combination, thanks to fellow beer runner Tom Held. When I’m visiting family in the Madison area, I gravitate to Lake Louie Milk Stout and Brother Tim’s Tripel; Ale Asylum’s Madtown Nutbrown and Ambergeddon Amber Ale; and anything, really, from the New Glarus Brewery. At the Tyranena Beer Run in Lake Mills I discovered Tyranena’s Chief Blackhawk Porter.

BR: What are some of your favorite races involving beer?

JP: It isn’t a coincidence that some of my favorite silent sports events in the upper Midwest are sponsored by breweries, well supplied by them or lure me with an exaggerated thirst to where good beer is made. In that latter category I include Grandma’s Marathon in Duluth (Fitger’s and Lake Superior breweries in Duluth), the Chequamegon Fat Tire Fest and Birkie (Angry Minnow Brewpub, Hayward), Keweenaw Trail Running Festival and Copper Harbor Fat Tire Fest (Keweenaw Brewing Co., Houghton, Mich.) I kick off the running season with the 5-mile Point Bock Run which the Stevens Point Brewery organizes, and this time of year Point makes the tasty St. Benedict’s Winter Ale.

Beer O'Clock for Joel Patenaude

BR: How did you originally get involved with the magazine Silent Sports, where you’re editor?

JP: While in college and early in my reporting career, I bought copies of Silent Sports for years to find 10Ks to run in Wisconsin, Illinois and Iowa throughout the summer and fall. I recall buying several back issues from founding editor Greg Marr at Canoecopia, the paddling expo in Madison every spring. It wasn’t until I saw an ad seeking a replacement for Marr (he died of a heart attack while cross-country skiing) that I realized Silent Sports would be a great fit for me. I’ve been in the driver’s seat since February 2004.

BR: What’s been your biggest highlights with Silent Sports?

JP: With a great deal of in-house help, I’ve given the magazine a makeover (adding color inside, imagine!) and a well designed, user-friendly website complete with searchable event calendar. I’ve also stepped up my advocacy for building silent sports trails and preserving quiet nonmotorized recreation by serving on two state legislative committees and as a board member for the invaluable Bicycle Federation of Wisconsin.

At the Turkey Trot in Madison

BR: What’s the backstory to this photo? —————>

JP: My wife and brother-in-law ran the Tyranena Beer Run on Nov. 7, but because I failed to register before the event reached its 1,500-runner cap, I was just a cheerleader — and beer drinker — that day. The next morning I ran the Turkey Trot, a five-mile cross country race in Madison’s Elver Park. That photo was taken just before I finished sixth place overall but, get this, fourth in my age group. I’ve been humbled this way many times. There are a lot of 30- to 39-year-old racehorses out there.

BR: How was your experience with the Tyranena Beer Run this year? Any highlights?

JP: Besides offering scenic half marathon and 4.37-mile courses (”half barrel” and “sixth barrel”), Tyranena offered great beer to go with the post-race meal. I was bowled over by the richness of the Dirty Old Man Imperial Rye Porter and Sheep Shagger Scotch Ale - and had I run, I might have been, literally, on the floor of the beer tent.

BR: You just got into home brewing. How’s that going?

JP: Let’s just say I won’t be printing labels for my first batch. Bonnie, the owner of Chez Marche (a restaurant and home brew equipment supplier in Waupaca), set me up with a beginner’s kit, a copy of The Complete Joy of Homebrewing by Charles Papazian and a can of Cooper’s Malt Extract. Couldn’t be easier, eh? Well, I made a colossal mess on the stovetop, forgot to add sugar, couldn’t figure out how to read the hydrometer, collected a ton of screwtop empties before realizing they couldn’t be recapped, and soaked a pair of jeans during the bottling process. At room temperature the beer has “drinkability” (which I assume to be a very low standard) and is downright awful chilled. This was my first try, though. I’m not giving up until I’m able to make a passable Goat Scrotum Ale from the recipe in Papazian’s book.

BR: What’s your favorite silent sport that involves beer?

Wife carrying

JP: Although I’ve not yet witnessed such an event, I list in the Silent Sports calendar wife carrying contests, which involve men running short courses over hay bales and other obstacles while carrying their wives. True to sport’s practice in Finland, the fastest hubbie wins his wife’s weight in beer. (At the Wisconsin Wife Carrying Championship in Minocqua, the beer has been Red Hook Ale.) Setting aside the political incorrectness, I’m intrigued by the idea of women willing to suffer multiple indignities and men torn by the prospect of having wives light enough to carry but heavy enough to make the beer booty worthy of the effort. Everyone involved must have a sense of humor.

BR: What is your must-do or best bets for events this winter?

Assuming we get snow, I’ll be training for a few ski marathons, namely the inaugural SISU Ski Fest in Ironwood, Mich. (Jan. 9), Badger State Games in Wausau (Feb. 6) and my third classic Birkie ending in Hayward (Feb. 27). I’ll keep running through the winter as well since I’m due to run my second Boston Marathon come April.

BR: Any other words of advice or wisdom?

JP: Go out for a run, bike ride, ski or paddle. Then do as Papazian says and “relax, don’t worry, have a home brew.” (And subscribe to Silent Sports!)

Sarah and Samson

For Sarah Huska it can.

Sometimes she’ll down a beer a half hour or so before heading out for a run.

“The alcohol helps my muscles relax,” she says. “And the carbs give me an energy boost.”

So next time you’re lacking motivation to lace up your running shoes on, take her advice.

“Try it sometime,” she said. “Just be careful of the ABV!”

Huska, who lives in suburban Chicago, shares her love of running, craft beer and dogs with the Beer Runner.

Beer Runner: You went to the Great American Beer Festival this year — what were the highlights for you?

Sarah Huska: The whole thing! This was my first trip to GABF and I was blown away. GABF is so much more than trying 2,000 beers in three days. I met so many people, made so many friends, learned so much and drank so much amazing beer that I’m still in awe. The whole thing is still sinking in. I think my favorite part of the weekend was hanging out at Falling Rock on Saturday until about 2 am. I was star struck. I met Greg Koch, Garrett Oliver, Ray Daniels, Carol Stoudt, Dave McLean, Sean Paxton, and others thanks to Shaun and Nico from the 21st Amendment.  In what other industry will people of their status sit and talk to a regular Jill Schmo like me? Love it!

BR: So if running is religion for you, what is church?

SH: The road, the trail, the ground beneath my feet. Running is when I reflect on life and and the road is where it happens. I went for a run a couple weeks ago that was truly inspiring. The smells, the sunset, the breeze, it all came together and seemed like it was there for my evening run.  I felt blessed to have the opportunity to experience this while my feet went “psshht, psshht, psshht” beneath me. It’s all very cheesy. I’ll stop making you want to gag now.

BR: Do you think your love of good food and beer is related to your love of running?

SH: Absolutely. As a runner, you monitor what you put into your body. My love of food came from the determination to make healthy food taste good, so that I wasn’t stuck eating plain rice and beans day in and day out. This determination later developed into passion for good food and great beer. People often say my love of running and love of food and beer are contradictory, but I thoroughly disagree. If you appreciate quality of life, you should appreciate the quality in craft beer and real food.

Sporting the 21st Ammendment Brewery GABF medal

BR: I saw that you read Brewing Up A Business. Any favorite parts of the book?

SH: It’s what got me thinking about getting into the craft beer world professionally. I really enjoyed Sam’s writing style and his honesty. He says it’s the hardest thing you’ll ever do, but also the best. Sam makes your dreams seem more obtainable and shows you a path that will give you the tools for success.

BR: Can you tell us what you’re planning for a craft brewery bar in Chicago?

SH: The bar will bring a sense of comfort, camaraderie and closeness to the South Loop. The bar will not be just a local tavern, but a place of passion and character; something necessary in both business and life. Not that I have anything against pub grub — love me some french fries and onion rings — but to truly compliment craft beer, I feel it necessary to provide high quality food. It’ll be somewhat of a dive; that place you go to hang out and relax on a Tuesday afternoon or to get a little crazy on a Saturday night.

BR: So tell me about your pet exercising business, Shake a Leg. Do you run much with your pets?

SH: Aside from running, food and beer, dogs are a passion of mine.  They’re amazing creatures and to have the opportunity to work with them everyday is an honor. The owners notice a positive change in their pets because of my influence. It’s humbling and ego-boosting. I have one dog and one cat of my own, and while I’d love to run with both of them, I fear I would get strange looks running down the street with a cat. My dog, Samson, is the best running buddy anyone could ask for!

BR: Anything else to add?

SH: Too often in our lives today we deal with things that are fake, whether food, television or each other. Running and craft beer offer a sense of truth. There’s no hiding from anything or anyone behind running or beer.

The blogosphere is not big enough for two Beer Runners.

Or is it?

Over on the west coast, Derrick Peterman authors  a blog called the Bay Area Beer Runner, which I recently found out about. But I did not sic my (fake) lawyers on him.

In the spirit of running and craft brewery brotherhood — like Collaboration Not Litigation — I invited the Bay Area Beer Runner over to chat on the Beer Runner.

Beer Runner: Hey, nice blog name. Where’d you come up with it?

Derrick Peterman: I was quietly writing it for about a month and submitted my first contribution for The Session, which is a compilation of articles written by beer bloggers on a monthly topic. Brian Yaeger was hosting that month, and when he received my contribution, he gently informed me about your blog, which he found helpful for his marathon training. On my next  morning run, I spend the whole time trying to figure out a new name, before settling on Bay Area Beer Runner.

BR: What are your biggest running feats?

DP: I’ve been running for 30 years. I ran in cross-country and track in high school and college, and at Washington University in St. Louis, twice made All-American at the NCAA Division III 10,000 meter championships. I completed three marathons, the fastest being 2:27 in the 1993 Columbus Marathon. That qualified me into the Boston Marathon the next year, and it was just a fantastic experience to run in the historic race. At 42, I’m a shell of my former self but still get in 40-50 miles a week and run a few races each year.

BR: Why did you start blogging?

DP: Part of the reason is that one of the best ways to learn something is to tell someone else about it. I estimate that I’ve tried over 500 beers, and have visited about 20 brewpubs. My job is in sales, so I travel around the U.S. and check out the local beers and brewpubs. I’ve found running around and sampling the local brews is a great way to explore area. And I’ve started home brewing.

BR: Congratulations on your first batch of home brew. Were there any parallels to your first race?

DP: Nope! My first race was with my dad when I was 12, so I was under his watchful eye and things went pretty smoothly. For my first home brew, I was basically alone in the kitchen, with my lovable but brain damaged cat Didi generally getting in the way. I planned everything as much as I could but there were plenty of moments like, “Oh, I need to put a lid on that?”

BR: How did you get into craft beer?

DP: Since the late 80’s I started branching out from the big industrial breweries and trying imports, and some micro brews that started to show up in supermarkets. In 2007 my girlfriend and I took a trip in Mendocino County and visited the Anderson Valley Brewing Company tasting room in Boonville, CA, and the North Coast Brewing brewpub in Ft. Bragg, CA. It was really the first I time I truly appreciated all the different styles and possibilities or craft brewing. I was hooked.

Almaden Quicksilver Park

BR: As one of the Bay Area Beer Bloggers, what’s your favorite place for beer in your area, and what’s your favorite place to run?

DP: Favorite place for beer? That’s easy, El Toro in Morgan Hill, CA. They’ve got about 20 taps and they brew all kinds of stuff from regular session beers to the Johnny Re-Blazer, which has anise in it. My favorites there are the Poppy Jasper Brown Ale, the Deuce Double IPA, and the unique El Canejo Red IPA. Their XV is also a pretty good barley wine. As for running, it’s Almaden Quicksilver Park. The area is an old field that mined mercury used for gold extraction in the California Gold Rush. Plus, it’s at the edge of the Santa Cruz Mountains so the views of the surrounding mountains and the overlook of San Jose at the top are amazing.

BR: What’s the last great beer you had?

DP: The Bill Brand Brown from the Bay Area’s Triple Rock Brewing that I enjoyed at the Eat Real Festival in Oakland. It’s a rich, malty amber ale where they use cocoa nibs in a process similar to dry hopping to add a bitter chocolate dimension to the flavor and give it plenty of chocolate aromas.  Despite all the big flavors, at something like 5% abv, it is a very much a session beer.

BR: Anything else to add?

DP: I recently observed that the regions of the U.S. with heavy craft beer activity — the West Coast, Colorado, the Great Lakes Midwest and the Northeast — are also areas of the country with strong running traditions. And if you look at Europe, the countries north of the “wine line” that separates wine regions from brewing regions tend to have better distance running traditions as well. Even Kenya has a bit of a brewing tradition which I recently learned about, and distance running is ingrained in their culture much like football or basketball is in the United States. So there appears to be some geographical connection between beer and running. I hope to understand this better over time, and maybe someday, have some real insights as to why.

Serve him up a beer

During my brief vacay in Amelia Island, one of the top highlights was definitely a tennis lesson from Kelly Gunterman.

I went from zero tennis experience to smacking forehands and backhands, serving and even hitting a few back to his court. It also helped he hit the ball exactly where I needed it.

Play a few matches with Kelly and he can tell you about founding a Tennis Without Borders foundation, “outstanding” Ugandan beer, and his favorite craft brewers in Vermont.

For all these things — and for being a super cool guy — Kelly Gunterman is the Beer Runner’s first official Beer Server.

How does it feel to be the first tennis player on the Beer Runner?

Quite an honor. There are lot of athletes out there who enjoy a beer or two.  Having a beer after a match is one of the more important reasons to play tennis.

What’s your background in tennis?

I started playing as a kid in Indiana. Like most of who developed a love for the sport it was through a coach who was influential, Frank DeSantis. That was a long time ago and I still consider him a friend. For the past 20 years I have owned and operated the Gunterman Tennis Schools, offering tennis camps for adults (maybe just older kids). I recently started a foundation Tennis without Borders to help kids in developing nations learn this great game and hep with school fees and scholarships. Our first trip working with a developing nation nation was to Uganda in central Africa. By the way, they brew some outstanding beers in Uganda.  We even had a tour of the brewery, one of the most modern factories in the country. Nile Special was a favorite. I guess all comes back to the beer.

What’s your favorite beer to grab after a long day on the courts?

I have always thought there are no bad beers just some much better than others. I like the Dog Fish IPA as well as Long Trail Breweries in Vermont do an excellent IPA if your ever up that way.

You said you’re a fan of the Green Turtle Tavern — what’s your favorite beers there?

The Green Turtle Tavern on Amelia Island is a great local pub with laid back vibe, great beers on tap (a special everyday) and great music on weekends. I guess I don’t have a favorite but Anthony the owner seems to open up with some great beer on tap. recently they offered Terrapin Ale and my favorite Dog Fish.

You also run a tennis program in Vermont. What are your favorite beers from the Green Mountain State?

There are some great beers in Vermont. Long Trail Breweries have several great beers and Otter Creek’s Copper Ale is a good one.  McNeill’s in Brattleboro is a great little pub where the owner makes the beer in the basement, try the Big Nose Blonde if your ever there.

Aside from tennis, what other outdoor activities do you like to do in Amelia Island?

Time on the golf course or just hanging out on the beach, being able to be outside all year is a great plus to living on the Island.

Around Milwaukee, Two Much Metal Fred is known for his signature double-fisted rock horn salute.

You can find his logo on bumper stickers, all over of his Smac Design apparel line and definitely on the man himself.

What people may not realize is that behind the iconic horns is a guy who is fiercely anti-smoking, eats organically, rides his bike 100 miles a week, plays tennis twice weekly, and enjoys himself some local Lakefront Brewery Klisch.

Yes, there is a little Beer Runner in all of us. Even in Too Much Metal Fred.

How did you get your nickname?

Honestly, don’t know. Lots of people just started calling me that. I love me the “rad and roll.”

Is there Too Much Rock… or is there Too Much Metal?

Of course. There’s actually too much Satan, too. It’s like hot sauce. Too much rock is the mild sauce, too much metal is the medium sauce and too much Satan is the hot sauce. There are different flavors for different rockers. We’re not all created equally.

I see you’ll be at an event at Milwaukee’s Bradford Beach coming up that looks like it would appeal to Beer Runners. Care to explain?

The Bradford Beach Jam is great way to enjoy the summer and stay active. Volleyball and soccer played on sand is a chill vibe with live music as the sound track.

I heard you recently got a new bike helmet, yes? How’s it working out for you?

I love my bike helmet! i slapped my logo on both sides. I just have to get a a metal spike to glue on top of it. I’m gonna look like a totally bitchin’ kaiser!

Got any good beer and/or active lifestyle related shirts of yours that we could post on The Beer Runner?

Of course!

Any other words of wisdom you’d like to share with our Beer Runner readers?

Music matters. Family and friends matter. It’s our job to create a good soundtrack.

rad and roll,
phred

“By the time I graduated college,” says Nick Schweitzer, “I weighed in at around 265 lbs.”

Then he slowly started getting into a diet and exercise plan, swore off the macro-brews and got into craft beer.

“The darker the better,” he says.

These days he’s slimmed down to 180 pounds, finishes 3-5 triathlons a year, and regularly completes bike rides dubbed The Puker.

What are your Beer Runner credentials?

I consider myself somewhat of a beer snob, having given up macro brew beers unless I absolutely can’t help it. If I can stand a spoon up in the beer, I’m a happy guy. It’s been even more interesting in the last few months since one of my new coworkers is an avid home brewer. As for a healthy lifestyle, I do 3-5 triathlons a year, which keep me cross training in swimming, running and biking.  I occasionally rock climb, and during the winter, I love nothing more than heading out to Lapham Peak for cross country skiing. I also try to make it onto a lake at least once a year for wake boarding.

Which came first for you: Love of beer or love of healthy, active lifestyle?

Definitely love of beer first, which is one of the reasons I used to be overweight. I started with just walking, which led to running thanks to a coworker of mine. Then I got back into biking. Another friend of mine did a triathlon every year up at Devil’s Lake, so I joined in one year. After that, I was hooked.

How did you get into triathlons, rock climbing and XC skiing?

Triathlons provide a great goal, and the fact that they involve multiple sports keep you from getting bored, and also force you to cross train which keeps injuries to a minimum.  I got into cross country skiing as a way to stay active outdoors in the winter. Rock climbing is just a hobby of mine that I picked up from my brother-in-law. It’s excellent at creating balance and mental focus.  A couple years ago I had a running series on my blog talking about my weight loss experience.

Have any races coming up?

I just finished one in Lake Mills run by witriseries.com, and they do an absolutely fantastic job. I also did the Racine Lighthouse run for the first time this year.  I’m also planning on doing an August triathlon in Oshkosh, then my annual trip back up to Devil’s Lake for the Devil’s Challenge in September. I manage to fit one or two more races in there somewhere as well, but I don’t know which ones yet.  I’ll probably Storm the Bastille, if only because its acceptable to drink heavily before the race.

You recently completed something called “The Puker.” What does that involve?

There is a fantastic group of bikers in Wauwatosa called the Tosa Spokesmen. We do weekend rides that range from 30-50 miles (cruising 20-22 mph on the flats with an overall average of 18+ mph, meeting at Noodles). They also do a Thursday and Friday morning ride called The Puker.  We meet at 6 am and do 12+ laps up Revere Ave, which is a very steep hill.  Finally, there is a Tuesday morning ride called The Tosa Tour of Torture (or The Horribly Hilly Tosa ride), which hits 14 hills in 10 miles.

As a photographer, do you have any good photos from races that you can share?

Absolutely! I have an entire race collection on Flickr. They include sets of photos of races that I’ve done, as well as criteriums that I’ve photographed, but haven’t personally raced in.

“Enjoy the finer things in life,” says Matt Braun. “Running hills, intervals, cold beer on a patio on a warm June day, and great times with dear people over a few cold beers and nachos.”

OK, my work here is done! That sums up the Beer Runner philosophy. What more could I possibly add?

I’ve known Matt for a few years, and I have found him to be a seriously cool guy.

Case in point: A few years ago we were exchanging emails about work matters, and I asked him if we could discuss during a run instead of in front of a computer.

It took him .02 seconds to take me up on the offer. If only I could reschedule every work-related matter to be sorted out with a run. Or a beer. How awesome would that be?

What are you goals for this summer?

Enjoy the warm weather, rebuild strength in legs after three marathons in a year, and build my overall core through pilates.

What’s the last great beer that you drank?

Great beer….probably either a Stella or a local Lakefront Brewery Ale. I’m a big believer in local, micro brews. I’m also a big fan of the new Horny Goat Brewing Company!

How about the last hard workout that you did?

Last super hard workout (running) was intervals during a 16 mile run in April while training for the Green Bay Marathon. It was OK, but I didn’t have the legs in me. The toughest workouts beyond running would be recent sessions of Progressive Pilates at the WAC in Wauwatosa (Wisconsin).  Really kicks your butt!

What are some of your biggest athletic achievements?

I don’t have a ton, but I have run two 3:19 marathons, have completed 12 full marathons, was the Lake Michigan Conference Champ in the 5000 meter run as a freshman in college (how, I’m not sure), and finished 6th at the Wisconsin State Private College Championship Meet in the 3000 meter steeplechase. I feel lucky each day I get to run, play some pick-up basketball and just enjoy working out.

In front of the Famous Eagle's Nest

What are some of your favorite places to get a pint or two?

I live in Tosa, so I’d say Leff’s Lucky Town, Colonel Harts, or downtown at Buckley’s on Wells St.  And who doesn’t love the riverfront in Milwaukee and a place like Lakefront Brewery. I also was fortunate to spend some time in Germany this past spring at the Lowenbrau Haus…..very cool!

Any other words of wisdom to give to the Beer Runner audience?

Enjoy running as a passion but don’t let it consume you. Running and exercise in general is a great way to provide clear thoughts and opportunities for creativity. Runners share a common, quirky bond on what we consider fun — burning calves, cramps and dehydration. But when you see that finish line, regardless of the race, the sense of accomplishment a finishing the task ahead is a true joy. Embrace your races and runs, and as always, happy trails.