Beer: better than a marathon finish line medal
“In so many ways,” says Desiree Koh, “running a race needs to be inspired by the philosophy of Bruce Springsteen.”
Last time I checked, the Boss hadn’t completed a triathlon on six days notice, hiked through a snowstorm in Nepal, and downed chugged 500ml of Hefeweizen in about eight minutes at the finish line of the Melbourne marathon. Koh has.
“Marathons, triathlons and mountain treks are only fun when you sign up on a crazy whim,” Koh says.
So what does Springsteen’s philosophy have to do with beer running? Read on.
Beer Runner: So is Born to Run your theme song?
Desiree Koh: It certainly is one of the songs that kicks me into a higher gear. I’ve been to 26 shows by the Boss in 11 cities and two countries. I am really objective when I say it’s the best live show there is today. Most of my training playlist is made up of Bruce Springsteen - and I’d pick “Tenth Avenue Freezeout” as my theme song. It’s about how the E Street Band came together and how “I’m all alone and I can’t go on.” I don’t believe running/triathlon is an individual sport. I have a great support from training buddies in Chicago and we motivate and encourage each other on a daily basis. When I feel like giving up, I think of them.
BR: Why are you a beer runner?
DK: One way to reach Zen equilibrium is to reward your body for a job well done. Beer accomplishes that quickly and in so many ways. Any endurance athlete will tell you that it’s important to only put quality grade fuel into your body - so why should it be any different with beer?
BR: How did you get started running?
DK: If you asked before 2006 if I would ever run a marathon, I would have bet you 10 cases of beer that I never would. But a softball buddy of mine raced the Chicago Marathon 2006 and had a team of us positioned along the route to pace her. I took first duty and joined her at mile 6. When I finished my scheduled three miles, I didn’t stop running. I ran 18 miles without training nor expecting to. I was entranced.
BR: Then how did you get into triathlons?
DK: In 2007, another softball buddy asked if I would take her spot in the Chicago Triathlon (sprint) six days before the race. Once again I surprised myself by completing it with just two swim sessions after years of not being in a pool. In 2008, I signed up for the Singapore Biathlon in part to help me get over a fear of water I’ve had since a near-drowning incident when I was 18. I have a phobia for open-water situations, but I took swim lessons to prepare for it, particularly with swimming in sea currents. Since I finished that race, every tri I’ve signed up for has had an open water swim.
BR: Can you explain how you have a love-hate relationship with endurance events?
DK: Some days I hate every minute of a run or cycle and all I want to do is stop and have a beer. The amazing thing is, if I do just that - rest for a few days and cool down with a beer - I’m raring to go again at the start of the next week. I doubt Gatorade will ever produce that effect!
BR: As for beer, what are your favorites?
DK: All that is dark, hearty and flavorful. My tops are Guinness, Tripel Karmeliet, Fat Tire, Goose Island beers and specialty brews like the gueuze and kriek. Nothing is as joyful as discovering a little brewery with something robust and tasty! In Singapore, I enjoy selections from a microbrewery called Archipelago, in which local flavors such as kaffir lime, Five Spice, anise and coriander are incorporated into the beers. Ingenious. Also, I was in London last year and took a short weekend trip into the Cotswolds. I only knew they were all brewed locally in whichever town we were in, and pulled manually from a pump tap. Just amazing. Also, nine friends and I are planning to run Dublin Marathon 2010. Fresh Guinness at the finish.
BR: Looks like you do a lot of hiking all over the world. What’s been your biggest highlights?
DK: All sports lead to another. I’m a bona fide city girl and will never be able to live long-term in a non-urban setting, but I love to escape. My biggest trip is a seven-day trek across the Annapurna Himalayas to Machhapuchhre Base Camp that had every adventure you didn’t expect. A freak snowstorm meant we hiked as snow hit from the opposite direction, made our way across virgin snow, and maneuvered through avalanche warnings. I fell in love with Nepal - just amazing people, unspoiled hamlets tucked into mountainsides, and an unwavering hardboiled attitude. These are the people who carry 20 pounds of stones or wood on their backs up and down mountains for pitiful wages — wearing flip-flops.
BR: Closer to home, what’s your favorite places to order a beer where you live in Chicago?
DK: I absolutely love drinking beer in Chicago. It’s one of those cities that knows bars are meant to be taverns. My bar is Guthries Tavern in Wrigleyville. It’s just down the street from the ballpark and across the street from where I used to live, and one of those places where you could order an Anchor Steam porter and read a book while sipping. Killer music selection, red-checked tablecloths. In many ways, it resembles Belgian cafes. You don’t go there to get smashed. You go there to enjoy a good beer and friends. Other favorites include Hopleaf (Belgian gastropub), the Map Room (fantastic regional selections on tap), The Grafton (one of four Irish pubs in the city certified with a perfect Guinness pour), and The Red Lion (authentic English pub with fresh Boddington’s).
