“There are things in life that aren’t so good for the body, but good for the soul,” says Jennifer Bertram. “Beer is one of them.”
Jen runs, does yoga and Tai Qi, drinks beer, and also happens to be my acupuncturist. Fortunately she drinks beer after she pokes me (ever so gently) with needles.
And she firmly believes that beer fits into a holistic lifestyle. Especially during winter.
“An organic homebrew or micro brew can stimulates that liver to move that blood through our bodies, and keeps are cheeks rosy!”
Read on for more about her workouts, beer preferences and Ninja tendencies.
What are you Beer Runner credentials?
I just love using my body, pushing it out beyond my shadows. It’s not a competitive thing, just a life thing. I do what my body feels like - whether that’s running a few miles or 15. Someties I feel like doing yoga and sometimes I just lay on my back in corpse pose. That’s my middle path. This works best for me.
How did you get into both beer and working out?
The Beer Ninja via elissabetha on Flickr
I grew up in a beautiful sweet city north of here with endless places to have campfires in the Point Beach State Forest. I will always hold onto the teen memories of sipping Old Milwaukee around the fire on any given night. The crazy thing is that this was also where I started trail running at the age of 10. I was deep in the study of martial arts and even owned a full ninja suit. I would put on my ninja outfit with a few other friends in the middle of the night and run like we were Jedi knights. I still tap into this endless energy whenever I am on the trail. It’s pretty cool. As for beer, it’s simply delicious. There is a beer for every moment, especially after a good sweat or a good corpse pose!
What’s your favorite post-run beer?
This depends on my expenditure. If the work out was pretty grueling I usually grab something dark like a Sprecher Bavarian or Great Dane Porter. A lighter activity usually ends with something lighter like a New Glarus Spotted Cow. I always enjoy a Lakefront Brewery Riverwest Stein or Cream City Pale Ale as well.
Do you have a favorite place to run in Wisconsin?
My Favorite place to run in Wisconsin is definitely Point Beach State Forest connecting with the north portion of the single track Ice Age Trail near Two Rivers. The most challenging and most fun trail race I ever ran was this past summer my husband I ran a half marathon up in Cable, Wisconsin, on the rollers of the Birkebeiner Trail. It kicked my butt! It was the most beautiful course I ever ran in Wisconsin.
What about a favorite bar or brew pub?
We live in the Riverwest neighborhood of Milwaukee, and I am a huge supporter of the local Stonefly Brew Pub. Nothing like a mug of their Mustache Ride Pale Ale with delicious bangers and mash.
Any other words of wisdom you’d like to add?
“Traveling through hyperspace ain’t like dusting crops, boy” — Han Solo
