DRAFT Magazine

Traffic jams, explosions and gluttony is kind of the American way — at least when it comes to celebrating our nation’s independence.

OR you could celebrate America’s revolution with some nice New Glarus Organic Revolution.

Organic Revolution is made with organic Pilsner and Caramel malt, organic German Hallertau Hops, and nothing else. The use of 100% organic hops is even more than what’s required by the USDA, and it was just recently re-certified as organic.

Sounds like the perfect pure beverage for after all the July 4th neighborhood races.

Viva la Revolution!

“I married the beer runner,” says Jess Cigelske, “even though I’ve smelled him after an actual beer run.”

Yup, that’s my wife.

She’s referring to early on when we were dating, when I ran the Locust Street Days Beer Run. It’s a 1.8 mile race with four Lakefront Brewery beer stops.

Jess came to cheer me on. I smelled like sweat and dried beer saliva afterward.

Oh, and it was her birthday.

Anyone who cheers you on for a beer run on her birthday, that girl’s a keeper. And so this weekend it’s the 33rd Annual Beer Run, and the 27th Annual Jess birthday extravaganza.

Let’s start it off right with a Beer Runner profile of the Beer Runner’s wife. Let’s all wish Jess a happy birthday, with many more miles and many more beers!

What are your beer runner credentials?

I was born and raised in the Brew City (or suburbs of it), and my father worked for Miller Brewing for 22 years. I’d choose an American craft brew over any beer, any day. I’ve gotten SAVORed. Recently I’ve found my love for running. I grew up dancing, and always felt that running was kind of boring in comparison. In dance, learning and performing a piece is very cerebral–it takes a lot of focus to remember what your feet, arms, legs, and torso are doing in the next instant, and still make it look effortless. I didn’t find the same mind–body connection with running until I went through a very stressful time at work. The day after I quit my job, I went out for a run and was hooked. Any thoughts that are taking up space in my mind are pushed aside as I focus on my body placement, so I guess running is more like dance than I thought.

What beer are you going to have to celebrate your birthday?

While New Belgium has been getting a lot of play in the Cigelske residence, I have to go local for my birthday. I’m thinking we start at Lakefront Brewery for a tour, fish fry and polka. Lakefront is releasing their Wheat Monkey Ale the day before, so I will definitely try that. If it’s a warm night (which I’m hoping for!) I’d like to end the night with New Glarus’ seasonal Totally Naked (infer what you will). If we have the kind of weather we’ve been having lately, I’ll go with something that will warm me up like New Glarus’ Stone Soup. Since my birthday is on a Friday, I say we go right on celebrating into the weekend. I’d love to do a Reserve Tasting at Sprecher Brewery on Saturday afternoon, which pairs ten samples of their beers with artisan cheeses. Their Abbey Triple is one of my favorites and I’m excited to see what Premium Reserve beers they have available right now.

What was your last memorable workout?

Monday afternoon. I went for a run because the sun had finally come out after raining all day. It was a really strong run–the sun was warm but the air was cool. The colors were all really vibrant because of all the rain we’ve had. I felt so inspired. I was heading home when all of a sudden the sun disappears and this crazy mist rolls in. It was unlike anything I’ve ever seen–this was not normal fog. The thunder started, and I knew I’d have to pick up the pace to get home before the storm. I made it home, but the weather was so beautiful, I decided to pull a few weeds in the yard for my cool down. As soon as I got inside, the tornado sirens started going off. It was a wild run.

Do you have an ideal post-workout beer?

I’d reach for a Fat Tire, hands down. So refreshing, so drinkable, so delicious.

Since you are (probably) the most loyal Beer Runner reader, do you have a favorite Beer Runner from the archives?

I loved the Austin post, since I was there with you to discover some Austin’s finer beer haunts. Perhaps we need to go back and do more research?

Are you going to go get me a beer now?

If you do the dishes.

As manager of corporate communications for Miller Brewing Company, Stephen took full advantage of his monthly three free cases of beer.

“In those days I was invited to a lot of parties — with the understanding that I’d bring the beer,” he said.

But drinking and traveling took its toll on his body, and he started to put on weight. So he decided to start a simple exercise regimen: Biking to and from the brewery.

Five miles there. Five miles back. Every day.

“Those early morning rides morphed into longer distance rides,” he said. “And a passion for cycling.”

That was 30 years ago. He’s been riding — and enjoying beer — ever since.

You recently took a bike tour of New York. Tell me about that ride.

It started as the Five Borough Challenge in 1977, and since then has morphed into the TD Bank Five Boro Bike Tour, with 30,000 cyclists gathering near Battery Park on the first Sunday of May to ride through the streets of Manhattan, Bronx, Queens, Brooklyn and Stated Island. I’ve had the joy of riding in the event for four years, having just finished the 2009 event in the pouring rain on May 3.

Find any good bars along the way?

We really only hung out at one place during our weekend - O’Hara’s Irish Pub in Lower Manhattan‎. It was close to the hotel and easy to get in and out of during the weekend rain. Being two blocks away from Ground Zero, I’m told it was also a major hangout for the firefighters after the fall of the Twin Towers.  When we told the bartender we traveled nearly 1,000 miles to get to New York, and to ride in the Five Borough Tour, she winked and kept us in conversation all the while we were enjoying our lunch.

What other rides do you like to take part in?

My first organized ride was back in the 1970’s. It was Uecker’s Ride for the Arts in Milwaukee. Brewer’s baseball announcer Bob Uecker was the master of ceremonies. That ride is now known as the Miller Lite Ride for Arts, and I’m usually one of the participants. I also ride in a lot of other organized rides - Bike The Drive and the Boulevard Lakefront Tour rides in Chicago, the Scenic Shore 150 in Wisconsin, the MS 150 in Wisconsin, and the POWWOW rides across Wisconsin. I’ve also ridden solo in Washington, Minnesota, California, Florida, Nevada, Missouri, and in England and Germany.

What are your favorite beers?

My standard is Miller Genuine Draft. Yes, it’s the hometown brew, but it’s also one that I think is the easiest to drink. My German friends think it tastes like water, but that’s just the differences in our cultures. My second favorite is a micro brew - Spotted Cow from the New Glarus Brewing Company in New Glarus, Wis. It just goes down smoothly - especially after a long bike ride.

Have any rides coming up?

The season is just beginning. I’ve got two 150 mile rides scheduled, along with shorter events every weekend. Once the warmer weather settles in, I’ll be out every morning before work, and often times for a few therapeutic hours after work. I just bought a hybrid bike for my wife, so I’m sure we’ll share some time on the trails, too.

Anything else to add?

Just remember, beer is acceptable after a morning ride, ‘cuz it’s afternoon somewhere.

I’ve probably never been more impressed by an exercise.

This picture comes courtesy of CrossFit Milwaukee, personal training that incorporates full-body functional movement, weight lifting, gymnastics and occasionally beer.

Head trainer Ryan Atkins explains the circumstances of this photo:

Awhile back I posted a tongue-in-cheek argument supporting the bicep curl as a functional movement. One of my final summarizing contentions was that a person couldn’t drink while doing pull-ups. Our resident stud athlete, Nate S. proved me wrong. Congrats, Nate! Your mom must be so proud!

Speaking of drinking exercises, here’s how he defends the bicep curl (which is now widely seen as a rather worthless exercise):

Trainer Dina and Nate illustrate how the bicep curl is a universal motor pattern. Sure, we could do a keg stand, a multi-joining movement that uses more muscle groups and demands more fitness, but that would limit consumption only to more elite athletes. Other people might argue that its functionality is limited because the curl can’t move large loads, long distances, or move quickly relative to other movements. However, we don’t see the point of deadlifting that keg and cleaning that bag of ice if you can’t get the beer to your mouth. My staff and I will toe the party line, describe the curl as a nonfunctional movement to our clients, but we will smile/nod/wink to each other knowingly. We in Wisconsin know better. Next week - using the lateral raise to become a better bartender!

Ryan was a former mixed martial artist who started the CrossFit program about six years ago while he was a stay-at-home dad. At the time he was gaining weight and having trouble sticking to “monotonous bodybuilding routines” that he was used to.

CrossFit appealed to him for its full-body functional movements, meaning it incorporates several muscle groups at once and uses full ranges of motion rather than isolating solitary muscles.

Soon he found that he was in the best shape of his life. Now he’s a certified trainer who opened a local facility about a year ago.

“When I found out about something that’s too good NOT to share, it seemed like the natural choice,” he said. “That, and I HATE wearing a suit and tie on a daily basis!”

His favorite beers include New Glarus, Guinness and St. Pauli Girl. In beer, like in fitness, Ryan prefers a mix of the full bodied and the functional.