What I really think is cool about this club, though, is that it brings even more people to running: the beer-drinking types, the after-work, happy-hour types, the social butterflies. It becomes a way for community to be created through a very non-threatening run distance. With little or no training, the average person could pull off 1.5 miles. Some of the other running clubs in town that I have participated in tend to be much more seasoned runners with “short” runs, varying from the 5- to 7-mile range. That is not as attainable for the average person.
Anything that can start with a very short distance and get new types of people involved in running is a win. Hieronymus said the club has grown exponentially with new types joining all the time. It also has fueled a whole new subculture of networking in Lexington and has given new exposure to the north end of town.
As long as the beer drinking is happening after the run, then I think it will be successful.
Beer after running, though, is not a new idea. Like I mentioned above, this is a very popular phenomenon, so I did some reading on the topic and found many studies that agree that beer after a race is best when consuming water first. Immediately downing a beer can delay the body’s ability to heal and interfere with refueling. Grab some water first along with some carb and protein calories, then you can grab that cold beer. However, other studies have concluded that a reasonable amount of beer can help someone who is dehydrated after a workout retain liquid better than water. Regardless or which route you take, the key takeaway is that water — and plenty of it — should be consumed surrounding race or training time.
So head up to West Sixth, take a run through downtown Lexington, make sure you are properly hydrated and then let those hops work their magic.
