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Sometimes we do crazy things to prepare for our running events of choice.
We wake up at the crack of dawn to get in the training, we punish ourselves on the track doing speed work, not to mention the hills we repeatedly attack as part of a training routine. But even through all of this, the craziest training tactic for more and more runners is the idea of giving up alcohol. Is it necessary, or can you get away with Saturday night cocktail hour while maintaining a good training schedule?
The Case Against Alcohol
Regardless of how you feel on the topic, alcohol affects almost every part of the body. It especially impacts three things key to endurance training: hydration, sleep, and recovery.
Alcohol is a diuretic, which means when you’re drinking, you’re constantly losing fluids. A compound called acetic acid breaks down alcohol while the rest is expelled as toxins…
