Why I stopped drinking

On By @joysofrunningIn Fueling, Motivation, Training

Here’s another way running has changed my life.

When grocery stores started selling alcohol last year, my wine consumption significantly increased because it was so convenient to pick up a bottle (or two or three) during my weekly grocery trips. The wine section at my local Loblaws is conveniently and prominently located in the middle of the store so I’d put a bottle of whatever wine was on sale into my cart, whenever I wanted to. I was thrilled I no longer had to make a separate trip to LCBO and because Loblaws has a smaller selection of wines than LCBO, it also made choosing a wine much easier.

To be clear, I have never been a huge drinker but I did enjoy an occasional glass of wine with my meals, especially if we are having something special or when we are entertaining. I also have a significant supply of rum from our Cuba trips so I would pour myself a rum and coke after a long day at work. On average, I had 1-2 drinks a week.

When I started training for The San Francisco Marathon, I felt constantly dehydrated. So after a big Easter feaster at the end of March, I decided to stop drinking, at least until after the marathon. Since then, I have only had 1 glass of sparkling wine which was during a post-marathon celebration after San Francisco.

Overall, I’m happy with my decision to abstain from alcohol. I don’t know how long I’ll do this for but, honestly, I don’t even miss it. I’m happy that I’m not consuming the empty calories and I’m happy that I’m saving money because those $15-20 bottles can really add up. More money to spend on running gear and signing up for races instead! 😉

Now if I can give up coffee… 😂

4 thoughts on “Why I stopped drinking”

  1. Lily's avatar Lily

    Can’t ever give up coffee! 😄 However, I do skip it race morning to avoid having to go to the bathroom fequently later on. There’s also enough caffeine in the gels already. But post race, a hot coffee is just what I need.

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  2. Being someone who runs with you pretty regularly, I really enjoy reading these posts. They also make me feel normal, cause I’ve gone through the same. I’ve
    pretty much given up red wine, scotch, and whisky. Had some whisky a few weeks back, at a party, and thought to myself “… Hello, old friend” lol. I miss it… But running still feels better. Glad to know someone else feels like I do. Lisa, Maggie, Tracey, and you help fuel this crazy thing called running. It’s not really running anymore, its a lifestyle.

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