Post-ebruary #11: Coffee.

My relationship with coffee is as most people who talk about and drink a lot of coffee have. I am addicted to it. As with running, coffee is something that I cannot imagine going without. In the last 4 years, I don’t think there’s been more than a day that I went without it.

Porridge and coffee: the ultimate post-run combination.

However, being a health enthusiast who does lots of self-led research into sports science and nutrition, I understand that consumption of the dark sulphurous liquid has both benefits as well as disadvantages to health. I also understand a little bit into how caffeine can effect performance and brain activity. As far as what is considered a healthy consumption of coffee, I’m not sure I stand in the good bracket? Up until recently I saw no reason that I should ever considered doing anything different with my daily coffee rituals, but in light of recent events, I think I might actually try out some slightly different tactics.

Now there is no way at all that I am going to go cold turkey and give up coffee, oh no. That cannot happen. It’s too precious to me, it helps fuel my runs as well as giving me incredible moments of creativity and productivity. I saw a meme that said “most of the time I just have a coffee and then wing it”. That is pretty much how I get through my working day. However, recently I have noticed that coffee leaves me with a slight burning sensation down my oesophagus and then usually leaves me with slight acid reflux, which to be honest it always does slightly but I can see passed it. I don’t seem to be effected so bad by other hot drinks, although the only other hot beverages I drink are herbal/fruity teas before I go to sleep.

Even at work it’s all about porridge and coffee.

This isn’t too much of a problem in that it doesn’t effect anything in my day to day. I’m running just find, I can eat all the same and I can still drink the coffee without much trouble. It does however, intrigue me into thinking that maybe, like all good things, I need to lighten my load a little. Not forever, but just enough time for me to bring it back to a level of enjoyment that is even more so than what it is now. A bit like cross training or tapering but in caffeinated terms. Maybe, just maybe, I’ll do it and keep you guys up to date with my journey. This isn’t me leaving coffee, this is me just taming the beast a little, taking a step back from the high dosage so it is ever more so appreciated when it occurs.

We’ll see how it goes…

Today’s athletic update: 9 miles easy running along my favourite route, the sky and weather on cold, crisp clear form. Then this evening I did a strength session at the gym, it was full of bro’s but thats to be expected, like going to Shoreditch coffee shop and not expecting to see guys in denim jackets, round glasses, pork pie beanie with a moustache. In case you think I’m being offensive, I actually condone both gym bros and hipsters, sometimes I am a bit of both; I guess blogging about fitness and running kind of sums that up.

Carpe Omnia.
BG