Using caffeine to train more?

I'm not sure about energy drinks, but coffee has and will always continue to fuel elite runners.

From what I understand, if you drink a lot of caffeine you will totally lose the endurance benefit that comes from it. There are articles online. My advice would be to reread your post objectively. i.e. imagine that someone else is the one who wrote it. It sounds (from the little you mentioned) that you are over-training. I think it is a safe bet that if you can't do this training without drinking the "energy" drinks then you are probably doing yourself more damage than good at the moment.

Christ you're dumb.Adrenals, blah blah blah.It has zero affect on your "adrenals" especially since Adrenal Fatigue is a made up disorder.I find it hard to believe any adult doesn't already drink something with caffeine in it.Why not drink coffee and stop being a trailer trash fool?

buzz runner wrote:

I recently have bumped up my training to where I am putting in 90-100mpw in prep to run a sub 15 5k this August. Been really tired and have started drinking energy drinks everyday which have helped tremendously in keeping up with the new training stimulus. i figured i see a lot of pros who drink, like phelps and many pro cyclists, just want to know if anyone else drinks them? i heard caffeine will mess up your adrenals but i eat healthy and sleep and hydrate okay, so will i still be hurt by them long term? They definitely help keep my going. This amount of training isnt natural so i think you have to do unnatural things to do it, hear me out?

Your arrogance and inability to listen suggest you are probably a doctor or in medical school?

Neutral Observertard wrote:

From what I understand, if you drink a lot of caffeine you will totally lose the endurance benefit that comes from it. There are articles online. My advice would be to reread your post objectively. i.e. imagine that someone else is the one who wrote it. It sounds (from the little you mentioned) that you are over-training. I think it is a safe bet that if you can't do this training without drinking the "energy" drinks then you are probably doing yourself more damage than good at the moment.

Number 1. Don't use energy drinks or GNC caffeine supplements. Get some organic French roast and brew it thick and heavy. For drugs, the more pure and natural, the better the high and the less damaging on your body.

Number 2: concurring with the second reply. You have to be mindful as being sluggish could mean that your circadian rhythms are off, or your sleep quality is bad and/or nutrition is bad. Basically, you want all natural food that delivers enzymes and compounds, where the blood vessels are pure and the body is able to get rid of waste and do its activities efficiently. This is not the equivalent of having strong muscles that burn a lot of energy, as people can be good athletes but have bad arteries and internal health.

You are inviting a world of overtraining and poor performance. Stimulants on a daily basis to help you train will undermine your ability to feel good or bad as you were designed to, and you will ignore when it is time to back off.

They didn't have energy drinks as we know them today back when plenty of people ran more mileage than that.

I feel like we are going to hear that there are some sideffects to all of the chemicals they put in these drinks one day.

I don't run but I lift weights and I notice if I have extra large coffee when I lift I can lift to my max every workout and do aerobics much easier too. That said when your body is telling your tired it's for a reason because after the adrenaline rush I crash hard....

My wait is f9 wrote:

I don't run but I lift weights and I notice if I have extra large coffee when I lift I can lift to my max every workout and do aerobics much easier too. That said when your body is telling your tired it's for a reason because after the adrenaline rush I crash hard....

Not a wise idea to max every weight room workout. Especially is you are also a runner. I've learned to insert weight room sessions that are light. Like the 80/20 concept in running, going light in the weight room encourages positive psychology, prevents burnout, helps reap growth from the max days, promotes blood flow and healing, etc. In my college aged days I went hard in the weight room all the time and I got burned out and didn't make progress in the long term, not to mention feeling so crappy in the many hours post workout that I couldn't get chores done, and that I would want to jerk off and eat junk food just to alleviate the body pain.

I have read that caffeine changes the brain's perception of effort, so you can work harder and have it feel "not as hard". I have read that the effect of this does not stop with repeated use, but others on here say that you DO lose the benefit with repeated use. I don't know the truth, but I respect Magness' views on things, and his view is to use it for races but not regularly in training.

Regarding you feeling tired a lot- that goes beyond an issue of to use caffeine or not. Sounds like you could be overtraining and not getting enough recovery.

I agree with the people saying to stay away from energy drinks- if you want caffeine, simply take a 200 mg caffeine pill. I don't get why people use the gum or think they have to drink coffee.

In summary- increase your volume gradually and stay healthy- don't try to increase your training load too abruptly- and save the caffeine for race day.

That's Great! Thanks for posting!

OP, I'm not sure that many miles will do much for the 5k, but this isn't about your training. I suspect that I am older -35- and it can be hard to get out the door for that second run after running in the AM and a full day at the office. I'm understand the caffeine. I do it, too.

3 days a week, I double 8-10 in the AM and 7 after work. I used to get a can of Diet Dew at like 3 and sip on it for about an hour before heading out early for my second run. It ALWAYS made me take a dump and got me ready to run. But the high felt artificial and I never felt great on the actual run. About a year ago, I switched to coffee. I have a great little coffee shop a block from my office, so instead of getting a Diet Dew, I get a small coffee (or a cold brew without ice when it's hot outside), and it does the same thing but it makes my body feel so much better. I also enjoy my run more.

If you take anything away from this thread, it's that you need to ditch the energy drinks. Shit is terrible for you. My guess is that the pros you see drinking them are probably doing it for sponsorship reasons. It wouldn't surprise me if Phelps had water in the can...

Coffee has a ton of health benefits and as long as you don't overdo it, it can be a big help. FWIW, I drink a regular sized mug or two in the morning, and about 8 oz. before my PM runs, so probably less than one Venti at Starbucks. You don't need to guzzle it.

One last thing: if I drink the caffeine, I will go run. If I get a coffee and don't run, I won't be able to sleep, so as long as I get that coffee, I'm locked in to run no matter how bad I just want to go home.

buzz runner wrote:

I recently have bumped up my training to where I am putting in 90-100mpw in prep to run a sub 15 5k this August. Been really tired and have started drinking energy drinks everyday which have helped tremendously in keeping up with the new training stimulus. i figured i see a lot of pros who drink, like phelps and many pro cyclists, just want to know if anyone else drinks them? i heard caffeine will mess up your adrenals but i eat healthy and sleep and hydrate okay, so will i still be hurt by them long term? They definitely help keep my going. This amount of training isnt natural so i think you have to do unnatural things to do it, hear me out?

Moderate coffee drinking is OK, but I don't know anyone who has received any long term performance benefits from it. I know that some people, myself included have had a good performance after taking some caffeine, but then again, I was able to repeat that performance with out coffee. Since your body quickly adjust to caffeine, you end up needing more each time and more than a certain amount can upset your stomach. Perhaps there is some mild benefit if you have a cup of coffee before a marathon, but I don't think you can make it a routine. Elites are always looking for an edge and you also have to think that if the secret was caffeine everybody would be drinking massive amounts.

TrackCoach wrote:

Moderate coffee drinking is OK, but I don't know anyone who has received any long term performance benefits from it. I know that some people, myself included have had a good performance after taking some caffeine, but then again, I was able to repeat that performance with out coffee. Since your body quickly adjust to caffeine, you end up needing more each time and more than a certain amount can upset your stomach. Perhaps there is some mild benefit if you have a cup of coffee before a marathon, but I don't think you can make it a routine. Elites are always looking for an edge and you also have to think that if the secret was caffeine everybody would be drinking massive amounts.

WTF is wrong with you people? Can you not read? Read his post. He is simply saying that a caffeinated drink helps him get out the door for his second run of the day. He isn't looking for improved performance, just a kick in the ass.

OP, it is totally fine, but stop with the sugar meth drinks. Just go with coffee or tea.