Why won't our coach let us drink pop?

Mr Platt ,

I am with the food and drug admin. we have every reason to believe that Soda is harmful to the ozone as well as the human body. Back in the day [early 60s] athletes were not allowed caffiene or carbonation. I do not have to tell you , those runners were the best the USA has ever produced..the main differnce is kids today drink soda like it is going to run out...morning ...nightime all day..no eggs and sausage...apple juice..like in the day.....so while one or two on occasion may not hurt you..drinking that shit all day will harm your body from a nutritonal standpoint...everything in soda is a chemical..it isnt good for you..please stop with hysterical reactions...I can assure you everything will be ok...

Thanks, luv2run - out of 42 posts so far, yours is the only one with much evidence. Lots of people have opinions, but not too many have any evidence to back it up. I don't actually drink much pop, but I think it's weird our coach makes us give it up for the season.

well one study shows how soda pop(colas) take calcium away from the bone making bones more susceptible to stress fractures. Try drinking fresh squeezed juices that are iced cold after runs, they actually taste better than a slurpie or at least just as good!

It's called soda, people.

Can we please stop calling it pop?

No, it's pop. I drink pop. I love pop, especially Dew. Only old farts who wear their underwear on the outside of their britches, and walk around muttering something about vinegar would call dew "soda".

Britches?

Your vote is hereby disqualified.

You bet, britches. That's grandpa-speak. So is "soda".

I'm a HS coach and I recommend that runners not drink soda/pop.whatever, Although there is no conclusive evidence that drinking such is harmful, I can't say that I recommend drinking something that's carbonated every time they're thristy.

I see kids come into my first hour class with a Mountain Dew in one hand and a Hostess Cupcake in the other; that's their breakfast. I try to advise our young runners that such a breakfast might not be a good idea for an athlete.

I also think there's a "placebo effect", so to speak, that if an athlete is making a small sacrifice by giving up soda, that kind of attitude is playing a small role in developing the self-discipline needed by a runner. I'm not a soda-Nazi who runs unscheduled checks to see if our runners are drinking soda, and few coaches that I know would stoop to this. But I'm amazed at how many of our runners give up soda not just for the season, but eliminate or drastically reduce their intake for good. At least that's what their parents tell me.

That being said, I'm not the best role model, because I love Dr Pepper! But as coaches, the best we can do is make recommendations. The athlete has to find out what works for them through their own efforts, and our job is mainly to help them make wise choices. The choices are ultimately theirs.

I run for the Razorbacks and my coach wants me to give up smokin.And he talks funny.

To gain or lose a pound you need a surplus or deficit of around 5000 calories. A can of pop on average is 150 calories. Two cans a day is 300 "empty calories" (calories with no health benifit). Thats 2100 a week, 8400 a month, 100800 a year... you get the picture. Low weight is of course very benificial to distance running. Cutting out pop is clearly an easy way to cut out calories without losing any of your vitamin/mineral intake.

Listen to your coach.