Do any of you drink "energy drinks" (redbull, gofast, ect) before racing?

no, strictly tequila before racing. If only training I mix in some beer with the liquor, but strictly tequila before races. 1 shot for every mile to be raced.

I drank red bull before a few races a couple of summers ago and it seemed to worsen my nerves and also make me feel like I was gonna have an accident on the track. I wouldn't recommend it. Try it in training first if you really want to do it.

Also, I was concerned if it did work I'd get into a situation of having to have a red bull before each race which I didn't really want to.

I don't normally drink anything that has caffeine in it so I could've been quite sensitive to it (re the nerves).

I personally don't do that as I don't think it benefits me enough as a long distance guy.

But in my old club a lot of the better middle distancers would down 1 or 2 cans of red bull shortly before a race to get pumped up.

Some of the long distancers will also mix in red bull with their race hydration und the last 3-5 miles of a really long race, i.e. HM or M

Just try it out... I only use it when going to the gym after a track session.

I know a boy who got into a habit of taking down a "Monster" before his races in cross. One time he pooped his shorts during the race.

I drink green tea. It has just enough caffeine to give you a little lift but not make you jittery or dehydrate you. I use three tea bags which equals out to about 100 mg of caffeine (1 cup of coffee's worth). If you get the green tea with jasmine, it also helps to calm your stomach (sounds sissy, but worth a try.)

Energy drinks are full of artificial crap and the carbonation probably wouldn't make you feel awesome. Besides, guarana is now illegal in the NCAA and that is in pretty much every energy drink. Just a heads up if you are a collegiate runner.

That is why they call it Monster

A lot of serious runners I know swear by FRS, the "healthy energy drink." Our local running store says it flies off the shelves. I just PR'd at Dipsea by 4 minutes drinking a can before the race (I am a 53 year old middle-of-the-pack guy--and I am not going to say FRS was the reason for the PR, but it clearly did not hurt). Yeah, Lance Armstrong encodrses it and so there will be the inevitable Lance bashers. Yeah, yeah, he's getting paid, but I think it significant that of all the products he could have chosen to endorse, he picked FRS.