Not a coffee drinker but want to start...

The Keurig is nice- you can get a variety pack and only make a cup at a time. I thought it was a gimmick until my wife got one secondhand, and now we prefer that to making a pot. The expense of drinking coffee isn't so bad when you figure that many workplaces keep an urn of the cheap stuff going all day. It's a lot like frat house beer: if you want to drink good stuff or girly stuff, it'll cost you. But the basics are often on tap. If you do get the Keurig, get the filter that lets you brew your own single cups. Economical, and then you're not limited by whatever the k-cups are.

joho wrote:

Just start with black coffee from the get go. Your life will be much simpler.

This is it.

Runningart2004 wrote:Splenda

Um, no.

My honest advice: if you live in the USA, don't bother.

It's a great country, but with a (very) few notable exceptions, the coffee is awful. Even in NYC (one of the most cosmopolitan cities in the world) you have to search long and hard for anything that rivals a coffee from a basic cafe such as you'd find in Italy or even my hometown (Melbourne, Australia).

For good coffee, you need to be in a country/city with a strong cafe culture. And no, Starbucks is not a proper cafe. It's what McDonalds is to hamburgers.

don't

it's idiot in a cup

spikes bllod pressure

Do it Kenya style lota milk lota sugar

middle professor wrote:

joho wrote:

Just start with black coffee from the get go. Your life will be much simpler.

This is it.

Yep.

Also, don't bother with French press and other fancy/better ways to make coffee. You don't like the taste now and won't care about the difference anyway. Just pick out some K-Cups, drink black coffee, and see what flavors you like more (or dislike less).

Most people that start drinking coffee with a bunch of stuff in it don't transition to black.

The Starbucks Via isn't bad.

Coffee is cheap as hell, don't worry about getting fancy expensive brands. You can go to Starbucks and buy a cup of coffee for $5 or you can make a whole pot of it at your house for about 30 cents.

dumpsterbaby wrote:

don't

it's idiot in a cup

spikes bllod pressure

wrong: it's good for you. The increase in blood pressure is small

I started a long time ago with mochas...when I started drinking coffee before runs, I added a lot of milk. To get used to it, I would add chocolate milk in the mornings. I don't recommend adding sugar...I never did and now it tastes disgusting to me so its a way to avoid a bad habit. Eventually I dropped the milk and just drink it black now. I recommend getting a breakfast blend, something really light to start. Also try drinking with a food for breakfast...helps with the taste initially.

You've obviously never been to Seattle, which is the coffee capital of the world (and, no, I'm not talking about Starbucks). I've been to Melbourne and sydney numerous times and, with a few exceptions, have been disappointed.

quote]ozrunner wrote:

My honest advice: if you live in the USA, don't bother.

It's a great country, but with a (very) few notable exceptions, the coffee is awful. Even in NYC (one of the most cosmopolitan cities in the world) you have to search long and hard for anything that rivals a coffee from a basic cafe such as you'd find in Italy or even my hometown (Melbourne, Australia).

For good coffee, you need to be in a country/city with a strong cafe culture. And no, Starbucks is not a proper cafe. It's what McDonalds is to hamburgers.[/quote]

drink one cup of coffee 60min before your run, try some KONA coffee or some KENYA coffee is also good, w? a lil sugar and lil of cream or milk.

I actually started drinking coffee last fall during in the middle of the XC season. I'm a terrible morning person and every other Saturday I would have to get up early and feel tired come the race which could be as early at 9-10 am. Started drinking coffee when I woke up and actually saw immidate improvements in my racing because I felt more awake.

Now I drink probably a cup a day on the way to work. Not addictedb - but I do like it. Plus, it gives you something to look forward to when you get out of bed in the morning!

rhrunner wrote:

I don't understand why you would want to start. You don't like the taste, it will cost you money, I guess I'm just not seeing the reasoning. I don't drink coffee and I don't feel like I am missing out on anything.

As I sit and drink a freshly brewed cup, I read your post and think, "Oh yes you are, friend."

667EnergyDrink wrote:

Wait until coffee prices go down - this is a terrible time to get addicted on the bean.

Bingo, coffee is expensive right now!

How much caffeine do you guys usually consume? I usually get about 200-300mg/day but I was curious if this is too much or within reasonable limits. Runningart any opinions on this?

Why do you want to drink something you don't care for?

Are you trying to impress someone at the book club?

I don't think that everyone has the same problem as me, but coffee has severely compromised my digestive system over the last couple of years. It has affected how my body absorbs nutrients and caused me to be perpetually unhealthy and anemic, and I'm a guy. If your stomach can handle it, I say drink up and drink as much as you want since coffee is the best tasting drink on the planet. But if it causes you digestive stress like me, I would advise you to stay away.