Do D1 athletes drink?

Future D1 runner wrote:

How often do collegiate runners party and drink. By the looks of it I’d imagine they do at least moderately during the season. How much do top nationally ranked teams party?

1) You are looking for someone, anyone, to tell you that it's ok to drink during the season. It isn't. Good D1 runners, or even those who want to become good, don't party during the season.

2) College seasons don't even really have a break unless you are injured. It is not like high school. You will continue running after cross country and then after indoor and then after outdoor with only a rare day off, and any breaks between seasons might be just a couple of days if that.

3) By asking the question, you already have a losing attitude if you want to succeed at D1. Don't look for someone to tell you that it is ok, because if you want to be successful, it isn't. You should take this time now and decide that you are not going to do it.

There is no reason not to drink as a runner as long as you’re doing it responsibly. Have a few beers with the boys on Friday after a workout. Get to bed by 12, sleep it off, hit your easy day, chill on Saturday night and then crank a long run on Sunday. I went to a smaller D1 school and we had 1 or 2 parties a month and never drank during the week. Everyone had a little fun and ran fast. I went from running 9:40 for 2 miles in high school to 8:30 for 3k and 14:40 for 5k.

You are making the point not to drink. Good runners don’t do it and you ran 14:40 which is a minute slower than the top runners. Many good teams do speed work at 7AM Saturday and long runs at 7AM Sunday. They can’t drink at any point during the week.

Future D1 runner wrote:

How often do collegiate runners party and drink. By the looks of it I’d imagine they do at least moderately during the season. How much do top nationally ranked teams party?

It goes without saying that some runners drink alcohol and some don't, just like people in any other walk of life. But to all of the self-righteous posters claiming that the best and most successful runners are teetotalers, you are absolute fools. Yeah, I know it's cliche, but drinking in moderation does nothing - NOTHING - to harm a runner's performance. End of chat.

And to the idiot who was castigating Prefontaine, may Malmo and the BroJos ban you for life. We are all dumber for having read your moronic opinion.

Predictor wrote:

You are making the point not to drink. Good runners don’t do it and you ran 14:40 which is a minute slower than the top runners. Many good teams do speed work at 7AM Saturday and long runs at 7AM Sunday. They can’t drink at any point during the week.

I am not making that point at all. Had I been a complete teetotaler in college, I would not have run 13:40. I probably would not have even run 14:20. I may have even run slower or at the very least had a much less enjoyable time in college. No one here is advising the OP to binge drink two or three nights a week. Unless you are an All American or top 5 runner on a national level team, there is no reason to completely eschew drinking a few beers a month. Many professional runners drink in moderation all the time. Of course, there is a time and a place, but the idea that you have to eliminate all alcohol to run fast is silly.

only two reasons college athletes drink... 1-night 2-day

Better yet is grain enemas baby.

D3 athlete here. Most of my team drank moderately on the weekends, with a handful choosing not to. Then big party at the end of the season. I think it's important to not get too caught up in your running and allow yourself to experience other aspects of college, and this includes many things besides drinking as well. You only get four years and while running can be a very worthwhile and fulfilling pursuit, it isn't everything. I have high school teammates who ran D1 and their teams definitely drank too. It's only going to affect your running in a noticeable way if you're binging and waking up with bad hangovers, which isn't healthy to begin with. Hell look at Nick Symmonds, the dude drinks beer like it's his job and is 6 time US champ.

mofarahncstate wrote:

D3 athlete here.

What makes you think you can post in this thread?