To some runners of the LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon, a beer is the last thing they’d put into their depleted bodies upon crossing the finish line next Sunday. To others, the promise of a cold brew is what keeps them pounding the pavement. For these chuggers, the marathon provides some 80 kegs of Michelob Ultra.
Although not an ideal source of carbohydrates, beer contains some of the compounds that fuel the human body through 26.2 miles. And beer is a liquid, though the alcohol minimizes its thirst-quenching qualities. “The best choice after the race is probably water or Gatorade,” said dietitian/marathon consultant Debbie Drewke. “But beer is relaxing.”
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Nobody seems more relaxed than the exhausted runners gathered around the Michelob tables swapping race stories.
“Why waste the calories on beer when I can have the hard stuff,” joked runner Lydia Beer of Washington, D.C., who on race day will be pouring through the streets of Chicago alongside these other runners: some 200 Millers, 15 Harps, 12 Busches, four Killians and a six-pack of Bass. There are Barleys but no Hops.
Of course, some competitors can’t wait until the finish line to replenish their carbohydrates. Bars along the marathon route commonly serve sweaty patrons who sacrifice their race time for Miller Time. “If they want to drink, that’s up to them,” surmised Matt Moline, manager at Avenue Tavern, 2916 Broadway.