Caffeine

nomadic

I've read a fair bit on the whole caffeine thing and I usually drink coffee before a race but it seems you need to be taking high doses for it to be really effective. Has anyone had any negative effects from taking high doses?

I'm going to experiment with 300mg at the Dublin city tri and see how that goes. I picked up some Boots energy plus caffeine pills today.

catweazle

I am just reading Paul Kimmages Rough Ride Nomadic and he was a mighty man for sticking a caffeine tablet up his ass before a race, is this what you will be doing for Dublin Tri????

nomadic

No they'll definately be going in the other end.

AdamAntsy

I used to do that before races, get some pro-plus and dose up with about the same. I got a bit wired before the race, caffeine coupled with nerves, but at the time I was as fit as I ever was and ran in 1/2M and full marathon with no adverse effects from them. Trick is to control it in the first mile while the caffeine has you hyper and straining the leash!

Not sure I'd 'advise' it as such, and also not sure if it made any difference, but as a coffee addict I reckoned that I'd need that much just to get the same buzz as a non addict would obtain from a cup or two of regular joe before the race.

dna_leri

AdamAntsy wrote: »

I used to do that before races, get some pro-plus and dose up with about the same. I got a bit wired before the race, caffeine coupled with nerves, but at the time I was as fit as I ever was and ran in 1/2M and full marathon with no adverse effects from them. Trick is to control it in the first mile while the caffeine has you hyper and straining the leash!

Not sure I'd 'advise' it as such, and also not sure if it made any difference, but as a coffee addict I reckoned that I'd need that much just to get the same buzz as a non addict would obtain from a cup or two of regular joe before the race.

Your point about the first mile is probably relevant because the effects of caffeine are more thought to be short term and of minimal benefit to long distance runners.

thirtyfoot

I find a bath of iced tea is the best. It has the benefits of the two schools of thought when it comes to these things - ice bath and tea. How long do you stay in the iced tea bath? Until you have drank all the iced tea.

dna_leri

Tingle wrote: »

I find a bath of iced tea is the best. It has the benefits of the two schools of thought when it comes to these things - ice bath and tea. How long do you stay in the iced tea bath? Until you have drank all the iced tea.

Its the caffeine in the tea that does the trick

RoyMcC

Mr Tingle, you wouldn't be taking the mick out of this weighty subject by any chance would you...

robinph

dna_leri wrote: »

Its the caffeine in the tea that does the trick

Not much caffeine in tea compared to a cup of coffee, unless your eating the leaves.

RayCun

robinph wrote: »

Not much caffeine in tea compared to a cup of coffee, unless your eating the leaves.

apparently you should be shoving the leaves up your arse before the race, and then getting into the ice bath and making tea afterwards

robinph

Knew I was doing something wrong when making my bath of tea.

I'd always have downed a cup of coffee before a race, but that's just what I have to do to wake up. If it makes any difference to the running or not, I've no idea. Other than I'd have gone back to bed rather than to the race if I didn't have the coffee so I guess that is of some use.

AdamAntsy

RayCun wrote: »

apparently you should be shoving the leaves up your arse before the race, and then getting into the ice bath and making tea afterwards

Once the leaves are Barrys or Lyons you're fine, I found Earl Grey burns that area and leaves some unsightly stain. Tastes nicer though.

Mick Rice

Towards the later stages of an ultra, a small bottle of flat coke with a caffeine tablet disolved into it does the trick for me.

Sugar+Caffeine+Extra Caffeine+Artifical Colourings and Favourings=goodness.

robinph

Couldn't the bubbles also help as a bit of extra rocket boost as well?