I once read that caffeine was good for runners. It has been shown to help make you faster and also can reduce running pain. So, 
I’ve typically made it a point to drink a cup of tea before I race.
While the amount of caffeine that I drink is probably ok, there is growing evidence that too much caffeine can actually cause problems. This article by the Running Doctor points out that a few runners (who had clear arteries) collapsed during races. The common factor was that all had taken in a large dose of caffeine before the race. He cautions runners that they should limit their caffeine intake to less than 200 mg on the day of a race or run longer than 10K. So, I’ll repeat it for you here.
Limit caffeine to 200 mg or less on the day of a race or long run
Caffeine levels
In case you were wondering, the running doctor also provides a list of caffeine content of common drinks. My favorite, Dr Pepper has 39.6 mg per 12 oz can. My cup of tea is 40 mg. So, I’m way under because I could drink 5 cups of tea or drink 5 Dr. Peppers and still be under the limit.
Do you drink caffeinated drinks before a run? How much? Leave a comment and let us know.
{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
Good post – Always curious about this myself. Typically, I drink one really strong mug of coffee prior to a race. I am guessing that my mug of home-brew has at least 200mg. It’s purely a mental thing (coffee makes me happy).
Most days, I drink about 3 mugs total…it’s probably about time to scale that back a bit.
Hi
I’ve been visiting your blog for the last couple of days. I forgot where I found it at. I wanted to comment on this post because it really had me thinking about my coffee intake. I wonder how much damage I’ve been doing since I started drinking four cups of coffee before each workout. I’m usually very tired after work and it’s the only time I can exercise so I drink as much coffee as I can to get the energy I need. I am definitely going to cut back. Just have to push myself harder.
Hello Kattie – thanks for the comments. I too am cutting back on my caffeine intake.