Alcohol at the Races

Is it just me or are there others who feel that alcohol should not be served as a post race beverage at the end of a race.  I have seen a few races that have promoted their event by offering alcoholic drinks at the end of the race.  Luckily this has not become the norm.

Locally in my hometown of Columbus Ohio there was one particular race that promoted tequila drinks at the end of their race.  The race had 500+ participants who braved cool temperatures to run in a 4 miler and then enjoy a post race alcoholic beverage.

The question to ask, are these races promoting healthy lifestyles or has the sport become so corporate that the phrase "healthy lifestyle" simply is just a tag line that is used to create a perception that we are in it for the right reasons.

I am against alcoholic drinks at these events for two reasons;

1.  I don't believe that alcohol promotes a healthy lifestyle and is inconsistent with the healthy messages we are trying to promote in the sport.

2.  Will offering these drinks at events create an expectation that other races offer drinks likewise in the future much like the post-race buffet has become norm even for small races such as a 5k.

I will end it at this, but should a dialogue develop out of this post I will be happy to dive into the subject a little more.