For beer lovers, the world doesn’t get any better than an icy brew on a hot day, but we have yet to hear about anyone so enamoured with the beverage that he fills his water bottle with a foamy draft lager! On the other hand, beer runs have quite the long history.

The Discovery Channel broadcast a documentary in which historians proved that beer saved the world, describing agricultural revolutions that began over the need for raw materials to brew beer.

Some researchers even trace the invention of the plow and wheel to inventors seeking to refine the brewing process.

But beer and running? Is that too much of a stretch? Not really.

Every year 15,000 runners show up at Seattle’s St. Patrick’s Day Dash as much for the free beer served at water stations as getting together with like-minded beer and running fans, so is it any wonder that the ORTO Singapore Beer Run is expected to attract beer drinking runners from across the nation? Perhaps you’ll be one of them!

Why beer is good for you (most of the time)

While one of the most common negative benefits of drinking too much beer is the huge belly that some people develop, beer is like wine in that you get health perks if you drink it.

Dark beers, especially, are loaded with flavonoids that are also found in veggies thanks to hops and malt ingredients that go into brewing beer.

Those flavonoids counter cell damage, reduce both cancer and heart disease risk and with every sip, drinkers take in B vitamins and chromium that work to convert carbs into energy.

But that doesn’t mean runners should use beer to carb-load before a race, because too much of it can promote dehydration that can lead to less oxygen reaching your muscles and diminished coordination.

It’s also been proven that post-run recovery time is longer if beer is consumed on the night before, and even 12 ounces can disrupt sleep patterns, so think about all of this before you lift a mug of the golden elixir on the evening before a harrowing run.

Photo Credit: 123RF

Can you drink and run?

Nobody need tell you that it’s a lousy idea to drink and drive, but what about including beer in your race day diet? There are many consequences to doing more than taking a sip or two throughout your event because the more you drink the more you dehydrate and your chances of getting bloated and crampy as you pass a critical mile or km marker increase with every sip.

Beer is a diuretic and we don’t have to tell you what effect standing in a queue to use a toilet can have on your finish time.

Drinking beer causes the skin's blood vessels to cool the body, so if you drink too much, you could overdo it if you don't have a good read on your body temperature.

Besides, imbibing in as many chilled beers as you like after crossing the finish line is a goal worthy of any marathon runner; that's the time to drink up--unless you're injured.

All types of alcohol can interfere with the healing process because it blocks the body’s production of natural anti-inflammatory enzymes, so if you sustain an injury, write yourself an IOU for as many beers as you like. Just don't drink them until 36 hours have passed.

Photo Credit: 123RF

Ready for the best beer run ever?

Now that you’ve been properly educated on the value, history, pros and cons of beer consumption as it relates to running, you’re ready to sign up for the Beer Run ORTO on 17th December at 4 p.m. Organisers haven’t set an “end time” beyond “till late,” so count on having a rousing good time of it at this year-end celebration of beer and cheer. In other words, tell your Mum not to wait up for you that night.

What’s the objective of Beer Run ORTO? Celebrating two of Singapore’s favourite pastimes by emulating the growing international trend of “beer mile events” that are sweeping both hemispheres.

Visit here to check out the entitlements, categories and prizes participants will vie for if and when they cross the finish line.

If you’re not intrigued enough to join the fun, stay home because things will get wilder than your average running event before the night is over.

Photo Credit: 123RF

Making the scene at ORTO sports and leisure hub

Will you be asked to run at the ORTO Beer Run? You bet. But the 1.8 km distances isn't without its rules and regulations. For example, if you fail to drain a pint of beer when you reach the half-way point, you're going to be disqualified, because—after all—rules are rules.

Happily, the 1.8 km distance isn't daunting so once you finish your race you'll have no trouble adapting to party mode.

Grab opportunities to indulge your inner gamer once you complete the race by participating in classic drinking games like Team Chug, Beer Pong and other competitions, collecting beer coupon rewards with each victory.

Food, live music and beer on tap throughout the night guarantee a lively time of it, but please don’t show up if you’re under age because you’ll be turned away!

Need a “taste” of what to expect before you calendar this running event? Convince your drinking buddies to show up with you or make the scene alone. You never know who you'll meet, mate.

Photo Credit: ORTO

Impress others with your knowledge of beer trivia

When you show up at ORTO to run your race, drink your beer, see how you fare on a trampoline after you’ve had a couple of lagers and taken advantage of the facility’s other entertainments, show off your expertise on the topic of beer by sharing these facts:

Q. When were the first beer bottles made?

A. 1850

Q. When was beer first sold in cans?

A. 1935

Q. Which Singapore beer was named to Urban Hiker’s top 10 beer list?

A. Tiger Beer

Q. What’s the weirdest beer sold in Southeast Asia?

A. Cambodian Tarantula. It’s “flavoured” with dead bugs. In second place is Korean Baby Mouse that’s fermented for a year. You know the secret ingredient, right?

Q. What country makes non-alcoholic beer for dogs?

A. The Netherlands.

Q. Who are the Hash House Harriers?

A. An international association of runners founded in Malaysia in 1938 who call themselves “Drinkers with a Running Problem.”

What’s your favourite beer? Do you stick with Singapore brews or are you hooked on imports?

Sign up for the Beer Run ORTO now!