GUAM: Fourth Guam Beer Mile Classic This Weekend

On your mark. Get set. Chug. Then run. Then chug again.

Thinking too hard about the rules could cause nausea, but that’s a feeling the participants of the fourth annual Guam Beer Mile Classic know all too well.

Runners will set off on Ypao Beach on Saturday with four ice-cold beers and a thirst for health. The goal is to finish the brews and four 1/4-mile runs as quickly as possible and without vomiting. Drink a beer, run a quarter mile, repeat.

“During the first year, we wanted to celebrate the return of one of Guam’s Olympic runners who competed in London and a beer mile seemed like the best way to celebrate a long season,” event founder Charlie Epperson said in a press release. “The goal wasn’t to break the speed record but to celebrate our health and wellness.”

On the surface, skulling four beers as quickly as possible doesn’t appear to celebrate health, but with a little effort they’re there.

An article on MensHealth.com suggests moderate beer consumption can reduce risk for heart disease, increase creativity and a lower risk of diabetes. The key is the moderation thing.

“This is the only time I chug,” Olympian and beer-miler Derek Mandell said. “I don’t encourage drinking any more after the race.”

Mandell has done four beer miles previously — three in Guam and one while he was in college — and he’s picked up a few tips to help make the race successful.

The fourth Guam Beer Mile Classic is scheduled for Sunday at Ypao beach. Runners will consume one can of beer before each quarter of the one-mile race.

Be safe. Be 21. The organizers will check IDs to make sure everyone is of age before the run begins. When it ends, they’re relying on responsible participants to make sure everyone is safe on the drive home. That means lining up a designated driver.

Hydrate during the day of the race. Drinking plenty of water will help your body recover from the punishing event, and it can also stretch out the stomach to make more room for the bubbly brew that you’ll slosh around.

Bring the right brew. Rules require the beers be at least 5-percent alcohol by volume, so search out a favorite that fits. There are a few light beers that qualify and will go down smoother than full-bodied ales.

Get a cooler. Cold beer goes down easier, Mandell said, and carrying it around in a small cooler can help it stay chilled and keep you organized.

Pace yourself, but not too much. “Try to finish before you realize what you’re doing,” Mandell said. Fast drinkers have an advantage for the first couple laps but eventually a deliberate runner with proper pacing will catch up.

Have fun. The race is carefully scheduled to come just after the Guam Ko’ko’ half marathon and the Tour of Guam cycling race, so many of the top athletes are in peak form and ready for a break. “It’s fun,” Mandell said. “There’s no real pressure. If you finish fast, it’s a bonus.”

Similar beer miles are held around the world and international variations include the Chocolate-Milk Mile (where 12-ounce cartons replace cans of beer), the Ben and Jerry’s 4x4 (pints of ice cream) and the Rubik’s Cube Mile (solve the puzzle game before each 400 meters).

“It is pretty special to turn a fun-loving and good-natured event such as the Guam Beer Mile into a catalyst for promoting health and giving in our community.”

The race is fun, and it’s also for a good cause. In year one, the GBMC raised $1,500 for Wounded Warriors. This year the goal is more than 100 participants and $5,000, which will be sent to Saipan where the locals are still recovering from August’s Supertyphoon Soudelor.

“It is pretty special to turn a fun-loving and good-natured event such as the Guam Beer Mile into a catalyst for promoting health and giving in our community,” Epperson said in the release.

There are a few other rules to be aware of. Cans and bottles are allowed, but they may not be altered in any way, such as tearing the can to increase flow or using a straw to let air escape. Runners who vomit before the finish are required to complete an extra lap.

The run is on sand, at the beach, so bring proper shoes and prepare to get sandy, wet and soaked in spilled beer. After finishing the drink, participants are encouraged to tip it upside down, above their head to prove it’s empty.