The right gear for the job

With warmer weather approaching, it’s time to consider if you have the right gear for springtime beer and running.

There are telltale signs that beer drinkers and runners are serious about their craft, without having to say a word. The scientific term for this is “signaling theory.” Others may call it “showing off.”

Consider running gear. Having a pair of lightweight running shorts versus running in mesh knee-length basketball shorts separates the serious runner from the casual cross-trainer.
For beer drinkers, you know you’re really into beer if you have to have a specialty glass for every style.

Sometimes, you can get your beer and running gear from the same source. Consider the new Mikkeller Running Beer Box, a service of the global Mikkeller Running Club. The new beer box delivery is advertised as an “exclusive membership specially for all of you beer runners to stay on top of both your running and drinking game!”

The membership consists of a quarterly care package with 12 beers, running gear, runners lotions, apparel, vouchers, VIP stuff and a newsletter for members only. In other words, it sounds like a beer runner in a box.

But you can also go overboard. The person who is covered head to toe in Nike logos will probably be seen as a poseur. The beer drinker who refuses to drink Coors at a wedding on principle alone will probably be considered an insufferable beer snob.

These non-verbal cues can change over time. If you saw someone drinking out of a can a few years ago, chances are you’d think they were a college student. Today, you’d think they’re a serious craft beer connoisseur.

Similarly, if you saw someone running barefoot a few years ago, you’d think they are out of their mind. Today you’d view them as a hardcore runner.

So this week, find the right gear that fits you as a craft beer drinker and athlete. What does it say about you?

Week 14 #BeerFit CHALLENGE
Treat yourself to a new piece of gear, whether it’s a new specialty drinking glass or spring apparel. Post a photo on Twitter and Instagram with the hashtag #BeerFit.