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A beer mile is a drinking race combining running and speed drinking. Typically, the race takes place on a standard 400-meter or 1/4-mile running track. The race begins at the 1-mile starting line with the consumption of a 12-ounce (355 ml) beer, followed by a full lap around the track. The second lap continues in a similar manner; another 12-ounce beer is consumed before commencing the running of the second lap. This process is repeated for the next two laps. Following the completion of the fourth running lap (and four beers), a competitor has finished the race. More specific rules of the race vary by region.
Contents
Rules
In North America, typically, 12 US ounces of beer is consumed from a can or bottle before every lap. Since the advent of the Internet, the rules of the beer mile have become more standardized, particularly in the United States and Canada. The standard rules published by BeerMile.com are based on the most common rules used in North America.
History
James Nielsen helped bring the beer mile into the public eye after becoming the first to break the five-minute barrier in 2014. Much like the four-minute barrier in the mile run, the five-minute barrier tempts beer-milers worldwide. Since then the record has been lowered a handful of times by runners from all over the world, including Australia's Josh Harris and James Hansen who ran 4:56.20 and 4:56.25 respectively.
In 2014, the inaugural Beer Mile World Championship was held in Austin, Texas, giving new legitimacy to the event. The men's race was won by Canadian Corey Gallagher with a time of 5:00.23. In the women's race, American Beth Herndon set a new world record with a time of 6:17.8.
In August 2015, Lewis Kent of Canada ran a 4:55.78, becoming the then fastest recorded beer mile ever. His beer of choice was Amsterdam Blonde. Determined to break the five-minute barrier, on October 10, 2015, at the University of Manitoba track, Corey Gallagher ran a 4:54.4 becoming the first man ever to dip below the 4:55 mark.
World record holder Joe Kent was the victor in the inaugural Beer Mile World Classic held at Treasure Island in San Francisco. Founded by James Nielsen and Kingston Rule Pioneer John Markell. The Men's inaugural World Classic pitted the last four world record holders against each other for the first time. Called the Beer Mile of the Century, it was the first time sub-5-minute beer milers competed in the same race (Josh Harris: Australia, James Nielsen: USA, and Lewis Kent: Canada). Canadian Jim Finlayson, another former world record holder, finished third overall, behind Kent and American Brian Anderson.
Canada won the men's World Classic Kingston Cup. Nielsen was a notable disqualification (for excessive spillage). Josh Harris suffered a reversal of fortune in the sport's most prominent puke. Race announcer Josh Muxen dubbed it the "Chunder from Down Under". Nielsen's disqualification was the deciding factor in the Canadian Men's Victory. Turning the 10–11 American victory into a 10–11 Canadian win. The American women won the Queens cup in a sweep, with Caitlin Judd, Chris Kimbrough and Lindsay Harper taking the Top 3 Spots.
The 2nd Annual FloTrack Beer Mile World Championship was held in Austin, Texas on December 1, 2015. For the first time ever, the top two fastest men in the world competed against each other in the same race, with two former world record holders in 2014 World Champion Corey Gallagher and Lewis Kent. This event proved to be an instant classic with both men surpassing the previous world best. Kent set a new world record with a time of 4:47.17 and Gallagher finished with a time of 4:48.62
The women's elite field consisted of two of the top three fastest women ever making this the most competitive Beer Mile field ever assembled.
Erin O'Mara set a new world record with a time of 6:08.
On July 31, 2016, Canadian Corey Bellemore shattered the world record with a time of 4:34.35.
"Chunder" Mile
In the United Kingdom, an imperial pint (19.2 imperial ounces) typically is consumed before every lap, with no specification of the drinking vessel but pint glasses are preferred for the speed in which the beverage can be finished. The one lap penalty for "chundering" (vomiting) is not generally enforced. Thomas Mathieson from ickinham Middlesex has run the beer mile in 4:46.23
Variations
Some variations of the beer mile are
Kastenlauf
Kastenlauf (short for "Bierkastenlauf", literally "beer crate running"), Kistenlauf, Bierlauf, Bierkastenrennen (literally crate-running, beer crate-running, or equivalents), Bier-Rallye, or Bierathlon, is a drinking sport in the German-speaking countries Austria, Germany and Switzerland. It is a race among teams that consist of two people carrying a crate of beer, all of which must be consumed prior to crossing the finish line. The route is about 10 km long, although it can vary from half this to twice this.
The name bierathlon is also used for a students' event where participants have to drink a beer in a fixed order in a number of pubs of the city, which is certified by stamps.