The start...

PEJP

29 years old
From London, live in NYC.
Day 1 - 208lbs/14st8lbs - 36 inch waist - 6'4 (obviously height wont change, but just so you get an idea of my size).

Background

I am a habitual drinker. That is not to say that I am an alcoholic, as to the best of my knowledge I have no physical dependency on Alcohol. However if I am bored, I'll think nothing of going to my bar and having 3-4 pints and the inevitable shot or two of Whiskey with the bartender...on a Monday or Tuesday. This isnt every week by any means, but I dont need much of an excuse. I tend to start my weekends on Thursday night and will be useless at work on Friday before going out again until 4am. I will usually repeat this on a Saturday night as well, and then come Sunday I'll often have a quiet few in the afternoon. On Monday I'll usually be tired and find it hard to concentrate. This probably doesnt sound too extreme and I'm sure many of you have similar habits, but the fact remains that I definitely drink more than is healthy and even if I have something planned the next day, I'll just make excuses not to do it. Seeing as I live in NYC where every bar is open until 4am, the lack of sleep as much as the alcohol causes me to under perform at work. This situation is exacerbated by the fact that sustained alcohol intake increases tolerance, therefore I'm not exaggerating when I say that I might have 10 pints and not even feel especially pissed so going home is not a requirement. I am the typical 'just one more' kind of guy and if someone is going out or something is happening, I'll be there. Obviously along with alcohol comes kebabs, pizzas etc etc....

Summary - drink too much, eat pretty badly, stay out too late. Not an alcoholic but definitely a health risk.

The experiment

About 18 months ago, I signed up for and completed the New York Marathon. I lost a lot of weight (4 stone/56lbs) in the process and discovered that I truly love running. However the progress I have made in running is being compromised by my lifestyle. Recently I ran 2 half marathons with a hangover, and during the summer turned up at a triathlon bike training session still pissed and had to stop 10mins into a 2hr ride. I went out on a massive bender 3 days before the NYC Triathlon and have missed crucial training runs due to being hungover. In short, I don't let my athletic stuff get in the way of drinking. I kid myself that this is OK, and people laugh at my funny stories, but I dont want to be like this. I am currently signed up for the Miami Marathon which is the last Sunday in January 2012, and then the Tokyo Marathon 4 weeks later. I realised last Sunday after another 4am night out and missed training run that I am not mentally strong enough to go out and just have a couple of pints, so I need to do something extreme to break the emotional and social attachment I have to alcohol. Maybe once this is done I will be able to go back to it. I have decided that the beer I had on the plane back from London yesterday will be my last one until Miami, which is in 3 months time. My mum and dad are coming to Miami and my dad is running the half marathon, so that gives me an added incentive. Who knows, maybe I'll enjoy it and decide to wait until after the Tokyo Marathon and turn it into a 4 month experiment.

I have decided to document this experiment on the forum and in a blog, as I really love this place (the forum) and thought it'd be interesting to share with others. I'm hoping that having somewhere to write this down will make it easier for me as well. I promise that I'm going to be totally honest...if I crack, I'll tell you about it. If that does happen, I'll decide at the time whether that'll be the end of the experiment or if I'm going to continue. Knowing I've started this thread will also give me added incentive not to crack.

Summary - doing 2 marathons in the New Year, not capable of just having a quiet couple of pints so need to do something extreme, no alcohol from 31st Oct to Jan 29th.