AI think I’m largely done with alcohol, and here’s an interesting observation.

This is neither a resolution nor a promise nor a story about hitting ‘rock bottom’. I’ve seen several of these stories lately. Sometimes, sobriety authors include a picture from their past life — you know, drunk, passed out, or looking unhealthy.

No, this is not that kind of a story. I’ve not been drunk in many years. I can’t imagine drinking to any excessive degree, however, you define “excessive”. For me, it’s jeopardizing the quality of my running, which I love passionately and do every day.

But as I’ve mentioned in many of my stories, I’d have two or three drinks every night. It was a decades-long habit. For example, I’d have a cold beer after my run and then continue with half a bottle of wine. I’d never drink during the day. I’d never drink hard liquor, even if it’s in the form of a cocktail. And like I said — I’d never get drunk. Sure, I’d feel alcohol relax my mind and body, but I never felt I got to the point of an addiction. I had a habit, not an addiction. But how do you draw the line?

About a year ago, I wanted to prove to myself that I wasn’t addicted. So, one Sunday evening, instead of my usual routine of grabbing a cold beer after my long run, I decided to have electrolytes and green tea instead. I went weeks without alcohol, and I felt fine. In the first couple of days, I missed my habit just a bit, but it only took about half a week to adjust.