Competition Meets Community at First-Ever Tech Square Beer Mile

Jul 8

With the start of the Summer Olympic Games just around the corner, we at Tech Square ATL (TSQATL) Social Club felt inspired to have a little competition ourselves – and put our community’s athletes to the ultimate test. No, it wasn’t a traditional Olympic event, nor was it part of the Five Ring Field Day we’re hosting at the end of month. This was something epic. Something that we’ve never done before. Something that could bring a smile to one’s face, a tear to their eye, and perhaps even cause them to...throw up.

That’s right – we, along with our local partner, Cypress Street Pint + Plate, hosted the first-ever Tech Square Beer Mile last Wednesday, outside of the local haunt. Our fellow Olympians (Tech Square community members – including those from TEP and ATDC) showed up at the start line (tape on the sidewalk) to compete against each other in a one-mile foot race – but with a twist. Participants had to drink a full-sized beer, run a quarter mile, then repeat the process three more times on the predetermined route that equated to one mile. Then and only then, would a winner be crowned victorious.

Did you miss out on the event? Curious to see what a Beer Mile is really all about? Check out the highlight reel below to get a true glimpse into all of the excitement!

Their entry fee included four race beers, one coupon for a craft beer at Cypress Street Pint & Plate, a super soft t-shirt, and the chance to win multiple prizes. At check-in, our attendees signed a waiver, received a race bib number, and stood in the denoted drinking area to receive further instruction. Some fearless runners even “warmed up” prior to the race, by consuming pre-event beverages (a decision they would come to regret later).

Upon the commencement of the spectacle, each competitor had an unopened beer in their hands. And not just any beer, but good ol’ Bud-heavy (Budweiser). That’s because the "Standard Beer Mile Ruleset" requires the consumed beverage to be over five percent alcohol. And for some special snowflakes, hard seltzers (White Claw) and a gluten-free option (Omission Pale Ale) were provided instead, all completely within regulation.

Once the flare was fired (we counted down from three), participants cracked open their beers and started chugging. That’s correct, this was a timed event, so speed in both running and drinking were critical. In order for the competitors to be able to start running, the beverage had to be completely empty – we even required that they held their cans upside down over the trash can in front of our judges to prove it was, indeed, completely consumed. Upon discarding the container, attendees were permitted to run the course, which measured 660 feet (⅛ mile) from the starting line and included a turn-around spot for competitors to come back to Cypress Street Pint & Plate to complete their first quarter-mile lap and grab another beer. This was repeated a total of four times to officially finish the Tech Square Beer Mile.

However, to everyone’s quick realization, it wasn’t as easy as it sounded. Almost immediately excitement turned to angst, with several competitors “losing it.” In the physical and literal sense. And who can blame them? With over 1,000 mL of carbonated liquid in their stomachs, it can be quite the daunting task to keep it down, therefore, it’s common for it to want to exit. Fortunately, we had some lovely bushes and buckets on hand. Unfortunately for our runners, the expulsion of fluids caused them one penalty lap at the end of the race, regardless of how many times they vomited.

Nevertheless, the competition was fierce, but the camaraderie was stronger. Participants and onlookers cheered on each other every step of the way, until every single person crossed the finish line.

Once the race finally concluded, we handed out our official Tech Square Beer Mile participant t-shirts and held a prestigious awards ceremony.

First place, with a time of 10:31.500 went to Andrew Miller, who won a $25 gift card to Cypress Street, and the coveted Tech Square Beer Mile trophy. In fact, at registration, he was excited that his bib donned the number one, since he would “be number one at the end of the race.”

Second place, with a time of 10:32.000 went to Lawson Sumner, who was awarded a $20 digital gift card to LiveWire Coffee, another one of our amazing sponsors.

And no competition is complete without some additional superlatives. The first person to throw up, Jeff Willis, received the award of a pack of Pepto Bismol chewables. And the last place competitor, Nathan Rich, was bestowed the “never give up” award, which was a six-pack of Bud Light. We have a feeling he won’t be drinking that anytime soon.

All in all, the first-ever Tech Square Beer Mile taught us many things. Never pre-game before an event that involves both running and alcohol. The inability to keep your liquids inside your body could cause you to blow the lead. And always remember, if you’re unsure if it’s a burp or something else, find a bush. We also uncovered some really interesting data as well:

Concluding the race, everyone stuck around to hang out and enjoy some much needed food – and for some, more adult beverages – at Cypress Street. Between swapping puke stories to sharing secrets of their “training” prior to the race, it was clear this event did actually what we intended: It brought about a chance for our community to let loose, have some friendly competition, and get together in the Tech Square neighborhood. And at the end of the day, that makes us all winners.