Dry Run Challenge 2016: Life After The Challenge

On a Tuesday night, a few days after the completion of the challenge, Jake, Patto, Tom and I had gathered at a Polish restaurant called “After The Tears”. We were having some food and drink before going to a taping of “Shaun Micallef’s: Mad As Hell” down the road at the ABC studios.

I didn’t go there with the express intent of drinking, but if there was something worth sampling I would consider having my first drink. That’s when I spotted:

It came out on the rocks and we all cheers’ed to the end of my challenge. It was one of the most impressive vodkas I’ve ever tasted and was a deserving first drink for my return.

After Micallef, we headed to a Korean BBQ restaurant and I had my first beer (Hite lager). I was reminded immediately of those joyous larger flavour qualities that I had largely forgotten about. It sat heavy though, and I finished one bottle in the time the others had two.

Over a month after that first beer, I still haven’t had more than one beer in a sitting. I tend to get an appreciation for the flavour and don’t really feel like drinking another one – usually because they sit quite heavily in the stomach. We’ll see how that limitation fares as we come into summer!

A week after the completion of the challenge, we had our biennial gamers racing night: Dono’s Race Rumble II

My innocence was well and truly smashed as I downed a haze of Fireball shots and punch throughout the night. Yet, I didn’t really feel too drunk. I switched to drinking water in between shots midway though the night for three reasons:

1. it was really hot inside with so many people in our small house and I was consequently becoming quite dehydrated
2. I knew I wouldn’t pull up well if I didn’t
3. I genuinely preferenced it

I did pull up well, had a good racing performance and didn’t despise my behavior the next day.

So what affect did the non-drinking challenge have on my return to drinking?

• a greater appreciation for flavours
• less desire to go over the top
• more self awareness when drinking
• cannot drink as much beer as before
• face now burns up when drinking spirits

I highly recommend the “180 day dry run challenge” for improving your attitudes and appreciation toward alcohol – particularly if you think it is influencing your behavior/physique negatively or think you may be too dependent on it.

Cheers!