I'd Like To Teach The World To Sing....

My name is David and I am an addict.

No, it is not drugs. Not food. Or television. Not even exercise. It is Coca-Cola.

Yes. Let me say it loud and proud; "I love Coke!"

I am not sure when this addiction started, but I know I have a problem. When I see a bottle of coke, like one of Pavlov's dogs, I begin to salivate. The bottle sits there, looking at me, wanting me to taste its' liquid gold. It is a good thing I don't like rum (or most alcohol for that matter) or we might have a problem.

I don't drink coffee, never have. Caffeine, I think, does nothing for me. It is the taste of Coke that I really enjoy. Nothing else tastes like it. Pepsi is a flat imitation, a jealous step-brother. Diet Coke is, well, diet. Coke Zero is a just that, a zero. I mean, even Santa Claus is on the Coke can. If you can't trust Santa, who can you trust?

Luckily for my pearly whites, I have this addiction under control. Gone are the days when I would drink a 12 ounce Coke each day. Not a lot, but enough to get me through the day. Gone are the morning breakfasts with egg, potatoes, beans and an ice cold Coke.

You may ask what does Coke have to do with triathlons, right? Well, let me connect the dots. For some reason, I crave Coke during during every race. It is one of those things I look forward to at the end of the race. It's my treat, my reward, for busting my tail for weeks on end. Nothing is better than an ice cold Coke after a long day on the course.

Last year, I read that caffeine before races may actually help with performance. I almost fell off the toilet!!! I am always looking for an advantage, so I began to have about 6 to 8 ounces of Coke before each event. For me, it settled my stomach and I really enjoyed knowing that this magical liquid was helping me perform at my best! I was able to have a Coke and smile....all the way to the race!

As stated earlier, I have this addiction under control. I still have one or two cokes a week. Not much but just enough to keep me happy. I have substituted Coke with water and really try to focus on drinking a bit more healthy. I am currently into fresh fruit smoothies but they never will take the place of Coca Cola.

So, everyone, sing along with me: "I'd like to teach the world to sing in perfect harmony..."