Run, drink beer, lose weight? That’s the Fishtown regimen

Stopping by the bar to relax and have a nice cold beer. What could be better? How about if you just ran five miles?

The name says it all: Fishtown Beer Runners. They run, and then they go drink.

“I like to drink a local beer, I like to drink Kenzinger. The thing about drinking a beer after a run is the flavors are just amazing,” said Fishtown Beer Runners co-founder David April.  Every Thursday, the group heads out for at least a three-mile run and ends up in a bar or restaurant. There they raise their glasses and toast the man known as “The Professor.”

“‘The Professor’ is the research scientist at the University of Granada in Spain who did hydration studies with beer. His name is Dr. Manuel Castillo. A friend of mine told me about his study that he did in 2007 about the benefits of having a beer after strenuous exercise,” April said.

This odd combo of beer and running inspired filmmaker Justin Wirtalla to make a documentary about the Beer Runners. He said he’s raising money so he can make the trip to Spain.

“Half of this story exists in Spain with the Professor and the science behind it, and I think it’s a really important aspect to go and capture that because there are going to be studies with Beer Runners from Fishtown — with exercise and alcohol — and I’m going to be able to film all of this stuff.”

Wirtalla said he was inspired to make the film after hearing the runners’ stories about how the club has helped them lose weight as it’s changed their lives.

“It’s counterintuitive, but you know apparently beer has some hydrating aspects to it,” he said.