Ever since I started racing bikes, I’ve cut way back on alcohol consumption. The empty calories, poor sleep, dehydration, and hangovers were side effects I could definitely do without given the demands of our sport. That said, often nothing feels better than having a drink after a tough day at work, savoring a nice glass (or two or three) with dinner, or a cold beer after a hard race or ride.

In some ways, bike racing and alcohol consumption go hand in hand. A social event among fellow bike racers seems to necessitate alcohol to temper the social awkwardness that pervades our kind. Criteriums and cyclocross events are often an excuse for racers and spectators alike to boisterously drink in public. Hand-ups anyone?

But, is it really the alcohol that we crave? Is it possible to have a great time in social settings, and satisfy those #showerbeer cravings, without suffering alcohol’s negative effects?

I put this theory to the test this month as part of the Sober October Challenge. TOMS founder Blake Mycoskie teamed up with TBD sponsor Athletic Brewing Company (makers of non-alcoholic craft brews), to challenge fans to 30 days of sobriety. I figured it was worth a shot to see: 1) if I could even go a full 30 days without alcohol, and 2) how my body would feel.

While the Challenge would primarily run on the honor system, Blake chose to use the Spar App to help keep everyone accountable. The App requires participants to upload a 20 second video every day to check in, and provides both negative and positive incentives. For every missed check-in, you are charged $3, which goes into a pot. If you give up entirely, you are charged $25. At the end of the 30 days, those who successfully completed the Challenge with no missed check-ins get to split the pot. As an added incentive, Blake offered to buy every “winner” a six-pack of his favorite Athletic NA beer.

Video check-ins were very awkward in the beginning, and consisted of painfully cheesy selfies of me saying, “Sober October Day X! FEELING GREAT!!! I am enjoying fizzy water instead!” Eventually, I realized I didn’t have to fill the entire 20 seconds and could just upload a video of my cat instead. It’s the spirit of the check-in and the pledge to be sober that counts. There were >500 participants to start and within the first week, many had given up or recorded a miss. The pot was growing.

You can watch other participants’ videos and there’s a chat feature on the App, which I figured I’d just ignore. Other than one friend I recruited to do the challenge with me, everyone else was a complete stranger. But eventually, I found myself scrolling through. There were stories of folks really struggling to keep sober. There were folks who had been sober for years, and kept at it with the Challenge. There were people bummed that they missed a check-in, but pledged to keep going through the end of the month anyway in keeping with the spirit of the Challenge. And, there were lots of positive affirmations from all over. Stories of overcoming temptations. Alcohol filled social or work events and family gatherings, survived without caving! Everyone was rooting for everyone else. Folks were offering suggestions on how to stay on track. Bill of Athletic offered a coupon code so that participants could order NA beer to quench their cravings. I felt like I had become a part of a team. We were going to get through this together.

As for me, the first couple of weeks were relatively easy. Then, I absentmindedly made the mistake of watching a documentary about wine growers. That night was rough. Thankfully, I didn’t have any wine in the apt. I ordered a box of Athletic brews and took them with me wherever I knew I’d be confronted with temptation - basically all of my bike races this month. I even shared them with friends, who have since become NA beer converts! I tried a fews alcohol removed wines: Fre makes a somewhat enjoyable beverage that tastes more like a mild, less sweet grape juice than wine, and another brand (which shall remain nameless) that I had to dump into the sink. Athletic’s craft NA brews are by far the best tasting alcohol substitutes I tried.*

So far this month, I’ve managed to not gain any winter weight (which historically creeps up in October) despite still treating myself to sugar and carbs. I have been sleeping better. Best of all, no headaches, no foggy brain and no worrying about whether I’ll be okay to drive.

I’ve also found that when I make one mindful wellness-related lifestyle change, it often serves as a catalyst to making other changes. I went vegetarian a few months back and have been preparing more meals at home. I’ve been drinking more water. I’ve started composting. I’ve replaced several products I use at home with more sustainable and toxin-free alternatives. Oh, and I’ve probably saved over $200 this month by simply not buying alcohol when I go out.

As of this writing, there’s only a couple days left to the Sober October Challenge (which I’ve now realized should be 31 days - we got this!). The pot has grown to over $5000, to be split among the remaining 225 participants still in the running, or perhaps donated to a sobriety program if we collectively agree (a great idea from a fellow participant).

When my cravings were at their worst, I was planning to celebrate with a big glass of good wine after the Challenge ended. But now that we’re nearing the end, and those cravings have surprisingly subsided, maybe I’ll just keep riding this sobriety train and treat myself to a cold delicious pint of Athletic Run Wild IPA instead. Anyone want to join me for Sober November? Give it a shot (no pun intended). Maybe you’ll find you don’t miss the alcohol either.

*Athletic Brewing Company is a sponsor of To Be Determined, though all beverages consumed during this Challenge were purchased by the author.