Handpickers Coffee
Handpickers have roasted specialty coffee in Kallithea, Athens, since 2017. They travel to the farms themselves to choose each harvest. The coffee you drink before every training run.
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A day with coffee
For many of us, coffee is as much a part of the day as running. Here's what studies say about caffeine, from morning to training.
06:30
First sip
Even one cup can wake you up and get you going for the day.
11:00
At work
Coffee can help keep your mind on the job, even after a short night. It doesn't replace sleep, though.
18:00
Time to run
A coffee an hour before can make intervals a little more bearable. Over long distances, studies show a more consistent benefit. But if you're in bed before 23:00, it can cut your sleep without you noticing.
Coffee is with you every day and before every run. Make it a good one: fresh and full of flavour.
Why they're called Handpickers
They're named after the pickers who harvest coffee by hand, cherry by cherry. They work with the same care. They deal directly with small farmers and visit the farms. They mind every step, so the best of each harvest is what reaches the cup. Like in a race: no cutting the course.
By hand
The picker goes over each tree many times and takes only the ripe red cherries.
In the sun
They empty the buckets onto the patio and spread the cherries out to dry.
Bean by bean
On raised beds they turn the coffee by hand several times a day so it dries evenly. As they turn it, they pick out the unripe and damaged beans.
In the cup
They roast it fresh themselves, so your cup is full of aroma and flavour.
On the first Friday of every month they open the roastery for a tour and a tasting. Places are limited.
Book a placeA little science
Caffeine and running: what the studies show
Caffeine takes the place of adenosine, the molecule that tells your brain “that's enough”. The climb stays the same. It just feels a little easier.
210–420 mg of caffeine
about 3 to 6 espressos, an hour before the start
Studies show a benefit at 3–6 mg per kilo. A single espresso has 60–100 mg of caffeine. Here we count 75.
- Less than you think
- Even 2 mg per kilo may help. At 9 mg per kilo the jitters and a bad stomach are common, and you get no faster.
- It counts at the end too
- In a long race, a smaller dose near the end helps too, when the legs get heavy.
- Nothing new on race day
- Try it on a long training run first. And mind your sleep: caffeine stays in your system for hours.
Not medical advice. If you have a heart or blood-pressure condition, ask your doctor.
Source: Guest et al., “ISSN position stand: caffeine and exercise performance”, 2021
Four coffees, four moments
Race morning
Dark Sparrow, espresso blend
milk chocolate · almond · red fruits
An espresso in the car, before the briefing.
View in the shop : Dark Sparrow, espresso blend
The Sunday long run
AA Githiga #096, Kenya
dried mango · apricot · black tea
A filter coffee before four hours on the trail.
View in the shop : AA Githiga #096, Kenya
After the finish
Santa Monica, Colombia
mango · caramel · mandarin
While you tell the story of the descent for the third time.
View in the shop : Santa Monica, Colombia
A winter night with maps
Caballero Tanairi, Honduras
cacao · dark cherry · vanilla
While you pick your next race.
View in the shop : Caballero Tanairi, Honduras