yeah, when i try to run on my own just for conditioning i find it a lot easier to quit but when i know that people are going to catch up with me i feel more compelled to push it. The group here had some people that are a bit more "fit" than the group in Chiang Mai so i had to work harder, but like i said in the post, it was almost completely flat.
It's a great time though, one of the greatest finds of my life... or at least my adult life.
The beer in the belly while running can definitely be a negative factor and of course dehydration can be a bit dangerous. You don't have to drink it, but it's frowned upon if you don't and you aren't a recovering alcoholic.
Well I am both and I would DRINK IT!