Hello Friends,

I am new to the raw food world and thus I am very excited and eager to learn. As a marathon runner who is constantly in training, I would love to chat with other runners about the transition to raw food and running. I would love advice about what raw foods aid in sports performance.

Thanks in Advance,
Jacqui

I did my first marathon last year on a nearly 100% raw diet. My first hurdle and then revelation was that I didn't need to carbo load and that I could run for more than 2 hours on a couple of bananas.

I'll happily try to answer any of your questions - I assume you already know about Brendan Brazier and Tim Van Orden - very inspirational

Thanks for the extra motivation. I have recently found that I feel lighter with much less stomach woes since I have been going raw. This helps my running a great deal. To put it simply, I feel faster! I do know Brendan Braizer as I bought his "Thrive Diet" book around a year and a half ago after discovering Vega but Tim Van Orden is a new name for me. Thanks for giving me new research.

Do you stick with water on your long runs or do you have a special homemade raw electrolyte drink?

I stick with water but I think this might be improved upon. Ilive in England and most of the year it is not hot. In the winter I carry water for runs of 15miles or more but don't really need it. In the summer, water does fine but I need food of some kind after 15 miles. I take dried fruit but i don't think it's ideal. I'm training for a 20 mile coastal path run - this translates, where i live, to leg screaming ascents and descents up and down the cliffs. It is in April, which could be snowy or 20C. I want to experiment with taking fruit with me on my long runs but I don't know how it will 'travel' - oh well it's all good fun experimenting. At the end of the day you have to live and learn and laugh (says she who takes her running sooo seriously)

p.s. look up Tim Van Orden's Sears Tower run - i think that's what it's called - so amazing



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/02/2009 10:54PM by flipperjan.

Thanks again. I live In Montreal, Quebec and so it is not unlikely to find me running in minus twenty conditions through snow and slush. Last year I ran a half marathon titled “The Hypothermic Half.” It is not uncommon for your eyelashes to freeze shut! BUT ALAS WE RUNNERS LOVE RUNNING! I too have been experimenting with dried fruit. I love mangoes but have only tried it for about 15 kilometres and I worry about longer distances. My first thought is that this may be too sweet and sugary for the long haul. I am considering dehydrating special running crackers with Himalayan salt and raw nuts. Do you have any experience with nuts? I log all of my food and thus hopefully my experimenting will pay off eventually.

Jacqui

Jacqui

Go to the living and raw food discussion on the forum list and have a look at the post i put up entitled raw food role model. There you will find a truly inspirational raw food adventure ultra marathon runner called Stefania. What she has done, is doing and plans to do i find hugely inspiring. She is very approachable - i have contacted her on another forum - and i am sure she will answer any of your questions.

Interestingly she says that after running about 100km (LOL) she craves nuts. I actually think that dried fruit might be very good for long distances but am looking into it.

Hi guys.

In my years of experience with Ironman training and competition, I have found that a raw diet works well.

I have also been developing and testing a raw sports gel.
It has been a long time since I've used dried fruit, so I have not tested the difference recently.
Nevertheless, I assume that my raw sports gel is a far superior source of calories and nutrients for sustained athletic performance than dried fruit.

I have decided to not try to develop bars since some good raw bars are already available.

If you post a reply to this message and would like my feedback, it would be best to send me a private message to that effect. Otherwise, I may not check this thread for a while.

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Thank you for your feedback. It is encouraging to hear stories about raw Ironman competitors. Congratulations on years of Ironman competition. I admire your commitment to health. I have been experimenting with my diet and performance and I am eager to learn. I am new to the raw food world, (although I have been vegan in the past), and recently have been struggling to improve my running times. Of course, those around me blame my new raw food diet. It seems great ideas always meet harsh resistance. I feel that my friends and family do not support my choices and having this forum is an amazing motivator.

Do you take supplements/vitamins/etc.?

Do you have any recovery tips?

Thanks,
Jacqui

P.S. I have also experimented with available raw bars with success!

You're welcome, jacquibean.

I am happy to be a source of encouragement, support, motivation, inspiration or whatever.

In my opinion, personal experimentation is key.
Since I am a data-head, I like to record various metrics of nutrition and results, particularly for long workouts.
I have been developing some software to assist with nutritional performance tracking.

I intend to add info related to raw nutrition for endurance athletics on our site soon.
You might find the raw food info there helpful.

I can also tell you that the words of detractors are a reflection of the limitations of their minds, not a reflection of your reality. Regardless, I often avoid giving ammunition to detractors, for example, by not telling them about a fast until after I've finished, or at least finished more than a week.
I like the adage to train like a bumblebee and race like a horse.

I take a few supplements, but think of fresh, raw food as the best source of nutrients.
Regarding recovery, that is a very important aspect of training.
Giving a good answer would take a while.

If you post a reply to this message and would like my feedback, it would be best to send me a private message to that effect. Otherwise, I may not check this thread for a while.

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Thanks for your speedy reply. You have made reference to your endurance
athletics web site and I would love to visit it. What is the address? I can make some educated guesses but I thought I would ask.

Thanks again for your advice,

Jacqui

You're welcome, and I can say thanks for your interest and your passion.

The web site which I was referring to is healthnvitality.com
That site is focused on an ecoaerobic raw lifestyle and nutrition.
Currently, there is very little info there related to exercise or athletics.
I intend to add info related to raw nutrition for endurance athletics on that site soon.

For other topics related to endurance info, e.g. strategies for recovery, training plans, tracking, training theory, etc., I'm not sure yet where I'll put that info.

If you post a reply to this message and would like my feedback, it would be best to send me a private message to that effect. Otherwise, I may not check this thread for a while.

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Hi,

Sorry for the delay. I own a cottage in the country and took a running vacation. I checked out your website briefly and thought it looked great. Again, your commitment to healing yourself and others is admirable. The website prompted much thought and a few questions. Perhaps I can pick your brain some more.

Experimented with coconut water and salba during a 25k run on Saturday but unfortunately the taste was not great.

Hi Jacquibean,

Thanks for your PM.
I'm happy that like our healthnvitality site.
It is our pleasure to help people towards greater health and vitality.

Yes, you can pick my brain some more.
Phone the number on the site.

As for coconut water, I sometimes climbed coconut trees during long bike rides in the tropics when I ran out of water. The coconut water was excellent.
It was hard work to climb the tree and harvest a green coconut.
It was a challenge, too, to open it without a machete, and often without a pocket knife. Sometimes, I had nothing but my bare hands and a cloth. I tied the cloth around my ankles to help me climb. The reward of fresh coconut water was always worth the effort when I was thirsty enough.

I don't know why coconut water or salba seed would taste bad for you.

If you post a reply to this message and would like my feedback, it would be best to send me a private message to that effect. Otherwise, I may not check this thread for a while.

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Hi
I know now that I definately run faster, recover more quickly if i am 100% raw. If I slip a couple of pieces of toast into an otherwise raw diet I feel the effects very quickly and they last for at least 24hrs or more. I find that I do not require any food or drink for a 2+ hour run and i can do them back to back now.

So happy to be a runner - the sun is shining tra la la

Thanks for your message. The fact that you do not need to eat or drink during a two plus hour run is amazing as I would love to have freedom from my hydration belts.

THE SUN IS SHINING AND JACQUI IS SMILING.

I find that duration of workout is an important factor for hydration, caloric and other nutrition needs during a workout.
Other important factors are temperature and intensity of workout.

If you post a reply to this message and would like my feedback, it would be best to send me a private message to that effect. Otherwise, I may not check this thread for a while.

***Info from the advisors at HealthNVitality***

Wow- so great to read the previous posts.
I am somewhat new to the raw food world, but have been running for years. I'm training for my second marathon right now, and am even more inspired now, after reading the above posts.

Thank you thank you thank you!

Hi anyone who might read this post a few years after the fact...

here's a few things I've experimented and had success with. (for me, there's nothing like water from fresh young coconut for electrolytes on a run.)

dates (medjool, pit before soaking) soaked in water from young coconut.(dates b/c they are a great high nutrient fasting food, therefore just the thing when you need a lot in a small package). mix soak water with water from another coconut. Raw Gatorade.

puree the soaked dates with banana. If the banana goes brown, you won't notice because of the date. :-) Package in snack-sized ziploc bag (do they still make those?) Bite off the end and suck down. Hey presto. Raw gel.

If you find you need nut too, soak macadamia or cashews, rinse, and then and then puree into the other two as well. If it is too solid, add in water from fresh young coconut/date soak water until it gets the right consistency. Another option is to have soaked nuts on hand. Or soak another fruit (mango, papaya, fig...), puree together with nut and form into your own bar.

Fruits are were it's at. As much as you can handle.