Vegan/Raw Vegan Athletes do it LIVEit

[Monica]

what is body building in relation to energetic principles? ...

Because to me, a body builder who just builds up a lot of muscle through hard work prepares the body for something that is never going to happen in the first place.

I have no idea; I'm not a bodybuilder!

Yes, that might be a good topic for its own thread. I just posted this as an example of what's physically possible on a vegetarian, and even vegan, and even raw vegan, diet. I wanted to dispel the myth that vegetarians can't get enough protein or be strong! There are so many top athletes who are vegetarian, it always amazes me that some people still believe the myth. It was dispelled long ago!

Here's another vegan top athlete:

Eat and Run: My Unlikely Journey to Ultramarathon Greatness by Scott Jurek, Steve Friedman

For nearly two decades, Scott Jurek has been a dominant force—and darling—in the grueling and growing sport of ultrarunning. In 1999, as a complete unknown, he took the lead of the Western States Endurance Run, a 100-mile traverse over the old Gold Rush trails of the California Sierra Nevada. He won that race seven years in a row, setting a course record along the way. Twice he won the Badwater Ultramarathon, a 135-mile “jaunt” through Death Valley. Recently he set an American record of 165.7 miles in 24 hours—6 1/2 marathons in one day. And he was one of the elite runners who traveled to Mexico to run with the Tarahumara Indians, as profiled in the bestseller Born to Run. His accomplishments are nothing short of extraordinary, but that he has achieved all of this on a plant-based diet makes his story all the more so.

In Eat and Run, Scott Jurek opens up about his life and career—as an elite athlete and a vegan—and inspires runners at every level. From his Midwestern childhood hunting, fishing, and cooking for his meat-and-potatoes family, to his early beginnings in running (he hated it), to his slow transition to ultrarunning and veganism, to his world-spanning, record-breaking races, Scott’s story shows the power of an iron will and blows apart all the stereotypes of what athletes should eat to fuel optimal performance.

Thanks to Gary for recommending this book!