There are so many questions out there about the ideal diet for an athlete. How much protein? How many carbs? Pre workout? Post workout? Supplements?
Well, it seems that to answer these questions we should ask the people who are getting the best results!
More Energy and Endurance
Can you imagine having the stamina to run for 24 hours straight? Scott Jurek - vegan ultra marathoner - starts his days with fresh raw smoothies. Oils, bananas, blueberries, almonds, coconut, and dates give him the calories and the protein to complete in 24-hour plus races. He says raw vegan foods give him the abundant energy reserves to win races like the 135mile Badwater marathon.
Smoother and Faster Recovery
Let's consider Christopher Grant from Chicago. He's an ultra marathon runner who averages over 100 miles a week. How is he able to run 20 miles or more on Monday... only to wake up Tuesday (and Wednesday, and Thursday, and so on) to do it again? He says it's about keeping the body alkaline with raw foods. According to him, really active athletes are "exploding with lactic acid," and raw plant-based foods neutralize acids in the body. This provides for more rapid and complete recovery.
How about Brendan Brazier, the two-time champion of the Canadian 50km Ultra Marathon. As a best-selling author of books about nutrition for athletes, he absolutely agrees that "Quick cellular regeneration is reliant on pH balance." Plant based foods are alkaline-forming in the body and help athletes recover more quickly and with greater gains.
Strength, Focus, and Agility
Mega-successful raw athletes aren't limited to just runners. NFL star Tony Gonzalez says that his ability to make those vital split-second decisions on the field comes from eating fresh raw foods. There's and endless array of vegan and raw vegan body builders such as Robert Cheeke, Jack Lalanee, and Shannon Oliver. All these heavy lifters have built dense, tough muscle with natural and clean plant foods. And they didn't suffer the ridiculous stress that unnatural protein supplements and meats put on our organs.
Replacing cooked and processed foods with whole natural foods - succulent fruits, green veggies, and protein-packed nuts and seeds - boosts athletic performance rapidly and maintains heightened ability in the "long run." I remember when the durations of my runs doubled from 2-3 miles to 4-6 miles just one week after I began experimenting with the power of whole foods.
