The Powerful Performance Edge of a Plant-Based Diet for Runners
Run to the Top Podcast | The Ultimate Guide to Running
RunnersConnect: Coaching Community, Running Experts, Inspiring Runners, No Fluff Blog
4.5 • 936 Ratings
🗓️ 23 March 2022
⏱️ 27 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Plant-based athletes are everywhere these days. But can a plant-based diet really be a performance booster for your running? What are the pros and cons of a plant based diet for runners?
On today's Run to the Top Podcast, we'll going to go over
- the benefits that a plant-based diet provides runners
- the potential downsides to going plant-based, and we'll give you
- a day in the life of a vegan runner with meal examples that you can try today
If you're a plant-based runner already or just "plant-curious," this evidence-based episode is one you won't want to miss!
Download our FREE Super Simple Plant Based Plate for Runners! No measuring, weighing, counting calories or macros!
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This week's show brought to you by:
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LMNT
When coaching endurance runners of all levels to be their best, I always emphasize the need for proper hydration with the right balance of electrolytes. Most athletes I've coached are surprised to learn that their sodium needs are actually much higher than they expected and it's been hurting their performance.
Part of the reason athletes need much more sodium than they think is not just because they lose electrolytes through their sweat, but also because athletes tend to eat very healthy diets. They've been told that salt is a bad thing in food and frequently don't get enough for their lifestyle.
Much of the science of sodium is based on people who eat highly processed diets which also are very low in potassium. It could actually be the low potassium levels causing the issues that sodium has been blamed for!
What is clear is that both sodium and potassium at the proper levels are essential for high performance (and for life in general!).
That's why we partnered with LMNT to offer a free sample pack of their electrolyte mix.
Head to drinklmnt.com/runnersconnect to get yours now. The Sample Pack includes 8 packets of LMNT (2 citrus, 2 raspberry, 2 orange, and 2 raw unflavored).
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Hi there my running friend this is Coach Claire Bartholic the planted runner and this is Coach Claire Bartholic, the Planted Runner, and this is the |
| 0:15.2 | Run To the Top Podcast, one of the first and only running podcast dedicated to making |
| 0:20.1 | you a better runner with each and every episode. |
| 0:23.5 | We are created and produced by the expert team of running coaches at runnersconnect.net, |
| 0:29.3 | where you can find the best running information on the internet, as well as running coaching plans to |
| 0:34.4 | fit every runner and every budget. |
| 0:38.6 | One thing that I say a lot is that everyone's vegan when they're running. You don't |
| 0:46.0 | see too many people fueling their marathons with milkshakes and cheeseburgers. |
| 0:50.1 | Well, maybe ultra-runners do. But it's normal to wonder if you should be fueling without meat and dairy all the time. |
| 0:57.0 | It's never been easier or trendier to move to a plant-based diet. |
| 1:01.0 | No longer an obscure way of life for determined hippies, more and more people |
| 1:06.2 | are choosing to eat more plants more often. Plant-based foods fill the grocery store shelves, |
| 1:11.7 | dominate the dairy section, and even show up on menus at many restaurants. |
| 1:17.0 | But is this rather odd way of eating really healthy? |
| 1:21.0 | Can you really fuel your life and you're running only on plants. |
| 1:25.0 | The evidence and the anecdotes overwhelmingly say yes. |
| 1:32.0 | Plant-based runners like Scott Jurek, |
| 1:34.0 | Michael Wardian, Ellie Greenwald, Fianna Oaks, |
| 1:37.2 | Rich Roll, Brendan Brazier, and yours truly, |
| 1:40.4 | have consistently topped podiums and broken records running entirely on plants. |
| 1:45.6 | But will it work for you? |
| 1:47.6 | On today's Run to the Top Podcast, I'm going to go over the benefits that a plant-based diet provides runners. |
... |
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