Vegan Trail Runner

It seems a lot of ultra runners are vegans, and I am not sure why that is. There have been vegan options at the post race feast (or famine, as in the case of the Grand Ridge 50K) at every trail race I've participated in.

When I talk to people who are considering a vegan diet, their primary concern is how they will get their protein. There are many great plant-based protein sources; you just have to be a little more creative. It's pretty easy to ensure your post long-run meal has enough protein when you eat a chicken breast or a salmon fillet, but you can do just as well with some tasty vegan combinations. Your recovery meals after long runs and races are especially important, but it's equally important to make sure you get enough protein on a meal-to-meal basis so that you are satiated and don't eat too much.

Anyone can look up vegan protein sources, so rather than barrage you with a list, I'll tell you some of my favorites. One of the best breakfasts any morning or on a Saturday after my long run is a smoothie. I prefer fruits in my smoothies and some protein powder. My go-to smoothie is Vega chocolate protein powder with water, a ripe banana, and frozen strawberries. Blueberries are a good stand in as well. My favorite, though it's a treat, is to use two bananas, no strawberries, and a healthy dollop of almond butter or peanut butter.

I hear of a lot of people who put kale or another green in their smoothies to make them healthier. I don't for two reasons. One is that they ruin a perfectly good smoothie. The second reason is that I took a raw foods class and learned that it's best not to mix most vegetables and fruits because of how they are digested. If you eat veggies before fruits or with fruits, the veggies get digested first and take a long time, while the fruit sits in your stomach and ferments. That sounds terrible. Whether or not it's true, I didn't need much swaying to keep the kale out of my smoothie.

As for lunches, I usually eat leftovers, so that leads me right to my favorite vegan dinners. The night before a long run, I prefer to have spaghetti. I know it's cliche, but I really like it and it works well for me. Pre vegan, I would use ground buffalo, but now I use Nathan's Italian Meatballs. I've grown tired off them, though they are good, so I am trying out Amy's tomorrow. I should just make my own, but I haven't found a recipe I like yet.

I also really love using pinto beans (I actually grew them in my garden and dried them myself so they don't take as long to soak before cooking). I cook them in the crockpot while I'm at work. They are great mashed in a quesadilla, or whole in soft tacos or a burrito bowl. Some chopped greens or purple cabbage, diced red onion, diced tomato, and avocado make great toppings such that you'll never miss meat or dairy. It makes for a fresh meal with lots of different colors, a pleasure for the eye and the body.

I also love to make a quick tofu banh mi sandwich. I use hoisin sauce on the tofu, pickled carrots and red onions, cucumbers, and cilantro on a baguette. With a super greens salad with sunflower seeds, I get the essential combination of greens, seeds, and tofu. Pretty complete and very tasty! Tempeh is another good thing to use in a sandwich. I'll brown some and then season it with a little maple syrup, some tamari, and some liquid smoke and then make a Reuben (yeah for sauerkraut) or an avocado-tempeh bacon-lettuce-and-tomato sandwich.

My Saturday dinner is usually a homemade whole wheat pizza with Miyoko's cashew-based mozzarella and lots of vegetables. A special treat dinner is a Beyond Burger. They're the best! It just so happens that buffalo burgers were my favorite post 50K dinner. I just loved them. The Beyond Burger would never fool a meat connoisseur, but if you didn't tell someone it wasn't meat, I don't think they'd notice. One day, I'll try the Impossible Burger, which is only served in restaurants. I found it on a menu in Vashon Island, but I haven't had one yet.

Ramping up my mileage this past fall and going into training this spring will be my first time doing so with vegan fuel during runs. I absolutely prefer Accel Gels and Second Surge made by Pacific Health Labs. I like them because they actually taste really good, and they have protein, but they contain milk.

In looking for a new gel, I've tried a couple of different ones over the last few months. Huma, which is made from chia seed, comes in many different fruit flavors. I don't really like them. They taste fine, but they are a bit strong and sweet, and it's like I am eating jam. It kind of gives me a little heart burn, which is not something I normally have.

For now, I've settled on Clif Gels. They taste good, but they don't have any protein. I have been having some issues when I use their mocha flavor with 100 mg of caffeine. I am disturbingly lightheaded in the afternoon after using them on my long run (I only use them for 16 miles or more about half way through the run). I didn't have this problem with Second Surge, which has 200 mg of caffeine. I am not sure if it's the caffeine or the lack protein in the gels or a combination.

This weekend, I may use Hammer Perpetuem. It's designed for more of an all-day effort, but perhaps it will help me more, as I believe it has protein. I also love Nathan's Maple Almond Butter packets. I use those on 20-mile and over runs.

This a new challenge for me, so as I discover new things that work, I'll post an update.