Yep. You can run marathons and ultramarathons without eating meat.
Now, you're probably thinking—Doesn't being vegetarian put you at a disadvantage when you run that far?
The simple answer is no. Plant-based nutrition offers energy and digestive efficiency that meat can't match, and it's for this reason that some of the world's top ultrarunners and Ironman triathletes are vegans.
Can giving up meat really help you run faster?
Just like me, many athletes notice an immediate improvement in their speed and endurance when they go vegetarian. For me, it was the final push I needed to qualify for the Boston Marathon, when I took over 10 minutes off my personal-best marathon time with a 3:09:59, six months after going vegetarian.
And it's not just marathons. Eating such a clean diet has allowed me to venture into the sport of ultrarunning—50K, 50 miles, and beyond, something I previously considered impossible.
What can plant power do for your running?
Join the thousands of other runners who subscribe to No Meat Athlete and are discovering just what limiting meat in their diets can do for their running and health.
It's free, and each time I post a new recipe or advice on how to train and fuel your runs, you'll get it automatically delivered. In the case that you subscribe by email, rest assured that we will never share your email address with anyone.
About Matt Frazier
Matt at the finish of the 2010 North Face Endurance Challenge 50-Miler
When he's not running, cooking, or blogging, Matt's a full-time graduate student working on his Ph.D. in Applied Math. He also enjoys reading, gambling, music, and brewing beer. Matt lives in Maryland with his wife and son, and his two beautiful dogs, both adopted from the SPCA, are a constant source of inspiration to help spread the joys of eating less meat.
Feel free to contact Matt or email him at matt@nomeatathlete.com.
No Meat Athlete currently has over 2,400 subscribers and is viewed by over 65,000 unique visitors each month. In addition to guest-posting for the popular Zen Habits (one of Time Magazine's Top 25 Blogs of 2010), Matt has been interviewed on several websites and on radio:
- The Extreme Self — The Meat-Free, Manly Marathoner: Q&A with Matt Frazier
- Step 1 Runner — Interview with a Runner: Matt Frazier of No Meat Athlete
- Melinda Hinson Neely — Marathons without the Meat: An Interview with Matt Frazier
- WOCM's Rude Awakening Morning Show
- Running Somewhere — Running Mates: Matt Frazier, No Meat Athlete
Don't forget to subscribe to No Meat Athlete!
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25 Tips for Vegetarian Newbies | Be More with LessJune 16, 2010 | 8:00 am
[...] muscle – There are vegan body builders and ultra runners (check out Matt's story at No Meat Athlete) . Even gorillas are [...]
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The Best Health & Food Articles From Last Week | Land AnimalOctober 21, 2010 | 9:22 am
[...] Meat Athlete: The Great 'Moderation' Hoax – The ever astute Matt Frazier has produced what is probably one of the best pieces I have read in a long time. More people need [...]
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Exploits of a Vegan Wannabe » Blog Archive » 4/14 No Meat AthleteApril 14, 2011 | 5:03 am
[...] of the many examples of veggie athletes that I have found is the No Meat Athlete blog of Matt Frazier. Matt is an ultra marathoner, veg loving guy spreading the word that a plant [...]
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My Goal: To Wear a No Meat Athlete T-ShirtApril 26, 2011 | 11:36 am
[...] (Source) [...]
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Peas Heart: No Meat Athlete's Marathon Roadmap. | Peas in a Blog | Peas in a BlogJuly 10, 2011 | 7:14 am
[...] No Meat Athlete's Marathon Roadmap. I've been reading Matt's blog for a while; it's an incredible resource for vegan/vegetarian runners. Matt's a vegan [...]
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Dabbling in vegetarianismSeptember 3, 2011 | 5:41 am
[...] lots of Peas and Thank You and No Meat Athlete got the ball rolling on this kick, I'd say. I love the recipes on their blogs and I'm [...]
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GUEST BLOG – Ultimate Energy Bar Formula – The No Meat Athlete | VEGGIE GRETTIESeptember 8, 2011 | 8:32 am
[...] have been following Matt Frazier's blog, the No Meat Athlete for some time now. Matt is a running fanatic who is fueled exclusively [...]
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- On Refusing to Settle and the Incredible Power of Denial
- The Great Veggie Burger Taste Test
- 5 Keys to the Pre-Workout Meal Everyone Should Know
- How I Qualified for the Boston Marathon
- 10 Vegetarian Lunches You Can Make at Work
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