Grant Campbell Runs Far with a Raw Vegan Diet

[Guest guest]

Grant is a kindhearted Australian guy I met in Costa Rica at Doug Graham's

fasting retreat. He was an intern while I fasted, and then he fasted in the

second session.

 

 

 

Mark

 

 

 

 

 

http://www.organicathlete.org/article/grant-campbell-goes-far-raw-vegan-diet

 

 

 

 

Grant <http://feeds.feedburner.com/%7Er/athletes/%7E6/2> Campbell Runs Far

with a Raw Vegan Diet

 

 

<http://feeds.feedburner.com/%7Er/athletes/%7E6/2> Submitted by

BradleySaul <http://www.organicathlete.org/user/bradleysaul> on February 6,

2009 - 13:06.

 

 

 

Grant Campbell is an ultramarathon runner and raw vegan athlete. In this

interview, we discover how going raw has changed his athletic life.

 

How long have you been running?

 

I competed in 1500m race walking when I was a teenager at which time running

2 miles would have me red faced, with hunched over posture and a stitch in

my side. I'm now 35 and started running regularly about 12 years ago. The

distances increased steadily over the years until I found myself running

ultras.

 

You ran in the Great North Walk in Australia last year. That's over 100

miles. Is that your first ultramarathon event?

 

I've competed in 14 ultramarathons in Australia in the last 4 years. The

Great North Walk 100s

<http://www.terrigaltrotters.com.au/GNW100s%20Home%20Page.htm> is my

favourite race. I've raced in it every year since its inauguration in 2005

and look forward to it every November. It has cumulative altitude gain and

loss of over 3.5 miles (6000m), has only 6 checkpoints to get support over

the 108.5 miles and includes everything from rain forest to dry valleys.

 

What inspired you to get started running ultramarathons?

 

- I found it liberating to allow myself the freedom to explore remote

trails, alone, unsupported, through the night.

- With every ultramarathon I complete, I gain invaluable experience and

insights into understanding myself and my body.

- I consider long distance running a form of meditation.

- I love the sense of adventure of exploring while immersed in the beauty of

nature.

- I find it motivating and inspiring to read the experiences of other

ultramarathon runners and I aspire to motivate and inspire others.

 

You completed the run as a raw vegan, right?

 

Absolutely. I couldn't imagine racing any other way. I'm motivated to eat

and live in a way which nourishes and nurtures my body, so in every moment,

I'm being the best I can. Living any other way, I'd be selling myself short

and feel like I was living someone else's life. During the run, I consumed

whole mango, banana, dates, celery and water and had tomatoes and lettuce

for dinner.

 

How did you get started on the raw vegan path?

 

Having been a cooked vegan for 7 years for both ethical and health benefits,

I came across Doug Graham's <http://www.foodnsport.com> audio series called

" The Perfect Health Program " which gave me enough information to be

motivated, inspired and empowered to " Go Raw " without personally knowing any

raw vegans. Within the first few weeks I noticed I was always hydrated for

the first time in my life. My endurance, flexibility, speed, mental clarity

and alertness all improved noticeably during that brief time without

training harder. Going low fat, raw vegan eating whole, fresh fruits and

vegetables was the only dietary change I made which brought me overtly

profound benefits. Even my behaviour changed to be more accepting of others

and I began seeking closer connections will people and with all of nature.

Over time I surrounded myself with a support network of like minded people

and participated in supportive forums like Raw Pleasure

<http://www.rawpleasure.com.au> and 30 Bananas A Day

<http://www.30bananasaday.com> and listened to podcasts like Raw Vegan

Radio.

 

What stumbling blocks have you discovered along the way?

 

Like most people who go raw vegan, the unexpected personal growth which

comes from more vibrant living took me by surprise. I thought I was only

changing my diet like when I went vegan, but the benefits of being 100% raw

vegan are so much deeper than I imagined.

 

Over time I was benefited from gaining knowledge and experience of:

- the value of good food combining for optimal digestion and nourishment.

Although very tasty at the time, I didn't feel good or perform well after

eating high fat, salted, oil rich, refined and processed raw foods.

- the damage caused to our bodies from consuming condiments, stimulants,

irritants, and fractioned, processed and refined foods.

- the addictive qualities of the opioids in grains. It took 3 months before

I broke the addiction and finally stopped thinking of bread and Indian

takeaway as food.

 

After 2 years, I came across the principles of natural hygiene and:

- learned the body is self-healing given the right conditions;

- discovered there are no contraindications to healthful living; and

- gained clarity as to why the " germ theory " is still only a theory.

 

How are you involved now in promoting a raw vegan way of life?

 

- I'm studying Doug Graham's " 80/10/10 Certified Lifestyle Coach " program to

give me a foundation of knowledge to pursue a career in health and natural

hygiene.

- I offer email support on being successful following a low fat, raw vegan

diet predominated by whole, fresh, ripe, raw, organic fruits and vegetables.

(rawaussieathlete)

- I run raw vegan <http://www.rawreference.com> retreats in Australia.

- I'm involved in the raw vegan communities in Sydney, attending potlucks

and giving talks.

- I strive to be the shining example of the qualities I love to see in

others.

- Having completed a 29 day water-only fast with Doug last year, I'm

currently assisting at his fasting retreat in Costa Rica.

 

What advice or inspiration would you share with someone interested in

exploring a raw vegan, athletic lifestyle?

 

- Find enough self love to nurture and nourish yourself always, to support

the constant physical, emotional and spiritual growth you deserve. You're

worth it!

- Raw veganism and regular physical activity are two of the greatest gifts

you can give yourself.

- Four years ago, I struggled to complete and recover from my first few

ultramarathons because I was on a cooked vegan diet with very little fresh

raw food and also went into my races underslept. As a result of embracing a

100% raw vegan lifestyle over 3 years ago, combined with getting enough

sleep, I've taken over 5 hours off my time for the first 60 miles of the

Great North Walk 100s race. Only on a raw vegan diet can I recover so

quickly, being able to enjoy activities like jogging or cycling the next day

after a big race.

- Sufficient recovery for athletes is all too commonly compromised through

insufficient sleep and poor dietary choices.

- To perform well we must keep ourselves hydrated, nourished, nurtured and

well trained at all times. I live in a way so as to always feel " race

ready " .

 

What competitions do you have planned for the future?

 

In 3 weeks I'm entered in a race in Costa Rica up Chirripo, the second

highest peak in Central America at 3,820m. The 32km race goes from 1400m

altitude up to 3300m and back down! I'll be doing the " Six Foot Track "

marathon in March and various fat ass ultramarathon events throughout the

year. In November 2009 I'll compete in the Great North Walk 100s for the 5th

consecutive year. I'd love to complete Coast to Kosciuszko

<http://www.c2k.ultraoz.com/> in December 2009 () which is a 246km run from

sea level to the highest point in Australia, Mount Kosciuszko, 2229m above

sea level. I have a long term goal to run a 100 mile race when I turn 100.

 

---------------------------

 

http://www.gaiastable.com/news/2007/06/running-ultra-m.html

 

 

Running Ultra-Marathons as a Raw Vegan by Grant Campbell

 

 

Grant <http://www.gaiastable.com/photos/uncategorized/2008/04/09/grant.jpg>

I'm one of those crazy folk who race alone through remote bushland for up to

24 hours on foot covering distances of 100km or more. And I do it fueled by

100% raw vegan food. No cooking, no heavy processing, no additives...I eat

my food 100% raw as provided by nature...no animal cruelty required. Where

did my running start out? In high school I'd be hunched over with a stitch

halfway through a 3km cross-country run. In my mid-20s, I went vegetarian

and gave up dairy products which got rid of my morning congestion. Over the

next 18 months I found myself eliminating consumption of every animal

product from my life, one at a time until I found myself vegan. I didn't

even know what a vegan was and it was to be another 5 years before I met

one. My changes were motivated by the feeling of self-empowerment through

consciously choosing healthier and more ethical options to fuel my body and

feed my consumerism. I vividly remember the incredible feeling of freedom

that came with the realisation that I was no longer dependent on the abuse

of animals to meet my daily needs. I spent the next 6 years as a cooked

vegan learning about human health and nutrition. During this time I found

myself taking on more and more activities including swimming, running, rock

climbing, canyoning and surf lifesaving. A cooked vegan diet clearly

provided me with more energy than the " meat & 2 veg " I was raised on, but

raw food took it to another level. It takes a lot less energy to digest raw

plant foods, leaving more energy available to be active. " You are what you

eat " certainly rings true. Eat living foods and you feel more alive. During

my studies of raw eating I often came across radical claims by the raw gurus

and through experience I found they were generally true. Eating like we

would have done in nature makes a lot of sense. No other animal cooks their

food or drinks milk from another species and only domestic animals eating

our heavily processed and cooked products die from the diseases we suffer

from. I've been eating raw vegan for 2 years now. My diet is low fat, high

leafy greens and high fruit (80-10-10 for those who know of Dr Douglas

Graham). I don't eat any grains as they push your body into a more acidic

state and grains contain opiates which are addictive. Try giving up bread,

rice and pasta and you'll see what I mean. I'm always varying what I eat,

love eating seasonally and enjoy making a meal out of a single food. Since

transitioning to raw foods and getting enough sleep, I've noticed many

changes in my body including increased hydration, alertness, mental clarity,

endurance, flexibility, tolerance to the sun (no sunscreen for me) and

faster recovery. I don't get regular colds any more and no longer get deep

muscular soreness a few days after long races. I don't believe we can

over-sleep. I don't wake to an alarm. If we ever feel tired, we need more

sleep. When I get enough sleep, I have my maximum energy available. The

night after a big race is typically a 12 hour sleep. In the week leading up

to a race I aim for at least 10 hours sleep per night. In the days leading

up to a race, instead of carb-loading, I nutrient-load. I get as much leafy

greens and fruit into me as my stomach (acid) allows. I use a blender to

turn most of this into " green " smoothies (e.g. banana, celery and water)

which are simple to digest and ensure I'm fully hydrated. I blend whole

foods rather than juicing, as the soluble fibres (guar and pectin) slow the

absorption of sugars. When we are active we deplete our body's stores of

water, sugar and salt. If we don't replace them in the ratio in which we use

them, we suffer heavy legs, dehydration, cramps, etc. I often blend dates,

celery and water as a natural electrolyte drink. The dates give me the

simple sugars my body needs, and celery is naturally high in sodium and

perfect for replacing the lost salt. Yesterday's nutrition also goes a long

way. Whenever you're not fully hydrated or don't have the right balance of

mineral salts (K, Na) your body can't efficiently get nutrients in and out

of its cells, preventing you from being your best. I avoid too much fat

(nuts, seeds, avocado) as the fat stays in your blood stream for a long time

and interferes with the process of insulin releasing blood sugar to your

cells. I make sure I get sunlight every day, as it reacts with the oils on

our skin (if we haven't destroyed it with soap or detergent) to produce

vitamin D which is necessary to effectively get the required oxygen into

every cell of our body. This year I've bought mostly organic produce and the

difference is astounding. I certainly feel I get more satiation and

nutrition for my dollar than on conventional produce. My reasons for being a

repeat offender in ultra-distance trail running are: the great sense of

freedom (heightened by society's obsession with safety), the instinct to

explore (it excites me to run alone through places I've never been) and

bringing my focus to the present moment (a peaceful mental state). In a

typical week I run 30-40km which is pretty low in ultra-marathon circles.

Keeping a healthy, injury-free body long-term is what I value. I've

completed 12 ultra-marathons in the last 2 years and carry my fitness from

race to race, taking it easy during the recovery period. My short term

training goals include applying the Chi-Running technique, cycling, strength

work and barefoot training. My long term goal is to complete a 100 mile race

when I'm 100! Keep it real. Keep it raw. Raw to the core! All feedback

welcome at: rawaussieathlete

http://www.myspace.com/RawAussieAthlete http://rawreference.com

 

 

 

Grant is running a Raw Health & Fitness Retreat in April - please see more

details in the Raw News section of this website!

 

June 21, 2007