How to Nail Your Marathon or Ultramarathon Taper

Written by Doug Hay

Just over a week ago, I ran the Hellbender 100 mile ultramarathon.

Now, I could talk for hours about the race experience, but today, I want to focus on the days leading up to the race.

The two weeks when everything begins to shift from build-up to wind-down.

It’s called tapering. And if you’ve followed any sort of training plan for a longer distance race, chances are you know exactly what I’m talking about.

Tapering seems like an easy enough concept — reduce your training to rest up for race day.

And at its core, that’s all it is. But like with anything in running, dig a little deeper and you discover there’s a way you can do it that will maximize its effects and leave you better prepared for race day.

Over the past several years of coaching runners to their first marathons and ultramarathons, I’ve noticed people come in with a lot of incorrect expectations about tapering. You know…

Then, I get to eat vegan pizza and drink beer for two weeks straight-type of expectations.

So before I get into what a proper taper should look like, let’s go ahead and get this out of the way…

(more…)

Flexible Plant-Based Dieting: How to Use Macronutrients to Build Muscle and Burn Fat

Written by Giacomo Marchese and Dani Taylor

To most people, weight loss is a mystery. Tens of billions of dollars are spent each year on dieting programs that claim to have found the answer, and yet so few people find success at losing weight and keeping it off. So why should you listen to us? Well, we’re 15-plus-year vegans, champion bodybuilders, and […]

The 6 Blood Tests Every Vegan Should Get (And What You Need to Know About Them)

Written by Matt Tullman

If there’s one thing I’ve learned from my dad’s recent heart issues, it’s this: A blood test is a vital first step in engaging actively in preserving your health. It can show you areas to improve, or reaffirm that your active, nutrition-conscious lifestyle is working for you. Regardless of what it says, it will give […]

How to Get Started with Strength Training

Written by Doug Hay

If you’re anything like me, strength training feels super intimidating. For starters, you have to know what exercises to do that enhance your other activities (like running, cycling, etc.). Then there’s the question of how to do these exercises correctly to avoid causing an injury. Plus, for me anyway, there’s the fear of looking silly at the […]

The Simplest Healthy Meal You Should Add to Your Diet Today

Written by Doug Hay

Want to know how Matt and I really eat? For the most part, it comes down to a simple formula. The grain, green, and bean. But what that looks like in practice may surprise you. In today’s episode, we go in-depth into why a grain, green, and bean makes for a simple and healthy meal, […]

Marco Borges and the 22 Laws for a Healthy Body and Mind

Written by Doug Hay

Marco Borges has worked as a health coach to celebrities like Jay-Z, Beyoncé, Jennifer Lopez, and Shakira, and today, to you. He sits down with us to talk about his nutrition philosophy, intermittent fasting, and why we should be practising Kaizen when it comes to our health (and life). Listen to the episode below, and […]

10 Surprising “Grain, Green, and Bean” Recipes You Can Make Tonight

Written by Matt Frazier

Fifty words. That’s how many Dr. Seuss used to write Green Eggs and Ham, which went on to sell 8 million copies (and counting). Hard to imagine a better sale-to-word ratio than that. The interesting part of the story, though, is that he wrote it on a challenge. A challenge to write a book using […]

Your Marathon Questions, Answered

Written by Doug Hay

A few days ago we asked readers of the blog to submit their marathon-related questions. The responses came pouring in, and ranged from injury prevention and timing to what foods to eat and how to stay motivated. In today’s episode, Matt and I tackle many of your questions in hopes that it will serve as […]

The No Meat Athlete Guide to Buying Your Perfect Running Shoe (and the Only Question that Really Matters)

Written by Doug Hay

There’s nothing like a new pair of running kicks. They look crisp, smell fresh, and — if you’re anything like me — instantly add a little extra pep to your stride. I’ll even go as far as to say that it’s a sure bet that my first run in a new pair of shoes will […]

Ocean Robbins on Superfoods, Sustainability, and the 31-Day Food Revolution

Written by Matt Frazier

I owe a lot of my health — and now my parents’ — to Ocean and John Robbins. Ten years ago, I decided to try a plant-based diet. I was inspired, believe it or not, by a Tony Robbins seminar, and it turns out that Tony’s nutrition philosophy was heavily influenced in the mid-1980’s by John […]