[Banshee Rider]

So I'm spending this semester writing a paper for a course that is loosely structured around food. I decided to choose the topic of whether or not it's feasible to be a vegetarian and remain competitive in high level athletics.

I generally suck at science, but since I'm roped into this course as a requirement, I figured I might as well make it interesting. This could probably be a x-post from the food forum, but I figured it's get more hits here, and some of you under 3' of snow like me might enjoy discussing it.

I'm not looking for help on my paper, but I'm curious about top athletes, cyclists specifically since we're on here, and whether any of them are vegetarian or vegan? Is it truely even possible? We're not talking your local cat 3 event, but athletes who earn a living by winning events. Discuss.

 

[Bicyclist]

Molly Cameron is: http://mollycameron.com/

I am really interested in this topic. I think being an elite athlete would be possible on a vegetarian diet, but it would be really tough; I am curious to hear your findings.

EDIT: more examples here http://nutritionnibbles.blogspot.com/2008/08/vegan-elite-athlete-is-it-possible.html

 

[-dustin]

Isn't Heather Irminger (or however it's spelled)? JHK's wifey.

 

[dsotm]

Maarten Tjallingii (Rabobank) supposedly is. I'll try looking for others....

 

[Heisenberg]

Dave Zabriskie is recently vegan.

It's possible, IMO. Just really expensive and a huge pain in the ass. Could you race pro? Sure. Are you going to win? Ehhh...

 

[Mike B.]

Mary McConneloug was vegetarian but gradually moved away from it. Her performance improved when reincorporating meat to her diet as I recall. Mary and Mike Broderick have a crazy travel schedule on a small budget and I know it was difficult for them to stick to the vegetarian diet and be at the top of their game.

 

[Banshee Rider]

Could you race pro? Sure. Are you going to win? Ehhh...

That's sort of the direction I want to explore with this topic. Not cycling specifically (I try pretty hard to keep bikes seperate from my everyday life, especially academic papers), but in other sports like swimming, running, etc. I'm curious to find out what the dividing line is between eating meat and winning, and being vegetarian and just not being able to find that extra edge, assuming that is the case.

 

[Heisenberg]

That's sort of the direction I want to explore with this topic. Not cycling specifically (I try pretty hard to keep bikes seperate from my everyday life, especially academic papers), but in other sports like swimming, running, etc. I'm curious to find out what the dividing line is between eating meat and winning, and being vegetarian and just not being able to find that extra edge, assuming that is the case.

That's the thing with the bleeding edge of the pro ranks - you need every ounce of performance you can squeeze out of your physique (see: doping) if you want to win. Going veg will hinder you, period.

 

[skunkty14]

Mo Bruno & Adam Myerson from the 'cross world are both veg, possibly vegan too?

 

[TreeSaw]

Alison Dunlop is a vegetarian and was even vegan for quite a time while professionally racing.

Marla Streb was on again, off again vegetarian too while racing.

 

[ire]

Molly Cameron is vegan. So much so that neither of her shops sell leather products. To be vegetarian and an athlete typically requires supplements to make up for the lack of meat.

 

[KavuRider]

In Dirt Rag a while back, they had an article on a guy "Vegan Rob", I forget his full name. He was a solo 24 hour privateer racer (mtbing of course) and he was full on vegan.
Had some great results too. Not sure if he's still going.

AH, found him: Robert lichtenwalner
I have the article at home somewhere...

 

[SuspectDevice]

Being an elite athlete and a Vegan is totally do-able if you live in a hippie town and can carry food and a kitchen with you when you're on the road.

With a little bit easier preparation on the athletes end being a vegetarian on the road is much easier.

The aforementioned Myerson wins a bunch of pretty damn hard pro crits every year and at the age of 38 had the best CX season of his career.
He's a big thick sprinter and even went vegan again this summer.

It's easier to eat meat on the road, but with dedication it really doesn't matter.

If you didn't pick it up already being Vegan or Vegetarian is an inconvenience, not a performance decrement.

 

[oldfart]

Pretty sure Robert Miller is at least vegetarian and was when he raced pro.