Author: briggsy1981

Are supplements vital with a plant-based diet?

briggsy1981

Where to get your vitamins without eating animal products

Vitamins and a glass of water in female hands on a pink background. Place for text. Grapefruit, apple and green leaf on the background. Healthy lifestyle concept. Top view

When I first stopped eating animal products (around six years’ ago now), there was a lot of concern from well-meaning relatives, as well as people who had no clue about me, as to whether I’d be getting enough “goodness” from my diet.

Surely, without eating dairy, my bones would break more frequently. Without getting B12 and D from meat, I’d be losing out on vital cognitive and physical strength and agility. I’d go pale, stop working, probably die.

Well then imagine my horror then when I did break my toe. Not once, not twice, but thrice (do we even still use that word?) I mean, sure the back to back ultras may have had some bearing on it – even the fact that I’d switch to barefoot running – but undoubtably the main factor was that I was eating plants. Surely.

So on break number three I bowed down to pressure and had a little word with the consultant. “Why do my bones keep breaking? Is it because I’m a vegan?” He ordered a blood test, shrugged a bit, and said he’d let me know.

Well folks, my vitamin levels were exemplary – tip top D, B12, iron, calcium. Nothing to worry about, the breaks were just one of those things that comes with overuse. Nothing more.

When one of my meat-eating relatives then got diagnosed with low folic acid and B12, I was mildly smug. But it got me thinking about where we need to get these vits from, especially that elusive B12.

It’s true to say that vegans do need to be mindful that they’re being healthy and not processed-food-happy – it’s really easy to reach for the meat alternatives and sweet chemical laden overly processed food. But if you eat a balanced diet, you’ll get all the nutrition you need, if you know what to eat.

I’m not going to lie – I take supplements, three to be exact: I take a brand called Floradix, which comes in liquid and tablet form and kind of covers most bases; I take a calcium with K2 (not the mountain) tablet, and I take D3. So far, they’ve stood me in good stead and I’ve not broken bones for some time!

I’m no doctor, but here are some things I’ve learnt along the way about important vits, what they do and where you’ll find them. Below are a list of common ones that people seem to think vegans don’t get much of!

CALCIUM

This is the bones booster. Dairy eaters will get calcium through milk and cheese, and even eggs, but it’s found in green leafy veg, soya, and in fortified foods too – think bread and plant-based milk. Calcium is best absorbed when it’s taken with vitamin C, so rather than chug it back with your morning coffee which actually inhibits its absorption, take it with a glass of orange juice for a bigger punch.

Interestingly I was advised to take calcium with K2 because there is a small risk when you take calcium that it can build up and leave calcium deposits in arteries and blood vessels.

VITAMIN K2

This was a fairly new one to me. When I started taking calcium I was told K2 has an essential role in building and maintaining strong bones, but also stopping unwanted build up of excess calcium where you don’t want it. It comes in different forms such as MK4 or MK7 and I take it as a combined calcium/Vitamin K2 tablet.

VITAMIN A

Also known as retinol – think of all those skin care products with it in – vitamin A is found in foods with good levels of Beta Carotene. It’s great for fighting off infections and boosting the immune system, keeping your eye health tip-top, and also for healthy skin. You’ll find it widely in yellow, red and green leafy vegetables. The likes of carrots, red peppers and sweet potatoes, and also in fruits like mangoes, papayas, and apricots.

OMEGA 3

Omega 3 is a type of unsaturated fat which is great for heart health and prevents against strokes and heart disease. I used to get told repeatedly I should take fish oil when I was younger, because that seemingly was the only place I’d ever get Omega 3 from. It’s not true though, you can get Omega 3 from nuts and seeds, vegetable oil, and from green leafy veg. Again, the message is to eat a balanced diet, and you’ll be sure to get your fix.

ZINC

Zinc is a overall health champion, it reduces inflammation, helps to heal wounds, and boosts the immune system. Found in beans, tofu, walnuts, chickpeas, wholemeal bread and even that Waitrose-shopper’s favourite, quinoa, there’s plenty of it out there and if you’re eating properly you should get it in your diet no worries.

PROTEIN

My favourite – “how on earth do you get enough protein if you don’t eat meat?” Well, I just eat.

Tofu, tempeh, peanuts (good job I love peanut butter), edamame, potatoes, beans, the list goes on. Oh, and micro-protein which increasingly is used in the likes of meat substitutes and is essentially a fungus-based protein – think mushroom not mould!

Protein is essential for repairing muscles and when you are an endurance athlete it’s all the more important for repair and recovery. If you’re beasting yourself time and time again running or doing strength work in the gym, then it’s a good idea to throw a protein shake in with your daily intake to boost this important nutrient.

VITAMIN D

Mood boosting and essential for wellbeing, I’m pretty sure we all notice how our minds can slump during the winter months when the sun isn’t providing us with our daily dose of vitamin D. It’s important for retaining calcium and for guarding against inflammation. For a vegan, here’s one of those that it’s worth taking a supplement for. Mostly in the summer months we’ll get all the D we get from the sunlight on our skin and a sensible diet, but certainly in the winter it’s harder to come by.

It’s worth noting that some foods are also fortified with vitamin D, so can be available in some spreads.

B12

A lack of B12 or folate deficiency can lead to anaemia, general weakness and lethargy. The trouble with B12 is it’s one of those pesky vitamins that’s pretty hard to come by. B12 used to be more readily available when we didn’t religiously wash the soil off all our fruit and vegetables, as it’s found in traces in soil microbes. As a vegan, it’s worth taking a B12 supplement, and the NHS actually recommends it, because it’s much trickier to find it in your food.

IRON

Used for growth, and making haemoglobin, the protein in red blood cells that carries the oxygen around, an iron deficiency can come about if you’re not getting enough in your diet, or if you lose a lot of blood during your period. In order to stay in top working order and not feel fatigued and weak, you can find all the iron you need in your diet from the likes of nuts, kidney beans, dried fruits and fortified breakfast cereals.

To surmise, you can get pretty much all the nutrients you need from a well-balanced vegan diet – you can even run silly distances, as proved in an earlier post on Vegan Ultra Running. I’d seriously think about a D and B12 supplement, but this is all personal choice. And of course, ALWAYS seek the advice of a healthcare professional if you are thinking of changing your diet or worried about any health issues.

Tips from the top: Dragon’s Back Race hacks from former finishers

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I’ve got into the groove this week with a more positive mindset and efforts to do some meaningful training. I’m telling myself over again that this is my race, and my race only. Mild panic set in previously from reading other comments from incredible fell runners who make mountain running look easy, and I wondered if I was in way over my head even attempting the Montane Dragon’s Back Race this year.

Dragon's Back Race webinar with Shane Ohly, Kirsten Isak and Ben Morris

I’ve sat down with a Mountain Leader/navigation guru, and we’ve made plans for a Brecon Beacons recce. I’ve got two weekends in the diary for recce events with Raw Adventures that cover sections of the Dragon’s Back. I’ve starting hill training, strength training, and understanding that I need to run most days again.

One positive move I made was sitting in on a webinar with Shane Ohly (race director), and former participants Kirsten Isak, and Ben Morris. Since watching, I’m breathing a few sighs of relief.

I had this overriding concern that in order to complete DBR I’d need to be a navigation ninja. I’m now reassured that it’s not necessarily the case. A GPX file is given to participants, and there is an event map; but I don’t rest on my laurels – my Brecons training will hopefully hone my skills with a compass and a map, because let’s face it, I don’t want to be reliant on a breadcrumb trail when I’m facing the elements and the Welsh mountains.

Dutch former-DBR participant Kirsten agrees that running with a map and compass is a great idea. Picking a line saves you time and effort.

The second piece of information to really put my mind at ease a little is learning that the marketing images of DBR (the ones where runners are picking along a stretch of spine-like mountain with a seemingly deathly drop) along the technical bit known as Crib Goch, is actually only 300 metres long. Race Director Shane reassured that tens of thousands of tourists go there, you can’t get lost along that bit, and most people don’t die!

Dragon's Back Race route

The really exciting piece of news for me is the details on the food. Breakfast and dinner is provided! Cooked as well – unless you’re after the likes of muesli and cereal. For the record, I’m all about the food. My philosophy is eat like you don’t know where your next meal is coming from!

My sticking point currently is which footwear I need. My diehard barefoot friends say that my Vibram Fivefingers should be allowed, and would recommend I stick with those, however Eleanor Clarinbold of Dragon’s Back Race recommends something more robust, given the extreme terrain. I’m going to have to do lots of testing and getting out there to find out what I feel most confident in. Both Ben Morris and Kirsten Footwear say footwear is massively important – the biggest thing to get right. They suggest three or four pairs – a camp pair to use for running on road, that’s comfy and roomy, and something tight and grippy for rocky days. A trail shoe, for obvious reasons. But I want to throw barefoot in there too, for times when the terrain isn’t so brutal. After all, it’s what my feet know.

It’s great to hear from a former female participant. Kirsten herself even says it’s a shame more women don’t enter. Part of the reason I’m documenting my journey – to encourage more women to take the plunge and take on the Dragon.

Extra handy Dragon hacks from Shane, Ben and Kirsten:

  • Give some serious consideration to your sleeping mat (don’t save weight on this!) Get a good one.
  • Test your kit rigorously beforehand.
  • Pack two head torches – one for camp that you don’t have to worry about packing for the run
  • Less kit in camp is better.
  • Sort your food rations and label them for each day.
  • Keep it simple. Don’t give yourself to worry about.
  • Pack the night before so you’re not rushing in the morning.

You can watch the Dragon’s Back webinar with Shane, Kirsten, and Ben, here

Coping with time out from training

briggsy1981
A rest isn’t always such a bad thing

Forced to stop running? Struggling with injury, illness, or just a lack of time? Here’s how to cope

(This article is an updated version of one I wrote for Trail Running Magazine back in lockdown)

Illness is abound. Every person I know either has, or has had, the lurgy – this hideous flu, Covid, or they’re just feeling plain run down. January has a strange effect on us, too. A lack of motivation, the post-Christmas blues, the sense that any get up and go has got up and gone.

I’ve been here myself, I had two stints of strict ‘rest’ enforced on me after I broke my foot, twice.

Even weeks before Coronavirus was even in the public consciousness, a stress fracture had put paid to my scheduled races that year, and suddenly the goals that I’d slogged over for the previous year were pulled like a rug from beneath me.

Just a few short weeks later and I was sharing life in isolation with the rest of the world.

Time to Grieve

Chartered Sports Psychologist and author of Performing Under Pressure, Dr. Josephine Perry, was training for Paris Marathon before Covid hit.  She says it’s ok to be demoralised if you’re out of action through illness or injury – for a bit.

“We need to acknowledge that we’ve missed out on stuff, the plans we’ve made have changed, and it’s absolutely ok to be really upset. It’s ok to throw your toys out of the pram and sulk about it for a day or two, but then get into proactive mode, and start making a plan.”

Training for the likes of the Bob Graham Round, and Spine race, Dr. Perry’s athletes had no idea how long it would be before they’d pick up training again – and it’s just as hard for recreational trail runners as it is for the elites when they’re grounded. 

She says: “What tends to help most runners is having some kind of plan; it’s about setting goals but also being realistic about what’s possible.

“Don’t do anything that’s going to reduce your immunity – we don’t want people doing hours and hours on turbo trainers or going out for really long runs. For someone who is running an ultra every weekend, a two-hour run is very easy for them; it won’t stress their physiology too much. For someone who does Parkrun, an hour run is going to be pushing them a lot more than they’re used to, so it’s about really keeping within yourself.”

Try something that challenges you in other ways, and builds strength where you’re lacking

Getting the Buzz Back

Maintenance – not improvement – is what you can concentrate on when you’re out of the training game.

Focusing on what we’re not so good at, rather than mourning what we can’t achieve can actually give us a real sense of achievement.

“Think about the beginning of your season and work out where you fell down most in terms of weaknesses,” says Dr. Perry.

 “Take the next eight weeks, or longer, turning that into a strength.

“When you’re working on something that you have low confidence in, or you’re not very good at, you can improve quite quickly, and when we find ourselves improving our brain releases a chemical called dopamine which is our reward chemical – it gives us a little bit of a buzz every time we improve, so when we’re trapped inside and we can’t do what we normally do it’s a really nice way to make ourselves feel good.”

Eat well

Nutrition plays a huge part in feeling good and staying healthy.

Ben Adkin, personal trainer and vegan nutrition coach at Planted Strength and Fitness, has a few simple steps to maintain condition.

“Stay hydrated,” he says. “Try to drink around 1L of water for every 25kg of body weight. Make sure you eat enough protein – around 1.8 to 2.2 grams per kg of body weight, and if you can, download a calorie tracking app to workout your total daily energy expenditure.
“Limit processed or junk foods to a minimum  and really strive to get as large a variety of fruits and veggies in your day to day nutrition as possible.
“ Prep your food. Know what you’ve got in the house and start the day with a game plan.
“These nutrition strategies should keep you as sharp as possible while you’re getting back on track.”

Growing Resilience

There’s nothing we can do about getting ill or injured, but we have to make the best of it. Dr. Perry says: “We have to be resilient because we’ve no choice. Resilience is a really interesting concept. It’s not necessarily something we think we’ve developed, in the midst of it. It’s only on reflection when we look back, that we’re able to see how we grew.

“There’s a whole area of research in psychology around growth through trauma. Some elements of trauma can stretch us, we can grow through them, we can see how strong we actually are.”

Light at the End of the Tunnel

My broken feet mended, in fact, I got stronger overall. I can’t say I won’t break again, but I’ve learnt techniques to get through if I have to take time out.

“People shouldn’t feel like they’re failing,” says Dr. Perry. “It’s important that we’re kind to ourselves. We don’t want anyone to feel like they’ve failed. If they’re deconditioned and they haven’t used the time productively, it’s not the end of the world, but if you have some time on your hands, then why not use it well?”

SURVIVAL HACKS

Julia Pizzichemi owner of Anatomy Matters, has help hundreds of athletes become champions, working on physical and mental resilience.

Here are her hacks for out-of-action trail runners :

Visualisation: Focus on where you feel you need to improve and hone those skills so weaknesses can become strengths.

Build a training plan: Whether your priorities are rehab, prehab, recovery, conditioning, or functional training, a plan is key so you can maximise the time you have and get specific.

Focus on Recovery: Fundamental to keeping your body in better physical condition, having a break from intensive training is good. Excessive training causes physical stress and can be detrimental to performance.

Injury Rehab: If you have an injury, take time to work on stability and strength of joints such as ankles, knees and hips and lower back, then build in endurance.

Stretch: Use stretching to reduce the build-up of tension and adhesions, and allow for an improved range of motion.

Self-improvement: No matter the challenge, if you look hard enough there is always a benefit. Athletes are naturally competitive and have a strong desire to win whether achieving a gold medal or improving on their personal best. It has to start with the mindset.

Dragon’s Back Race

briggsy1981

The One Where I’m Given a Place and I’m Still in Shock

There are a few films which document a certain race – The Dragon’s Back. It spans from Conwy to Cardiff in Wales, and it takes in all the spiky, spiny, mountainy bits. It’s 236 miles, and if you like nicely rounded numbers, 380km; oh and it ascends 17,400metres.

The aim is for participants to run it in six days, and about two year’s ago I watched a film about it, saw its brutality, and turned to my husband vowing I’d never even consider doing a run like that – it looked to be certain death.

Fast forward to right now, and I find myself in a strange predicament where I’m preparing to run this beast, and I’m feeling nervous mostly, but also strangely excited about doing something that’s so extraordinarily far out of my comfort zone.

How on earth did this happen, you may ask. Well, I chanced my arm and wrote to my editor at Women’s Running Magazine if I could ask for a press pass to run the Ourea Events race, the Cape Wrath Ultra. She’s lovely, so she said to go for it, but what happened was that the media passes had already gone for that particular run. Instead, they asked, would I be interested in running Dragon’s Back Race?

Where I realise I better start running a lot more

I said yes. I flipping said yes. It just happened. I couldn’t stop myself, I turned the negatives around and figured it would be an immensely fun challenge, one that wouldn’t be without a hell of a lot of ups and downs (yeah, bad pun I know).

They say do one thing every day that scares you, so I suppose this ticks the boxes for six days in September.

I’ve got to do some serious prep now. I need to get acquainted far more with mountains. I need to up my navigation game and I have to find myself some shoes that will keep me upright – not allowed to run the Dragon’s Back barefoot!

I need all the help I can get here. I’ve booked onto two recce events on the mountains with RAW Adventures and I’ve tapped up a local Mountain Leader for some navigation training.

Next thing to do is run. A lot. A hell of a lot.

Watch out peeps – Dragon in Training!

More mountains please!

Vegan ultra running

briggsy1981

Running 300 miles fuelled by plants

I used to get told fairly frequently that I wouldn’t have the energy to sustain a long run if I just ate a vegan diet. That was when the notion of running a really, really long way for charity was just the seed of an idea.

The likes of Eddie Izzard had run multiple marathons to raise money, and countless celebrities had scaled mountains and traversed anaconda-infested waters for worthy causes, so why on earth couldn’t I do something equally as ridiculous?

In July I became the first person to run The Macmillan Way – which runs from Boston in Lincolnshire, to Abbotsbury in Dorset. The route itself is just shy of 300 miles, but I sure as hell ran at least that. And guess what? I’m a vegan, and I did it without any injuries. A couple of blisters were the most I had to complain about – and a lack of sleep, and of course a lack of anyone to talk to for miles, and miles, and miles.

So how does anyone run that far on a diet that consists of plants? Pretty well, it turns out. Look at the likes of Fiona Oakes and Scott Jurek (all hail and praise be – these are two of some the most phenomenal vegan ultra-runners), and it’s enough to realise that meat and animal produce does not equate to energy or strength.

Mindset was the biggest hurdle for me. Running that far on my own, for the first time in my life, and over terrain that I hadn’t recce’d before, meant that my brain gave me more agro than my body.

I had to force myself out of bed – for all but one night that was in a VW camper van called Arthur II. The one night Arthur didn’t provide my shelter was only because we parked up in the space outside a mate’s workshop, so I had a mattress on the floor. I was up at 4am, and out the door within an hour. And I had to force down food. Pasta with tomato sauce, new potatoes covered in salt and olive oil, luke-warm cauliflower bites, chips, bananas, bananas, bananas, oh, and nectarines. My crew, consisting of my husband, more often than not wouldn’t have time to boil the kettle in time for my next check point and I craved a cup of tea, ALL THE TIME. So instead, it was cans of coke and cold stuff and vegan Magnums.

I was running in the height of the summer. The heatwave had been turning the grass to tinder just the week before, but it hung in the air, so it was like running under a pinned-down duvet. I felt like a boil in the bag meal, slowly cooking in my skin. The nectarines were my little taste of heaven when I needed hydration but couldn’t take on any more drink.

The overdosing on fruit then had its own repercussions. Needing to hide behind every available bush each time I took on any food or drink became a hideous necessity, and it was incredibly wearying. It sapped me of even more energy, but I had enough in the bank.

The hills of the Cotswolds and Somerset, and the latter hills through the Dorset countryside and right up to the finish line had it in for me. I’d trained for the distance, but not for the elevation, and on day two I wondered what the bejeezus I’d let myself in for.

I was doing this for a reason. I was running for Macmillan Cancer Support – check out the Just Giving lowdown on that, and so I knew I wasn’t going to give up.

I ran it in six days, 13 hours, nine minutes and 42 seconds. Go on, check it out on http://www.fastestknowntime.com – it’s there, in black and white!

So, in a nutshell (nuts were consumed wildly, too), I did it on sheer grit and determination, a very sensible eating plan, which consisted of all the food – rice, pasta, Active Root sports drink, a bit of luck, and a lot of support!

Following that run, I am here to share the great news that as a vegan you are not at a disadvantage physically (in case anyone was still under that impression), and to talk about all things vegan, fitness and running. HURRAH.