Today’s runner is one I’ve been following for some time. He’s been both an inspiration to me, and everyone in the #VegRunChat Community. Enjoy his story, and remember to show him some love in the comments below.
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| James Thorne |
“I’m originally from the UK but now reside in Chicago. I started running
about 3 years ago to help shed a few pounds and have been running ever
since.”
Thanks for stopping by James. Tell us a little more about how you got started with running.
When my wife and I found out we were expecting our first child, I
decided to give up smoking and try to lose a few pounds. The running
really took off once my daughter was born, she would fall asleep very
easily in her jogging stroller, so we put in a lot of miles in her first
year. Pushing a 30lb stroller is great strength training!
Are you Vegan or Vegetarian? For how long? Why did you decide to give plant-based a try?
I became a Vegan about 2 and a half years ago. I skipped the Vegetarian
bit and went straight into Veganism. I watched the documentary Forks
over Knives and decided there and then to become a Vegan. The health
benefits of a plant based diet are overwhelming, less injures, more
energy, quicker recovery times.
What keeps you motivated?
My curiosity to see just how far I can push myself physically and mentally
Do you have a favorite race length?
Marathon
If you could run with anyone (living/dead), who would it be?
Steve Prefontaine, his passion and enthusiasm for running and life were infectious.
What is your all-time favorite race? Why?
The Chicago Marathon, it was my first marathon.
It’s a distance in which you experience so many different emotions,
nervousness, excitement, doubt, pain and joy, over and over again. And
to experience all that in my new adopted home town was very special.
Do you have a favorite pre-race food?
Bananas and peanut butter, oh and coffee of course.
Post-race food?
Oat meal with more bananas and peanut butter.
What piece of running gear could you not possibly live without?
Some form of GPS running application on my iPhone. I like to track my distance and pace and how many miles I cover over the years.
Do you have any current goals? Races?
I am planning to make the step up from the marathon distance to ultras.
Starting in April with a 50k (32 miles), and then a 50 miler in
November. And if all goes well, a 100 miler sometime in 2015.
What advice would you give to someone who’s new to running?
Amazing things happen when you run. It will take time, you may have bad
days, you might hurt, you might doubt yourself, but if you put in the
time and effort and keep persisting, the pay off’s will last a life
time.
Very well put! Thanks for stopping by James, and for sharing your passion for running with us. It’s been a great pleasure getting to know you on a more personal level. I look forward to following your journey into ultra-marathon greatness!
If you would like to find out more about James, or just tell him, “Hey, I saw your story on Forks to Feet,” you can find him on Twitter @TheEnglishVegan. Oh, and don’t forget to leave him a comment below!
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Nice story. I'm a similar runner, ran my first marathon in January, and I'm running a 50k ultra in May.
I also have a goal of a (or some) 50 milers in 2015 and hopefully one 100-miler.
Thanks for sharing!