No animals were harmed during this 16okm solo Giro win. Photo Graeme Watson
La Vie Velominatus isn’t a part-time gig. La Vie means the life, and The V is my life. Otherwise, I’d be Some V Velominatus, some of the time.
Even when I’m not riding my bike, like the last two weeks (for reasons which don’t really matter, and offering them only renders them excuses), I live La Vie through other avenues. Every day, no matter what I’m putting out, the only thing I’m putting in is V. I’m a Vegan. And like everything else that La Vie encompasses, it takes commitment.
Choosing to not eat meat, dairy or animal products usually elicits reactions ranging from surprise to condemnation. When it comes to riding a bike, being a V-tarian has benefitted me no end. Animal protein and fat doesn’t help one to spin pedals for hours on end. The proof is in the (dairy-free) pudding. This summer just past and the build-up to Keepers Tour was my best patch of form for a long time. Granted, it may not be entirely due to my diet, but it certainly didn’t hurt me. My endurance was excellent, I laid down plenty of V, felt light and strong on the climbs and recovery wasn’t a problem (malted, hopped beverages always work). And the riders on KT will attest to that fact. Never have I thought “if only I ate meat I’d be a better rider.” It works for me.
We all make choices in our life, and how to live it. I’ve made mine, and am sticking to them. And if for some unfathomable reason that offends you, then that’s for you to deal with, not me. I’m living La Vie for me (and the animals).
VLVV
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View Comments
@Marcus
There ya go... people think I moved to NZ for the sheep, but it wasn't to eat them!
That was an amazing ride from Macca... when I first moved here, @minion and I worked with Matt Illingworth, who was also on the Linda McCartney team, as was Wiggins and Yates. He was a Commonwealth Games medallist, UK TT champ and such. Said the vege lifestyle wasn't a problem for the team, but there were other issues. Now he lives in Perth and does Ironman tris, so he's got real issues to deal with.
Dont eat Buffalo, ride Buffalo.
@RedRanger That video is the fuckingly funniest thing I have seen in ages! Foock me. I am still dying over it. Too funny.
Brett: You do not eat meat for the nutritional reasons or for the animal killing reasons?
I have no problems with someone being a vegetarian. I actually wonder if it might not be more healthy. I try to eat as little red meat and pork as possible but love chicken and fish.
But I always love it when someone gives me shit for eating meat and the animal cruelty of it all while they are standing there in their leather Burkenstocks. Talk about the fuckin hypocrisy!
Brett, mate, you're not a vegetarian you're vegan. Use the right V word you mixed up antipodean.
I know this this is a loaded topic much like politics and hopefully this forum doesn't go down the dark path into arguments that can never be resolved online, but I have a lot of respect for anyone who commits to that lifestyle and makes it work for them. I have a lot of friends who follow it and it seems to work well for them.
@mcsqueak Oh come on, now, this is just heating up! Got to cook me a big bloody steak, hell, might as well eat it raw, and chase some leather wearing hypocrites across the yard!
@Buck Rogers
Both health and ethical reasons, but I started (and stopped, and started again) for the latter. The health reasons kicked in the more I learned about eating well. Like everyone, it's hard to eat well when life gets in the way, but being veg usually means I still get better choices when I have to look a bit harder for them.
@mcsqueak
No, not Vegan... I own leather shoes, and totally avoiding products that haven't affected an animal in some way is pretty difficult. And that's the point, it's not about eating meat or not, but being aware of how it got there and hopefully changing the way it gets there. Unfortunately, the best and seemingly only way to do that now is to avoid it altogether. Yes, this is a loaded topic, I'm amazed how worked up some people get about it, I could say I'm a Holocaust denier and get less aggressive reaction!
For the record, giant fucking rare steak for dinner tonight.good for rebuilding the ol moosklees after yesterday's visit from the man with the hammer.
A millennia has gone by with our evolution tuned to killing animals and eating them. In fact, our ability to kill and eat animals and cook the meat contributed to evil evolving our awesome brains. not to mention freeing up our time from having to gather 10,000,000 berries to support a gang instead of killing a stag one afternoon and feeding everyone.
we have canines for a reason; they're not there because they look so hot.
@brett
Ah, my mistake - thought you said in the article that you avoided all animal products. FWIW I guess I'd still consider you a vegan, as all the vegetarians I know use animal products (such as clothing) without issues and many eat fish/eggs/honey still. But I guess that is all silly semantics!
@frank
I hear Scaler is going to feed you all vegan pre-and-post Hour meals. Have fun!
@brett
Fucking pervert. At least you're starting to sound like a proper New Zealander now.