Author Topic: audaxing vegan  (Read 16696 times)

Re: audaxing vegan
« Reply #50 on: 30 March, 2017, 10:23:04 am »
Interesting thread!

I think if you want to be a vegan audaxer the only thing stopping you is the will to experiment (and carry a few extra bits of food with you.)

As a coeliac I used to 'panic pack' convinced that I would never find anything gluten free to eat in the middle of rural england. The reality is I can now find enough halfway ok food in just about any shop in the country - enough to get me to the next decent meal (95% of the time jacket potato) anyway. All I tend to carry at the start of a leg now are a couple of snack bars, a banana and a gel.

PBP was, however, horrible for me. So I have a ridiculous plan for next time involving parking my car at about 450k and stuffing it with GF food!

I am more confident about LEL on account of being able to stop at cafes between controls to eat, though I would prefer to control as its more social.

What I have become aware of being a Coeliac is that I often put my anxiety into this bucket - hence the overpacking - and its only with a few years experience that I am beginning to let that go.

Practically speaking you should read a lot of labels for all the usual kind of food you find in local shops so that you can go into a shop in the middle of nowhere and find something to eat instantly - saves time and bother. For me it's a banana milk and a bag of jellybabies if things get difficult, I know that will get me 50km further down the road. I would often prefer to have something else, but hey, it doesn't worry me so much anymore.

Otherwise I would say that it's entirely your choice, I don't think you need to do anything particularly special for Audax as a vegan - depleting yourself for a day of anything is not going to do you any harm. Audax is a broad church and there are many kinds of approaches and many types of people and eating. You have to sort it out for yourself, sure, but it's no one else's business what you eat and if you are prepared to do your homework you will be fine!

hellymedic

  • Just do it!
Re: audaxing vegan
« Reply #51 on: 30 March, 2017, 12:48:33 pm »
As I have posted in numerous other food-related threads, I mostly 'read my labels' online.
Means I can choose my purchases without dithering and frustrating others.
I am not vegan/coeliac/lactose intolerant, though friends are.
I am a disabled person with far too much computer time on my hands.

Re: audaxing vegan
« Reply #52 on: 31 March, 2017, 12:01:35 pm »
I guess the problems start to arise on longer rides where the digestive indiosyncracies appear. When I'm feeling a bit dodgy I crave really specific things, most of which are either readily available and not vegan, or vegan but just not found in the provinces.

But then at that point you might have enough luggage space?

Re: audaxing vegan
« Reply #53 on: 01 April, 2017, 08:55:28 pm »
I've always been able to find vegan food on all my audaxes since Jan 2016 in the UK no problems, but I wouldn't be so confident on the continent! Got a holiday in France soon which will be a challenge

hellymedic

  • Just do it!
Re: audaxing vegan
« Reply #54 on: 01 April, 2017, 09:17:03 pm »
Indeed. Some years ago an erstwhile vegan friend reverted as she said the French have no concept  of vegan.
Things may have move onward since 2000 though.

Re: audaxing vegan
« Reply #55 on: 01 April, 2017, 11:30:35 pm »
Lack of easy access food is why going vegan is such a good weight-loss diet (I tried it for lent myself a few years back, didn't have any weight to loose, but still did).  Except for chips!
If I was audaxing vegan I'd carry food, a packet of crisps, coke and dark chocolate isn't food for cycling imo; if that's what I'm reduced to things have gone to pot.
Two more weeks to go!
simplicity, truth, equality, peace

CountrySickness

  • mostly puzzled
Re: audaxing vegan
« Reply #56 on: 02 April, 2017, 08:57:13 pm »
Vegan of nearly 20 years here and contrary to some of the sh't mentioned on this thread no limbs have fallen off and I've also won quite a few club TT trophies.

Rides of 200 and under are easy, good black coffee, Jacob's fig rolls, a nakd bar or 2, nuts and fruit juice are all that's required.

Over 200 and I'll either research http://www.eatoutvegan.wales/ for somewhere to stop or take oat cakes to go with a pot of hummus. Spar shops often sell some great vegan meze dishes in a pot too, but it is nice to sit down and eat in cafe.

In the days when I was part of a "vegan scene" I knew lots of porky vegans, IMO the vegan weight loss thing is mostly bollocks.

CountrySickness

  • mostly puzzled
Re: audaxing vegan
« Reply #57 on: 02 April, 2017, 08:58:01 pm »
PS plenty of fab vegan cake on my summer event (Monmouthshire Meander 100k on 4th June)  :thumbsup:

hellymedic

  • Just do it!
Re: audaxing vegan
« Reply #58 on: 02 April, 2017, 09:11:17 pm »
Vegan of nearly 20 years here and contrary to some of the sh't mentioned on this thread no limbs have fallen off and I've also won quite a few club TT trophies.
In the days when I was part of a "vegan scene" I knew lots of porky vegans, IMO the vegan weight loss thing is mostly bollocks.

Given that sugar, flour, nuts and vegetable oil are all acceptable for vegans, it would not be hard to get fat on these...
I know sensible people don't just eat biscuits and crisps but...

Re: audaxing vegan
« Reply #59 on: 26 September, 2017, 12:00:39 pm »
Really pleased to find this thread. My default setting is definitely nearly vegan, but made a deliberate decision to try 100% recently and it is interesting to see other's experiences audaxing. As a regular carrier of too much food, I am not too worried about my upcoming 200; sos rolls, peanut butter sarnies, biscuits etc will be made!
On the issue of evolution; I feel our lives are very far removed from our 'natural' state and the best we can do is live honestly and thoughtfully within the world as we find it. Spending some time looking at your food sources and nutrition seems a good idea whatever diet you follow and enables us to make informed decisions. For many this involves ethics and compassion towards animals, the planet, other people and (toughest of all?!) ourselves.  ;D ;D

Re: audaxing vegan
« Reply #60 on: 26 September, 2017, 12:06:27 pm »
Not a vegan, but have just read ultrarunning legend Scott Jurek's "Eat and Run" book where he talks about his vegan diet and includes a lot of high calorie vegan recipes for what would be audax-length events.  Worth a read if you haven't already.

Re: audaxing vegan
« Reply #61 on: 26 September, 2017, 01:03:31 pm »
Sarah Hammond, she who has just won the Rack to the Rock for the second year in a row, and was breathing down Mike Hall's neck in the indian pacific race, is vegetarian. When racing Oz, she ends up pretty much living on peanut butter sandwiches and gels.
<i>Marmite slave</i>

whosatthewheel

Re: audaxing vegan
« Reply #62 on: 26 September, 2017, 01:16:42 pm »
Biggest problem for a vegan randonneur is where to source a decent saddle

Re: audaxing vegan
« Reply #63 on: 26 September, 2017, 01:23:07 pm »
I nearly gave up eating saddles for this reason.

Re: audaxing vegan
« Reply #64 on: 26 September, 2017, 01:32:38 pm »
Biggest problem for a vegan randonneur is where to source a decent saddle
Brooks Cambium 
Eddington: 114 Miles

citoyen

  • Occasionally rides a bike
Re: audaxing vegan
« Reply #65 on: 26 September, 2017, 01:34:56 pm »
On my Cambridge Pork Pie event at the weekend, everything at arrivée was intentionally vegetarian, and the (homemade) soup and stew were vegan and gluten-free.

I had one declared vegan on my 200 which prompted me to adapt the recipe for the flapjacks I was providing at the start to use Trex instead of butter. I don't think anyone even noticed - certainly didn't get any complaints, far from it. I had considered doing two batches, one with butter, one with Trex, but then I decided that was too much faff. Nutritionally, there's nothing missing from a vegan flapjack - in fact, because I also added fresh fruit (apples) to the recipe, they were probably more nutritious than most.

I also made some pastries using shop-bought puff pastry, which may or may not be vegan - ingredients list only vegetable fats, but I wouldn't trust them not to contain traces of dairy.

Also made sure I included a proper vegan option in the food at the finish too. I don't think it hurts organisers to cater for the increasing numbers of vegan cyclists, and it's no hardship for non-vegans to go without meat or dairy occasionally, so if I were doing the catering at the finish myself, I would probably make all the food vegan.

What's more, meat and dairy products are expensive, so vegan food is often cheaper, which is an important consideration for audax organisers on a limited budget (my flapjacks were about 40% cheaper than if I'd used butter).
"The future's all yours, you lousy bicycles."

citoyen

  • Occasionally rides a bike
Re: audaxing vegan
« Reply #66 on: 26 September, 2017, 01:36:38 pm »
I nearly gave up eating saddles for this reason.

Only nearly?  :o
"The future's all yours, you lousy bicycles."

Ben T

Re: audaxing vegan
« Reply #67 on: 26 September, 2017, 01:37:19 pm »
Biggest problem for a vegan randonneur is where to source a decent saddle
Easy, just get a second hand one. You haven't contributed to the market and thus haven't increased sales demand which in turn is what causes cows to be farmed. Although there is probably more demand for meat than leather anyway so it's going spare really.
Or get an smp.

Re: audaxing vegan
« Reply #68 on: 26 September, 2017, 01:54:29 pm »
Biggest problem for a vegan randonneur is where to source a decent saddle
Easy, just get a second hand one. You haven't contributed to the market and thus haven't increased sales demand which in turn is what causes cows to be farmed. Although there is probably more demand for meat than leather anyway so it's going spare really.
Or get an smp.
Everyone has their own morals, but I personally wouldn't want a leather saddle on my bike even if it was second-hand.   

As for your comment that leather is "going spare", no it isn't , it's still part of the animal agriculture economy and money is going to the farmers, slaughter houses etc   something that I do not wish to contribute to. 
Eddington: 114 Miles

Re: audaxing vegan
« Reply #69 on: 26 September, 2017, 01:57:06 pm »
Thanks for mentioning SMP though.  They always used to be leather covered, so I've always avoided them.   Just googled after your comment and it looks like they are now synthetic :)
Eddington: 114 Miles

Ben T

Re: audaxing vegan
« Reply #70 on: 26 September, 2017, 03:26:54 pm »
Biggest problem for a vegan randonneur is where to source a decent saddle
Easy, just get a second hand one. You haven't contributed to the market and thus haven't increased sales demand which in turn is what causes cows to be farmed. Although there is probably more demand for meat than leather anyway so it's going spare really.
Or get an smp.
Everyone has their own morals, but I personally wouldn't want a leather saddle on my bike even if it was second-hand.   

As for your comment that leather is "going spare", no it isn't , it's still part of the animal agriculture economy and money is going to the farmers, slaughter houses etc   something that I do not wish to contribute to.

If no one bought leather goods then cow hides would simply get binned.

Re: audaxing vegan
« Reply #71 on: 26 September, 2017, 03:31:49 pm »
Biggest problem for a vegan randonneur is where to source a decent saddle
Easy, just get a second hand one. You haven't contributed to the market and thus haven't increased sales demand which in turn is what causes cows to be farmed. Although there is probably more demand for meat than leather anyway so it's going spare really.
Or get an smp.
Everyone has their own morals, but I personally wouldn't want a leather saddle on my bike even if it was second-hand.   

As for your comment that leather is "going spare", no it isn't , it's still part of the animal agriculture economy and money is going to the farmers, slaughter houses etc   something that I do not wish to contribute to.

If no one bought leather goods then cow hides would simply get binned.
And meat would become more expensive to produce
Eddington: 114 Miles

Re: audaxing vegan
« Reply #72 on: 26 September, 2017, 03:55:49 pm »
Or if we were all vegan we would just use the hide and throw away the meat/bone.

Re: audaxing vegan
« Reply #73 on: 26 September, 2017, 04:13:51 pm »
When my stable of bike saddles wear out (or get made into a stew by Peter!) I will think about what to replace them with. Each issue is complicated and definitely an individual decision.


menthel

  • Jim is my real, actual name
Re: audaxing vegan
« Reply #74 on: 26 September, 2017, 04:43:32 pm »
I nearly gave up eating saddles for this reason.

Only nearly?  :o

I usually end up gnawing on my handlebars when the road heads upwards. Easier to get to.