What I Eat In A Day - Vanessa Cullen Ultra Runner

Vanessa is an Australian ultra runner who follows a plant-based diet. She runs long distance races and recently achieved 3rd female overall at the Hume & Hovell 50km ultra trail run. She tells us what she eats to fuel her big training runs and keep her in fighting form for competing over such long distances. 

Weekdays

5:30am – Pre-Workout

2 Medjool dates

Hot drink (1 tsp cocoa, ½ tsp instant coffee, 1 tsp coconut sugar, hot water)

6am – Workout

1-2 hour run (no nutrition or water during) on most days

Pilates, yoga and/or walk on rest days (with no coffee on rest days)

8.30am – Breakfast

A variety of cooked and raw vegetables as a salad when the weather is warm, with a small piece of fruit after if I want something sweet.

When it’s a cold day I’ll have 3 x gluten-free Weetabix with 1 tsp cocoa, 1 tbsp dried fruit and nuts, 2 tsp slippery elm powder and hot water stirred into a porridge consistency.

Mid-morning – Snack

I occasionally snack on carrot, celery, apple or orange and drink green tea if I am hungry.

Afternoon – Lunch

A variety of cooked and raw vegetables, legumes and rice or sweet potato as a curry, ratatouille, or salad. Afterwards I have berries or citrus if I want something sweet.

Afternoon Snack

I occasionally snack on carrot, celery, apple, orange or Weetabix if I am hungry. Sometimes I have the same hot drink as breakfast around 3pm if I am training in the late afternoon or evening.

5pm – Workout

I do a training run if I didn’t do one in the morning, otherwise it's Pilates, yoga, a walk or Barre class most days.

Dinner

My dinner is the same sort of thing as lunch: a rainbow of vegetables, greens, rice and legumes most days. Lots of fresh home-grown or market produce, fresh herbs and spices and quick home-made salsa, sauces, pickles, chutneys and dressings. We don’t use any oils for cooking or dressing in our house and my meals are low fat, high nutrients. I have fruit for dessert.

Sometimes in summer I’ll do a smoothie bowl for dinner instead. It’s like cutting straight to dessert!

Bed by 9pm for at least 7-8 hours sleep!

Weekend

5.30am – Pre-Workout

2 Medjool dates and a couple of teaspoons of seeds or a date and nut bar or bliss ball

Hot drink (1 tsp cocoa, ½ tsp instant coffee, 2 tsp coconut sugar, hot water)

6am – Workout

Up to 7 hours run. My training fuel depends on the weather, but can include Tailwind, Medjool dates, date and nut bars, bliss balls, banana, orange, wholefood gels.

Post-Workout

It depends on the time of day but ranges from a variety of cooked and raw vegetables, legumes and rice as a Buddha Bowl, or gluten-free toast and jam with a weak soy cappuccino or soy banana smoothie and/or Tailwind Recovery Shake, or an Acai bowl.

Afternoon

I snack on fruit. 

Dinner

A variety of cooked and raw vegetables, legumes and rice or gluten-free pasta as a Buddha Bowl, curry or ratatouille. Medjool dates, smoothie bowl or bliss ball for dessert.

Bed by 8pm for at least 8-10 hours sleep!

About the author: Vanessa Cullen is a plant-based ultra runner from Australia and a Sundried ambassador.