Once in awhile, you hear someone speak who is so motivational, so right on, and so EXACTLY in line with what you're going through & what you need to hear that you feel your life take a dramatic turn for the better, just for having heard them speak. Attending Tim VanOrden's talk on Diet and Peak Performance was just such a time for me. If you weren't in Bellingham on Sunday night for Tim's talk, I can sum it up in 2 words: UNBELIEVABLY AMAZING! AWE-INSPIRING! MOTIVATIONAL & INSPIRATIONAL! Ok, that's more than 2 words. But it was SO informative and he blew the lid off what I thought I knew about raw, nutrition, the human body and what to expect when going raw. I REALLY liked Tim's down-to-earth attitude, spontaneity, honesty and forthrightness. He was every bit the amazing speaker, educator and entertainer we've all come to know and love on the Running Raw videos.
We learned about how to take personal responsibility for our lives, our diets and our bodies, what and when to eat to get peak performance in athletics, and how SO many body systems work. And it was explained in such fun, easy-to-understand language that kids as young as 8 were both spellbound and cracking up.
Sponsors gave away 17 prizes from gym memberships to CD's to raw chocolate cakes to far infrared sauna sessions and chiropractic adjustments. Plus everyone enjoyed the raw food I made quite a lot, which is always good. I always love successful catering! We started out by serving everyone a small green smoothie before Tim spoke ~ best to keep people's tummies full so they can pay attention. The smoothie consisted of nectarines, peaches, blueberries, pineapple, kale, water and bananas, and the kids were coming back and asking for 2nds and 3rds. (Some adults were, too.) Then Tim gave his amazing talk, we drew numbers for the prizes, and everyone had appetizers. On the menu was:
- Sun-Dried Tomato Flax Crackers with Sharp Macadamia "Cheese" rosettes on them
- Cacao and Cacao-Orange Truffles
- Sweet & Tangy Broccoli Salad.
Fortunately we had enough food for everyone (I hate to run out), and people signed up to join the new raw support group I'm starting in Bellingham. And afterward, people got a chance to buy Running Raw DVD's and T-shirts from Tim. Also, Kaleah's new CD was available for sale. (She's a raw foodist who sings like an angel.)
Tim stayed late to answer all the questions every single person had, despite the fact that he'd been traveling, going on only a few hours' sleep a night for weeks, AND had just run up the Columbia Tower in Seattle that morning. He placed 4th in that race, by the way, out of over 6,000 people! Not bad for being on tour, under-slept and overworked.
I gotta tell you: when I asked Tim to come to Bellingham last year, I thought it would be a good, educational, fun experience -- which is why I invited him. But I did not expect such a genuine, kind, helpful and humble guy with SO much amazing information. His energy and presentation FAR exceeded my expectations! If you are ever within 500 miles of an event he's speaking at, make the time to go to it. He is beyond worth it!
I got so involved in the "running the event" end of things, by the way, that I freakin' forgot to take pictures! How's that for special? So sorry about that. BUT ... Tim has already agreed to come back and present in Bellingham again soon (which is good, because people are already asking for him again), and I know it'll be great then too.
And I don't know about you, but I'm inspired. I'm inspired to change my diet, change my life and change the planet!
I am SO proud to have sponsored and organized the coming event in Bellingham, WA:
Diet and Peak Performance with Tim VanOrden
March 21, 2010 at 6:30 p.m.
Tim VanOrden of The Running Raw Project will give a 90-minute talk on how eating raw food can help any athlete at any level get better results. The talk will be given at Lairmont Manor in Bellingham, WA. Raw refreshments will be served, there will be a drawing for prizes, and there will be a Q and A period afterward. Running Raw DVD's and t-shirts will be available for sale at the event.
TICKETS ARE $15, AVAILABLE AT Go Raw, Not Crazy
Also available at the door
Kids 16 & under get in free!
Tim's Bio:
The world is taking notice of Tim VanOrden, elite athlete and creator of the Running Raw Project. Tim is a raw vegan athlete who has an international reputation for excelling in some of the world's most grueling sports. He's recently been crowned the New England Master's Mountain Running Champion and his recent performances in Stair Climb Racing (US Bank Tower, Sears Tower, Empire State Building), have been featured in GQ Magazine, the Wall Street Journal, VegNews, and the London Guardian. In January of 2009Tim was featured on the Food Network show "My Life in Food".
Over the past 5 years, Tim has transformed himself from a sedentary couch potato, suffering from severe depression, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and asthma into one of the world's fittest men over forty. He did this by adopting a simple raw vegan diet. Tim is opening the eyes of athletes around the world to the possibility that a simple, raw, plant based diet can provide performance and health beyond that which has been previously experienced.
• The Elements of Peak Performance
• Human Nutritional Needs
• Human Fuel Systems & Strategies
•Carbohydrates, Fats & Proteins Explained
• Dietary Misconceptions
• Toxicity in Common Foods
• The Stress, Recovery Equation
Tim will also answer:
How much of a role does diet play in human performance?
How does one navigate the constant barrage of contradictory dietary information?
How does one make better dietary choices?
Can one eat for health, longevity and improved performance at the same time?
The most difficult aspect of choosing any diet is that of convincing yourself that it is indeed the right choice. Change is stress, even when the change is positive. The vast m
ajority of Americans blindly eat the Standard American Diet without ever questioning its role in one's health. Yet obesity, heart disease, diabetes and cancer are on the rise and considered epidemic. Meanwhile, scientific journals are constantly touting the benefits of whole, raw fruits and vegetables. In this lecture we will lay the groundwork for improved levels of performance and health.
