Harvey Lewis is a celebrated ultramarathon runner from the United States, renowned not only for his extraordinary athletic accomplishments but also for his commitment to a vegan lifestyle. Having been vegetarian for 25 years, Harvey transitioned to veganism in 2016, citing both health and ethical reasons. He believes that his plant-based diet plays a crucial role in enhancing his endurance and speeding up recovery, fueling his success as an elite endurance athlete.
Harvey has competed in many high-profile races, including the Badwater Ultramarathon, Arrowhead Region Ultra, and the grueling Marathon des Sables. He has also embraced more niche, ultra-endurance challenges like the Ultra Gobi, a 400 km (250 miles) self-navigated and self-supported race across the Gobi Desert in China, where participants endure both freezing temperatures and sweltering heat of up to 38°C/100°F.
One of Harvey’s defining legacies is his performance in the Long Haul 100 Mile trail race in Land-o-Lakes, Florida. He claimed victory twice, winning the 2022 edition with a time of 16:07:24 and the 2020 race in 15:55:19. He also placed second in 2021 with a remarkable time of 14:49:07.
In October 2023, Harvey shattered the Backyard Ultra record by completing an astonishing 108 laps, covering 450 miles (724 km) over the course of five days. This achievement further cemented his status as one of the most determined and resilient athletes in the world of ultrarunning.
Once a month I make a chickpea pasta dish with Rao’s marinara sauce (not a sponsor). It’s nutritious, fast and easy. Great for some sizeable training miles the next day or a race that may take you 4 1/2 days. Generally, I like to eat a lot but this recipe will feed my wife and I, with leftovers for lunch the next day.