
James Herrera is the founder and CEO of Performance Driven, an elite coaching program for athletes and executives based in Colorado Springs. He has served as the Director of Coaching/Premier Coach for Carmichael Training Systems and a coach/consultant with the U.S. BMX program and the Center for Creative Leadership. Herrera competes in road and mountain cycling and trail running, holds a black belt in several martial arts, and is an avid snowboarder.
I was lucky enough to get coached by Herrera and can say first-hand that he has a way of understanding his athletes; what will make them faster, and how to get them stronger. I caught up with him after he rode the Leadville 100 and ran the Leadville Marathon to talk about being a vegan (he offered up some recipes!), training and his own background.
You’re a vegan, right? How do you fuel your training?
A good friend of mine says “vegetarian” is an old Indian word that translates to “bad hunter.” I get a lot of shit from my friends for my vegan diet. But what can I say? It just works for me. Bottom line is, we could all do better to make a shift towards a more plant-based eating strategy. All the peer-reviewed research out there says it’s the best way to prevent all the major diseases, so why wouldn’t it be a great way to fuel athletic performance? The bulk of my diet is built on vegetables, fruit, legumes, nuts, seeds, and whole grains. I can pretty much eat as much as I want and still maintain a healthy weight. Since I started eating this way, I’ve never felt better, stronger, or had more energy throughout the day. Here are some of my recipes:
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