History

A Name and A Few Ideas

Bradley hands out information about OrganicAthlete at the 2004 Sea Otter Classic.

One day in late 2001 OrganicAthlete founder Bradley Saul was riding his bike through the pecan orchards south of Tucson, AZ, when a cropduster flew overhead. As the cloud of pesticides wafted over the road and onto him, Bradley thought, "there's something wrong with this." Already an organic consumer, Bradley soon started a newsletter for friends and family called OrganicAthlete that followed Bradley's passion for health, activism and sports.

The following year, Bradley became vegan after reading John Robbins' The Food Revolution. After experiencing the health benefits of a whole food, plant-based diet firsthand, Bradley was surprised to find that there weren't more athletes or athletic organizations advocating a vegan lifestyle. There are lists of famous vegetarian and vegan athletes, but there was no organization that united those athletes nor was there much in the way of education about vegan diets for athletes.

Much of the information about vegetarian and vegan diets for athletes is based on fear. "Where are do you get your protein?" By cutting animal products out of your diet, the thinking goes, you are diminishing your nutrition. This was the opposite of Bradley's experience and the findings of many reknowed doctors, nutritionists, and health professionals. Bradley thought, "Shouldn't there be an organization that teaches athletes of all ages and abilities about the benefits of a plant-based diet, unites them as a community, and inspires them with athletic example?"

The Organization

By 2003, Bradley had found many athletes, doctors, nutritionists, and supporters, and in the fall of that year, OrganicAthlete officially incorporated at a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization in California. Bradley likes to say that OrganicAthlete really started when his Mom gave him $300 to buy a new computer. From that humble beginning and a vision for how to train for a better world, the organization has grown from a small group of athletes to over 600 members today. Each year, the organization's educational resources have grown.

Mission, Vision, and Values

Our Mission and Vision
Founded in 2003, OrganicAthlete is 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that unites people in a global effort to create a better world through sport. Through individual initiative and teamwork we can achieve the extraordinary and inspire the pursuit of personal and planetary health. Our mission is to promote health and ecological stewardship among athletes of all ages and abilities by sharing information, building community and inspiring through athletic example.

Value Statement
The core values that guide OrganicAthlete combine the founding precepts of organic agriculture with an Olympic spirit. The organic movement was founded to preserve ecological integrity, establish equitable food systems, and grow wholesome, nutritious food. The fundamental aims of the Olympic spirit are to find the joy in effort, the educational value of a good example, and respect for universal ethical principles.

The members of OrganicAthlete strive through word and deed to be living examples of the organic and Olympic ideals through:

• Compassion: We exercise with hearts of compassion with a deep reverence for all life.
• Truth: We endure through doubts and fears, aiming always for truth and integrity.
• Cooperation: We work cooperatively, giving selflessly to what needs be done;
• Leadership: We lead by honest example guided by social and ecological responsibility.

Our Programs

Education and Outreach Programs
A primary intent of OrganicAthlete's mission is to educate people about organic, plant-based nutrition and environmental stewardship. Here's some of the ways we do that:

• Guide to Sports Nutrition
• The OrganicAthlete Magazine
• Health and Nutrition Articles
• Speaking Engagements
• Podcast
• Video
• OrganicAthlete Conference

Membership Programs
OrganicAthlete has chapters around the world with a mission to promote healthy living, ecological responsibility, and compassion for all life. As a member of OrganicAthlete you can meet, train, and compete with athletes committed to creating a better world through sport.

• Find a chapter
• Start a chapter

Athletic Development Programs
As living examples of the optimal power of the human body, unlimited mind and free spirit, athletes can be leaders in improving personal and planetary health and fitness. We support healthy role models through our "Pro-Activist Team" of professional vegan athletes and our sports teams.

• Pro-activists
• Sports Teams

OrganicAthlete RSS Feeds

Our Events

Tour d'Organics
The Tour d'Organics is OrganicAthlete's flagship fundraising event. A series of bicycle tours that feature local, organic farms, the Tour d'Organics integrates into one event the benefits of exercise with a healthy diet based on organic foods straight from the farm. This event started in 2005 in Sebastopol, CA and has included Austin, TX, Portland, OR, and Santa Cruz, CA.

For more information about the Tour d'Organics, click here.

OrganicAthlete Conference
In 2005 & 2006, OrganicAthlete organized a conference that brought together elite vegan athletes and reknowned doctors and nutritionists. The content of these conferences is available for the most part on archive.org. While we don't have plans presently to organize another conference, we do organize speaking engagements for our athletes. If you're interested in bringing an OrganicAthlete speaker to your group, please contact us.

Outreach and Chapter Events
OrganicAthlete regularly attends sporting events and vegetarian chapters to table with our education and outreach information. Furthermore, our chapters organize local events for members to meet, train, and compete together. For a complete list of these events, click here.

Save a Turkey Trot 5k

CLICK HERE FOR 2008 RESULTS.
CLICK HERE FOR PHOTOS. 

 

Save a Turkey 5K Run/Walk

Sebastopol, CA

Thanksgiving Day

 

Thanks to everyone who participated in the inaugural Save a Turkey Trot! Link to Results is posted at the top of this page.

Sponsored by:

Every Thanksgiving across the United States, the local Turkey Trot race is an annual running tradition. Like these venerable races, we want to get people out and exercising and giving thanks for life. Giving thanks for life, we believe, is also having compassion for all living beings. So we say, "Save a Turkey!" Get out and run and walk with us this Thanksgiving Day as we spread the message of hope and compassion.

Save a Turkey Trot Details

Date: Thursday, November 27th 2008
Course: 5K course through neighborhood streets and West County trail
Start time: 9:30am
Location: Analy High School Track

 

Schedule

8:00am Registration Opens
9:30 5K runners start; walkers start immediately after
10:30 awards presentation at Analy Track

 

Volunteer

We need course marshals and registration volunteers for the day of the event. If you're interested in helping out, please email bradley@organicathlete.org.

To Register

$25 for preregistration ($35 on day of event); $15 for 18 and under (no late fee); Kids 12 and under race or walk for free (T-shirt not included)! Preregistered entrants are guaranteed a 100% organic race t-shirt. Online registration closes on Tuesday, 11/25 at midnight. Register by mail: Send check or money order to OrganicAthlete, PO Box 33, Graton, CA 95444. Click here to register online.

Contact Us!

Email bradley@organicathlete.org with questions or call 707-823-8802.

Map to Race

View Larger Map

Course Map

This event is sanctioned by:

Who we are

OrganicAthlete is run on the international level by a core group of staff and a dedicated board of directors. But most of our most powerful work is done on the local level by devoted volunteers. It is our chapters and members who make this organization possible.

Learn more about our:

• Staff
• Board of Directors

Start a Chapter

Like the organic movement was founded to build local food networks, we want to encourage OrganicAthlete members to organize on a local level. OrganicAthlete's chapters are a way for OrganicAthlete members to connect to local members, have fun and promote OrganicAthlete's mission in their area.

Chapter FAQs:

Is there a chapter in my area?
Check our chapter directory.

What sports or activities do chapters participate in?
That's entirely up to the interests and energy of the chapter members. We encourage chapters to be inclusive of cycling, running, and triathlon and to organize regular social events such as potlucks or restaurant outings. But if you wanted to start an OrganicAthlete chapter with a soccer team, you could!

How do I get started?
There are 3 stages of chapter formation:

Volunteer

Thank you for your interest in volunteering for OrganicAthlete. Our organization depends on its volunteers for fruitful growth.

One of the best ways to get volunteer for OrganicAthlete is to start or get involved with a local OrganicAthlete chapter. For more information about OrganicAthlete chapters, please click here.

Coming soon!
Volunteer profiles.

Join OrganicAthlete

We are a global membership community for athletes committed to creating a better world through sport. Through our international organization and local chapters you can meet, train and/or compete with athletes and fitness enthusiasts who share your values. We're here to help you in improving personal and planetary health and fitness.

Member benefits include:

• Receive a copy of our Guide to Sports Nutrition
• Subscription to our biannual newsletter magazine, The OrganicAthlete
• Monthly e-newsletter with training tips from our pro-activist team, recipes, nutrition advice, and news from OrganicAthlete members
• Access to the membership website
• Discounts on OrganicAthlete events and merchandise
• Discounts from our business partners

Annual membership dues are $35 or $15 for students. Membership dues for our cycling or triathlon teams are $50 or $30 for students.

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