Hi Sandy

Guess it's time I put together my full story on the site...that will take more time than I have right now.
So the short answer to your questions:
I did athletics for about 4 years from age 11-14. Struggled with running.
I would stop half-way through a 3km school cross-country with a stitch and walk, jog to the finish redfaced.
I first did the City to Surf in Sydney in 1985 in 87 minutes and could barely walk for 3-4 days afterwards.
I've always had a tall, slim build. My weight has only ever changed when I went vegan (lost about 4 kg from 78kg to 74kg) and then again when I went raw (lost another 4kg from 74kg to 70kg). I'm about 6'5". I haven't weighed myself for months but I'd still be low 70's.
From the start of 1998, I was vego (not high raw) for 18 months constantly eliminating things for all the usual reasons (even better health, ethics, environment).
By mid 1999, I was vegan. Stayed cooked vegan for 7 years.
Started swimming training around this time which I hadn't done for about 10 years (and only did it for a couple of months then). I got used to getting up early for swimming training (but was a struggle).
I got into surf life saving and a few marathons during my time as a cooked vegan.
As a cooked vegan, I didn't really feel like I had more energy but I must have as I found myself getting more active and taking on many new things, such as canyoning and rock climbing.
Aug 2005 I did an 8 week period of 100% raw vegan. I only knew a couple of vegans and knew nobody who had tried a raw diet. I felt awesome during this time and people were amazed at how my trim stomach got even trimmer. I got home and decided raw was for me...but I'd finish off all my bags of flour, rice, etc and just not replace them. In hindsight I wish I'd stayed 100% but perhaps I went through a necessary process. I kept a high raw diet this entire time, but yoyo'd struggled with walking past indian restaurants and giving up bread. I used to drink tahini from the jar.
By July 2006, I was finally ready and knew so much more about why I wanted to be raw, from reading and from experience and I  knew a few others dabbling in raw. I met Harley at a potluck after 3 weeks back on 100% raw and he was just who I needed to talk to at that time to solidify that I was doing exactly what I wanted to do and sealed the door shut on cooked food forever. I'm just not interested anymore. I've been 100% raw for over 6 months now and haven't struggled at all with cooked food. I eat a basic undressed salad if I end up at an indian restaurant with family or friends. I just make sure that every knows I am completely satisfied with that so they don't fuss.
My endurance, flexibility and alertness increased noticeably changing from high raw vegan to 100% raw vegan. It is the only diet change I've made that had profound results. The vego->cooked vegan transitions were improvements but 100% raw veganism is profound in so many ways!
I have never had so much energy. I have never run so much. I have never felt so good, all the time. I did a few 100km bush runs as a cooked vegan and took time to recover. On raw, I don't get sore legs 1-2 days after a race. I just have to make sure I don't get injured doing silly things while your muscles are still in a fatigued state. They say it takes 6-8 weeks to be fully recovered from marathons/ultras, so an active recovery within your limits is sensible during this period.
I'm pretty convinced with my few weeks on organic food that eliminating all the chemicals helps stabilise your eating, eliminating (or at least minimising) all those head games involved in eating for the wrong reasons (e.g. because you're tired, overeating, eating for stimulation, social situations, etc). I'm totally at peace with my belief systems and have the utmost confidence I'm on the best path (for me), and with that everything just gets easier.

wow,  that is an amazing story.  boy, i bet anyone of us who meets harley would be drawn into the raw foods lifestyle b/c he's such a stellar example of a raw foodist.  that's so great that you are totally dedicated to raw and can pass by cooked foods without a thought.  i know i need to be an example and share raw with my 4 kids and create stuff that my husband would enjoy too.

thanks for sharing!

FANTASTIC GRANT!!! how awesome is your story...i enjoyed the read,thank you!

hey guys...i am having the best day ever...went for a great run this morning.55 mins...and joy!! no stacks on the concrete,lol...so i did my 10% increase for the week..

my beautiful Hannah is visiting,so we went off to Adelaide,got our hair washed and dried,lovely! and then went shopping,you know retail therapy,got some cute stuff...then we bought some luscious peaches and nectarines and devoured them sitting in the mall,in the sunshine,feeding the pigeons and sparrows fruit,they loved it...and getting the oddest looks from passer bys,as we dripped fruit juice all over the place and giggled..

then we walked to the bliss organic cafe,and joined my darling husband and some dear friends for lunch for my bday..Hannah and i ate banana and date icecream,and banana and apricot icecream,wow what a treat...all raw of course*grin*...it felt mighty decadent...ohh and we had handfuls of fresh sprouts to,delicious...even the non raw foodies enjoyed some icecream,and eating all vegan for a change,ohh and they didnt even serve liquour,oops didnt even realise,so it was a very "Janita" raw food lunch,hee hee...

now Hannah and i are chilling and reading through the forum,and it is a fun and fabulous day to be alive...

Have attached some pics of my bday lunch today...ohh and another reason it is the best day ever,Hannah is making us a salad for dinner,woweee...i always make my own food,gosh i feel so lucky...

hello and good morning Grant,aka long haired one,hee hee...

i am red faced i am so sorry i missed your birthday,many happy best day ever returns to you buddy.sounds like you had an awesome day..i most certainly did too,twas wonderful!

I am having the best day ever...had lovely 9 hours sleep,yummy! and rowed for an hour,18kms,burned 1223cals,whoo hoo,wicked..then 15 mins on tramp...now enjoying a bowl of sweet juicy watermelon,and now beautiful sweet and creamy blended rocky!
I love my early morning workouts,that quite still time to myself,its the ultimate way to start the day!
later we are going to visit Cee,am excited to meet her.then we are going to the food and wine festival in Norwood,any other raw foodies heading that way..yup i choose not to drink...but it will be a fun filled day,Hannah and i will be heading for the nearest fruit stand.lol!and it is a beautiful sunny day of 30degrees,just fab  for doing lots of walking..and having lots of laughs,ohh isnt life wonderful?

have the best day ever guys...mwah!

You haven't missed my birthday because it's today (Monday) given midnight has gone by.
Happy Birthday to me! Happy Birthday to me! :-)

I had the best day ever yesterday.
Had a lovely sleep, a few quick posts on RP and it was off to newlearaw's to prepare some food for the Sydney potluck.
I used all organics. Organics is what I choose to feed myself now, so it is also what I choose to feed my friends!
About 20 bananas chopped into a bowl, scattered with shredded coconut and topped heavily with a sauce of 16 medjool dates, 5 bananas, a dozen raw cacao beans and some water for the right consistency. Yum!!!
One person at the potluck said he had 9 helpings of it :-) A simple dish which was a winner! Achieved my goal.
Lea and I kept each other from hitting the overt fats, combo-abombos, etc too hard, but we had a try of everything. Delicious. Several new faces. Held in beautiful Centennial Park on a car free day. We were treated with some lovely rain and some late sunshine. There was running, a little climbing and as always, amazing people and refreshing, inspiring conversations. Oh, and Kerry gave me the 5 Tibetan Rites book as a birthday present. Too cool!
Before parting ways the stayers sang happy birthday to me. Very special :-)
I love my life!
Dropped Lea back home and went to Coogee Beach where I did a solid run (400m), swim (1km), run (400m) and didn't suffer as I didn't overeat (much ;-)

Jen, If your son has enough confidence to grow his hair long, I'd almost guarantee that confidence will lead him to a positive place. I find that kids that choose to grow their hair long at that age are freer spirits than most.

Neet, Brilliant to hear your training is going so well and is so much fun! I'd love to get back into some rowing.

Thanks for the birthday wishes! For my birthday today, I'm going to have the best day ever!

HAPPPPPPPPPPIEST BIRTHDAY BEST DAY EVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVERRRRRR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


 

Sound like you had an awesome rawsome day of eating buddy,that sounds amazing that banana date concotion.wow 9 helping,that certainly was a winner alright...when you come over this way to visit us,you are more than welcome to whip that one up Grant..

yeh rowing rocks for sure...

having an awesome day today.
ran over 9kms this morning,so sooo pleased with myself,yay! then powerwalked 17mins...
enjoyed some watermelon now time for blended rockmelon...Hannah and i are goingto the botanical gardens today,very excited another awesome day...we will buy some fruit probably from wilsons organics,cos organically grown is closed today,then we will walk around to the gardens,meet up with emma (snowwhite) and have a little raw party going on!

ohh hoping the sunshine comes out soon,its a bit nippy,brrrr!but still the best day ever...

Thanks for the birthday wish Goji Girl.
So awesome to hear you've had the best day ever.
A writer who is creative and earns their meal...too cool!
What do you love to write about?

beckyji, thanks for your charming wishes and choice words.
Funnily enough my day was filled with delightful adventures and delicious surprise!

Neet, Thank you also for the sweet birthday wishes...I feel so special :-)
9km!!! You are a machine! No, scrap that...machines wear out. You're a thriving organism!!!
Hope you got your few rays of sunshine.

I had the best birthday ever today.
I ate watermelon for breakfast, 10 of the best peaches by late lunch.
I got the best birthday card ever from my grandparents. It said "Grandson, You're a unique young man with the energy and imagination to shape the future..." Very nice to hear empowering things like that from family.
I was drowning in too many tasks at work today, and before I knew it the tasks were delegated to other kind people, and all was balanced again in Grantland.
Just finished eating about 15 medjool dates after my special birthday run.
I chose to sleep longer this morning and go to work late, after 2 late nights in a row.
I loosely planned my day this morning: I'd get through my work efficiently, leaving in time to run for 2 to 2.5hrs and then if the time seems right...finally watch "The Secret".
Well I ran the fire trails around Mt Ainslie, through the pine plantation of Majura, weaving around all the mountain bike trails to keep it fun. I'd never been on the northern or eastern side of Mt Ainslie before so it was a delightful adventure. A man cycled past me in a hurry and we recognised each other from morning runs up the mountain. He got a few hundred metres in front of me and stayed there, so I decided to catch him. Took about a km but I overtook him :-) I told him he made me sweat! It was so refreshing, running in the cool evening with a little wind and the threat of rain (which never came). The pine plantation was so barren of life. No birds, nothing! Are these trees just waiting for their day to be chopped down? There was an extremely empty vibe about that place. But still fun to weave around the bike tracks :-) Not really knowing exactly where I was going or which path was the correct one and knowing it would be dark well before I got back. With the cloud cover, I knew there would be no moon or stars to light the way. But I figure you can't get too far lost near Canberra. Two echidnas crossed my path (not at the same time) and I saw about 30 wallabies throughout the adventure. Two of them just stood there as I ran past within a metre of them. Cool! I ended up climbing Mt Majura as I'd never been there before. It has an aircraft radar station on top of the mountain, so don't think I'll be climbing that one again.
I ran for 2 hrs 15 mins. About 45 mins into the run I thought of Harley's tattoo "PMAR" positive mental attitude regardless. I was going to consciously use it to stay positive when I started getting tired or when I struggled up hills. But that never happened! I was in a positive frame of mind for the entire with no conscious effort required to stay positive. I love my life! I thoroughly enjoyed the entire run, including the hills. Finished the last few km like I was running a 1500m track race. I love trail running. I love the freedom of running alone in remote places. I am excitable like a child when I run in the serenity of darkness. Oh...and my left nipple is sore from rubbing on my singlet :-)

Lea, It is now time for me to watch The Secret. Finally the time is right! Then to sleep, pronto! I've earned at least 9 hrs sleep tonight.

Lynita, Thanks for loaning The Secret to me!