How a Hong Kong raw vegan marathon runner prepares for a race, and why she began winning after giving up meat, eggs and dairy
Iris Mak, who eats a 90 per cent raw, 10 per cent cooked vegan diet, won a silver award at the Hong Kong 100km this year for finishing under 20 hours. Here she shares why she transitioned to her new diet and how she fuels up for a race
In a city where vegan runners are rare, the raw vegan kind are even rarer. “I think I’m the first one in Hong Kong,” says Iris Mak, a 41-year-old former media sales professional who left her job to complete a degree in child and adolescence nutrition degree at HKU Space.
Like many Hongkongers, Mak had always had a penchant for fish dishes and local meat-based snacks, but eschewed red meat as it gave her digestive troubles.
Watch: Iris Mak demonstrates how to make vegan ice cream
In 2012, after running the Standard Chartered Hong Kong Marathon for the first time, she joined the local Universe Running Club. She trained to run marathons with vegetarian coach Thomas Lam, who also connected her to the trail running community.
The same year she ran the 42km Shanghai Marathon. Still an omnivore at the time, she clocked in at three hours 53 minutes.
Various experiences over the following few years – including working at a detox company, volunteering at a raw vegan kitchen, and meeting raw vegan chefs and experts – saw Mak become more interested in raw plant-based diets. But it wasn’t until early 2014, when she became a chef at Greenwoods Raw Cafe in Tsim Sha Tsui – run by raw vegan expert Dr Simon SC Chau – that she decided to take the plunge herself.