Carry that weight

As he jogged along the promenade in Waikiki on a recent weekday afternoon, Jake Garvin chatted about health and diets, which was no small feat, given that he was carrying a log on his left shoulder that weighed nearly 100 pounds.

At his turnaround point near the Duke Kahanamoku statue, he placed it on the ground, took a short break, then hoisted the log onto his right shoulder before starting to run again.

Garvin, 52, is known around Honolulu for his challenging running habit and also by his nickname, “Vegan Man.”

It’s hard to miss the tall, muscular Garvin, who stands out from the crowd at local running races because he always carries a heavy object — a log, a barbell or a pair of concrete blocks. His cap, race bib and the objects he carries are usually emblazoned with the word “Vegan.”

So why does he do this? To prove a point.

Garvin advocates a vegan, or plant-based, diet, as the best way to prevent heart disease, cancer and other illnesses. He says his philosophy is backed by scientific studies. An independent science and technology consultant, Garvin holds a bachelor’s degree in biopsychology from Cornell University, where he worked in the Division of Nutritional Sciences.

“People are sometimes reluctant,” he said. “They think, and this is not scientifically true, you can’t get any protein or you’re going to not be strong, not be big or not be fit. I disprove that by doing what I do. If people see me running with a barbell in a marathon, that clears and opens the door.”

Garvin became a vegan when he was going to high school in Pennsylvania, following in the steps of his older brother after reading scientific literature about the benefits of a diet without meat.

Garvin, who is single and lives in Waikiki, moved to Honolulu in his mid-20s after working in Asia, where he also studied karate and kung fu.

His typical meals include oatmeal for breakfast, vegetable soups and sandwiches for lunch and maybe a vegan curry for dinner.

What does he eat before a marathon? Brown pasta, beets and watermelon juice.

Garvin has charts and literature about the benefits of a plant-based diet that he will share with anyone willing to listen. He likes to note that the World Health Organization classified processed meat as a carcinogen last year and that the American Cancer Society recommends a diet high in vegetables, fruits and whole grains.

He points out that several celebrities, including former bodybuilder Arnold Schwarzenegger and Canadian filmmaker James Cameron, have become vegan, as well.

“The diet lets you perform better, athletically,” he said.

Garvin says the idea for carrying objects happened spontaneously while he was running his regular route around Diamond Head in 2011. Someone had chopped down a tree and left a log in the road, so he decided to pick it up and make his run more challenging.

He started running the 26.2-mile Honolulu Marathon with various objects in 2012. Every year it’s different. Last year he ran the marathon with a barbell weighing about 70 pounds. The concrete blocks, which he used in previous years, weigh about 35 pounds each. He hasn’t decided what to carry this year — but it will be heavy.

He runs about five races a year, ranging from the 8.15-mile Great Aloha Run to the marathon.

Garvin’s training runs are 10 to 15 miles every day, and done at all times of the day, too — early mornings, noon, midnight — as a way to further condition himself.

When he does these runs, he’ll pick up something along his route. Some days he even picks up boulders. That fits his motto: Challenge yourself, wherever you may be.

He admits that he has a somewhat “adversarial relationship” with the log. For the marathon one year, he soaked it in water and added a weight to make it about 120 pounds. After that he swore he would never carry it again, and yet he did.

Running without the log, he joked, is like “a weight lifted off my shoulders.”

Folks often stop him on a race course to take a photo with him, and he always obliges. That stretches the time it takes to complete a race and requires even more endurance.

But speed is not his objective.

“Mine is just to make it to the finish,” he said. “That’s the goal, and along the way, to spread the good word.”

“Good Fit” spotlights inspiring fitness stories of change, self-discovery and challenge, and other fitness-related topics. Tell us what motivates you and how you stay fit and healthy by calling 529-4803 or emailing features@staradvertiser.com.