Ultra-endurance athlete Rich Roll is a wellness practitioner who advocates a plant-based diet. He is famous for completing the Ultraman World Championships in less than three days, no small feat since it consists of a 52.4-mile run, a 261.4-mile cycle, and a 62.4-mile swim.
Rich is well-known across the globe as a podcast host and successful author. His podcast, “The Rich Roll Show,” has been downloaded millions of times.
Life wasn’t always like this. Once Rich was a corporate lawyer. He battled with alcohol abuse in his twenties, dropping alcohol at 31. Rich replaced alcohol with poor food choices and lived a sedentary life. He piled on the weight and soon was carrying 50 pounds more than he should have been for his age. At 40, Rich realized it was time to make some changes. He started eating well and training for the many endurance tests.
Rich Rolls says that no day is the same for him. Yet, like many successful people, Rich has a morning routine that sets him up for the rest of the day, a predictable diet and training regime, and a reliable sleep pattern.
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Mornings
Rich wakes between 6 and 6.30 am every morning – no alarm needed. If he isn’t fasting, he starts the day with a glass of water and a cup of coffee.
After getting hydrated, he starts his morning exercise, a long run, cycle, or swim. His morning exercise takes about two hours.
Following the exercise session, he reads or journals for some time. He prefers not to do any work before midday.
His typical breakfast is a green smoothie. Sometimes, he’ll have granola, oatmeal, or avo on gluten-free bread.
Afternoons
Rich has a leafy salad for lunch. He’s a vegan, so there is no animal protein for him. He always has fruit and nuts on hand to eat throughout the day.
He spends at least 15 hours training every week, increasing to 25 hours if he’s training for an endurance race.
He’ll do some strength training, cycling, or running in the afternoon. He may also spend time creating his next podcast.
Evenings
For dinner, Rich will enjoy a large meal that will include a carbohydrate — like burritos or rice — and plenty of vegetables. His wife, Julie, is an excellent cook, so she generally cooks the family meal at night. From time to time, they go out to a restaurant.
After dinner, Rich will spend some quiet time with his family. He has four children.
Rich typically gets to bed early, switching the lights out at 9 pm each night for around 9 hours of quality sleep.
