A former corporate lawyer, Rich was hurtling into middle age and focusing on the corporate ladder. Although he had been an athlete in college, that all went by the wayside upon graduation.
By the time he was 39 he was 50 pounds overweight and had transferred his alcohol addiction to fast food. As Rich told us, “It was less about the weight and more about the dissatisfaction of the way my life was going. I’d done everything the way it was ‘supposed’ to be done and I wasn’t happy in the law firm and corporate world. I had a bit of an existential crisis!”
Late one night he was winded just from walking up the stairs in his house and felt like he was having a heart attack. Luckily it wasn’t one but at that moment he changed course. In. A. Big. Way. “Just eating better and going to the gym wasn’t for me. My diet and fitness was something I wanted to experiment with. I found vitality through a plant based (vegan) diet and had so much energy I had to burn it off,” Roll explained.
The more he exercised the more he enjoyed it and on a whim in 2008, he entered an Ultra Man competition and placed 11th overall after training for only seven months. He went back the next year and placed 6th. Now he is know as the ‘Vegan Runner’ and he is proud of it.
In 2010 Rich took it to the next level and came up with the idea of an ‘Epic Five’ where he and a friend would do an Iron Man a day on each Hawaiian island. They didn’t make it in five days (missed some flights!) but they managed it in under a week.
Today Rich Roll is one of America’s most popular wellness advocates. His book Finding Ultra has won praise from everyone from CNN to ESPN and The New York Times. He travels around the world giving motivational speeches helping people unleash their most authentic self. His weekly podcast is a great listen too, where Rich speaks with people who inspire him. As he was sure to point out, “The message is much more important than how fast I can ride my bike.” Finally keep a look out for his cookbook coming out this summer.
Here we speak to Rich about his personal style:
Rich’s Style:
I am particular but not fancy. I believe in having a few nice things. For me a great pair of jeans that fit right and a v neck tee is my daily uniform. I live in LA so I am in flip flops most of the time!
Jeans: I like Joe’s Jeans and I like the Gap 1969 line.
Tees- Nice Gap black or white does me right. They are cheap enough I buy a pile of them and toss em out when they get old.
Shirts: Thomas Pink
Suit: Prada and Hugo Boss, a dark suit with a white shirt is the way to go for me.
Dress shoes: Prada shoes but usually my Converse All Stars in black
Daily shoes: Converse All Stars
Running Shoes: Ten pairs in bright colors, mostly Nike.
Flip Flops- Havaianas
Socks: I wear Paul Smith socks when I want to add a little color to my day.
Running attire- Nike and Patagonia are my go to for shells and vests. I like The North Face for puffy jackets.
Beanies- loads of different kinds, from surf lines like Volcom.
Yoga Pants: Lulu Lemon
Running Socks: Injinji
Cycling Gear: I’m telling you, the most bespoke sport in the world is cycling. I like Castelli and Hancipip.
Favorite App- Instagram – Love it! @RichRoll
Next Tech Purchase- Probably a 27 inch Mac Thunderbolt display
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