What a record-breaking vegan ultra runner eats in a day to complete extreme feats of endurance

• Endurance athlete Robbie Balenger has run across the country and broken records on a vegan diet.
• He said plant-based foods like smoothies, salads, and tofu scrambles are his "superpower."
• To get enough calories, he relies on big dinners and nutrient-dense snacks like nuts and dates.

Vegan ultra runner Robbie Balenger has run across the country, completed multiple ultra marathons, and most recently, broke the world record for laps around Central Park. And he does it all powered entirely by plants.

"To me, it's my superpower, it's what allows me to do what I do," he told Insider.

Here's what Balenger eats in a typical day on his vegan diet.

Smoothies are a vegan breakfast of champions

Balenger said he likes to start the day with a smoothie, with some combination of carrot juice, kale, banana, chia seeds, and nut butter. This offers easily-digestible calories and carbohydrates, along with important micronutrients like potassium, iron, manganese, and vitamins A, C, and K.

Smoothies are also a cornerstone of Balenger's diet on longer runs. When he ran across the country, logging over a marathon a day for 75 days, he burned through about 8,000 calories daily. Calorie-dense ingredients like coconut milk help provide enough energy for the massive effort of ultra running.

Lunch is often a tofu scramble or salad

For lunch, Balenger sits down to a big bowl of salad or a plate of tofu with plenty of veggies.

"Mastering the tofu scramble is essential for being vegan," Balenger said.

Most recipes involve cooking up a tofu scramble just like you would scrambled eggs, with plenty of seasonings, veggies like tomato or spinach, and optional vegan cheese or sausage.

Snacks and a big dinner help him eat enough to keep running

Balenger said he sometimes struggles to get enough calories to fuel his typical routine of running at least 10 miles a day. High-calorie snacks like nuts and dates are helpful, and he keeps industrial-sized containers of both around the house.

He likes to finish the day with "a very big dinner." Rice and beans are favorite staples for protein and carbohydrates.

The main thing Balenger aims for is to eat enough - he doesn't typically track calories, or macronutrients like carbs, fat or protein, but just eats what feels satiating.

"I go by feel, usually. I don't worry much about macros. Eating a whole foods, plant-based diet, they'll be there," he said.