Pat Reeves

powerlifter  strong vegan 

Pat was diagnosed with a serious genetic cancer in 1977 when she was 32.  The devastating news which led to her adopting a wholefood vegan diet. As a result her health has made an excellent recovery and the 'terminal' cancer has gone into remission.  Meanwhile Pat but continues to live a full and incredible life.

  • Multiple World Record holder in numerous age groups
  • Survivor of a genetic cancer diagnosed as terminal in 1977
  • Continued to compete in the 70-74 age category

Pat has conducted extensive research into the value of nutrients in fighting disease and is a qualified dietary therapist and published author. “I have now followed a plant-based eating regime for forty-four years” said Pat in 2009– wow – that’s so long! Substantially, I have been eating raw and living foods (around 95% living foods) for the last seventeen of those. I credit my current excellent health and phenomenal energy to this method of food preparation – and also my ability to stay on top of the genetically-fuelled cancer.”

World records

A competitive runner after training in triathlon, Pat completed nine marathons, of which five were victories. Her personal best for marathon was 2:25, an outstanding time. She then started powerlifting with even greater success. Pat has been a British Masters Title holder from 1991 to the present day (2021) and successfully competed at an international level. Pat also has several Divisional, Commonwealth and Masters’ records. Personal highlights include World and European records in 1994/5 and taking records in 2005 which remain unbeaten.

In 2011 she set another record, this time for Bench press. Competing at 42.9kg bodyweight, Pat’s personal bests include: 90kg Squat, 55kg Bench Press (a British record) and 130kg Deadlift (also British Record). Although Pat originally started her ‘plant-based regime’ to fight her genetically fuelled cancer, now she acknowledges what ethics.

She recognises “the damning cruelty and ecological angle…Why we breed and kill our animals is beyond understanding.”

In 2012, aged 66 she lifted 94 kg to set a record for the under 50.5kg weight class while competing in France (click here for details).  The lift was more than 1.85 times her bodyweight, which is exceptional for her division. By this time Pat’s competitors had retired from the sport so she became officially the oldest competing weightlifter in Europe.

As 2013 closed she broke her own deadlift World Record, despite kidney issues. This was amid a schedule of competing, refereeing and hosting events (read more here)

In 2014 she broke her own record twice during the year (read more here) and in June 2015 she broke her own deadlift record (read more here).

2018 saw a devastating turn of events as Pat was involved in a high speed road accident that killed her friend.  Pat was airlifted to hospital and put into an induced coma for 12 days.  Incredibly she recovered and was competing again by 2021, breaking a world record (read more here).  She broke her own record again in 2023 (more here).

No Meat Athlete is a great running resource Full disclosure: 50% of any book you buy on there goes to support this website but there’s also a ton of free resources there.

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