Eat and Run: My Unlikely Journey to Ultramarathon Greatness

For nearly two decades, Scott Jurek has been a dominant force — and darling — in the grueling and growing sport of ultrarunning. In 1999, as a complete unknown, he took the lead of the Western States Endurance Run, a 100-mile traverse over the old Gold Rush trails of the California Sierra Nevada. He won that race seven years in a row, setting a course record along the way. Twice he won the Badwater Ultramarathon, a 135-mile "jaunt" through Death Valley. He triumphed in the 153-mile Spartathlon in Greece three times. And he was one of the elite runners who traveled to Mexico to run with the Tarahumara Indians, as profiled in the runaway bestseller Born to Run. His accomplishments are nothing short of extraordinary, but that he has achieved all of this on a plant-based diet makes his story all the more so.

In Eat and Run, Scott Jurek opens up about his life and career — as an elite athlete and a vegan — and inspires runners at every level. From his Midwestern childhood hunting, fishing, and cooking for his meat-and-potatoes family, to his early beginnings in running (he hated it), to his slow transition to ultrarunning and veganism, to his world-spanning, record-breaking races — Scotts story shows the power of an iron will and blows apart all the stereotypes of what athletes should eat to fuel optimal performance. Chock full of incredible, on-the-brink stories of endurance and competition as well as fascinating science and accessible practical advice — including his own favorite plant-based recipes — Eat and Run will motivate everyone to "go the distance," whether that means getting out for that first run, expanding their food horizons, or simply exploring the limits of their own potential.

"When celebrated runner Jurek, assisted by journalist Steve Friedman, begins his road to wellness and triumph in his book, he speaks candidly about the tortuous toll put on the human body by ultra-runners, namely cramps, black toenails, chaffing, and dehydration. Following a sickly Midwestern childhood and a mother diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, Jurek eventually transitions from skiing to long-distance running, entering his first marathon at age 20, weaning himself off of hypertension meds by switching from a protein diet to a vegan one. 'What we eat is a matter of life and death,' the athlete writes; 'food is who we are.' His achievements prove Jurek is doing something right, winning the 100-mile Western States Endurance run seven times, the 135-mile Badwater Ultra, the 153-mile Spartathlon in Greece, and setting an American record for running the most number of miles in a day. Blended with the pro running tips and marathons, Jurek serves up some of his original food recipes to power up the novice or the professional athlete on his way to the finish line in this life-changing track primer. Accessible and riveting, Jurek's book makes the task of self-transformation look effortless, from illness to wellness, from reluctance to triumph, yet this hard-fought journey to consciousness is not a small feat. (June)" Publishers Weekly Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

"What a triumph — both Scott Jurek's life and this one-of-a-kind book. I've seen Scott in action as he defies unimaginable challenges, and thanks to this breathtakingly personal account, I finally understand how he does it. He rebuilt himself literally from the inside out, and the result is a man — and a story — unlike any other." Christopher McDougall, bestselling author of Born to Run

"The surprise here isn't that Scott Jurek knows a lot about nutrition — I especially love his "Holy Moly Guacamole" recipe. Or that he ran prodigious mileage to prepare for his many ultramarathon victories. More impressively, we discover that Jurek studied many of the great philosophers, and used their lessons to focus his running. In pursuing the mental side of endurance, Jurek uncovers the most important secrets any runner can learn." Amby Burfoot, winner of the 1968 Boston Marathon and author of The Runners Guide to the Meaning of Life

"This is the inspiring story of an inspired man. Scott Jurek's phenomenal success as an ultramarathoner demonstrates that meat and other animal foods are not necessary for optimum health, strength, and endurance." Andrew Weil, M.D. author of Spontaneous Happiness and 8 Weeks to Optimum Health

Ultrarunner and star of Born to Run, Scott Jurek's Eat and Run, an inspiring memoir of Jurek's remarkable running career, fueled, surprisingly, by an entirely plant-based diet.

Scott Jurek is a world-renowned ultramarathon runner who trains and races on a vegan diet.  He has prominently appeared in two New York Times bestsellers, Born to Run and The 4-Hour Body and has been featured in The New York Times, CNN, USA Today, The Wall Street Journal, ESPN Magazine, Outside, Mens Journal, Runners World, Yoga Journal, Veg News, and many other media. Known and admired for his earth-conscious lifestyle, Scott is also a highly sought after motivational speaker, physical therapist, coach and chef.  He has delivered talks to numerous organizations, including Microsoft, Starbucks, and Patagonia.

Steve Friedman's stories have been published in The New York Times, The Washington Post, Esquire, GQ, The Best of Outside, The Best American Travel Writing and, six times, The Best American Sports Writing. He is the author of Lost on Treasure Island, Driving Lessons, and The Gentleman's Guide to Life, and co-author of The New York Times Best Seller, Loose Balls. A St. Louis native and graduate of Stanford University, Friedman lives in New York City, where he is Writer at Large for the Rodale Sports Group.

Prologue xi

1. Somebody 1

Badwater Ultramarathon, Death Valley, California, 2005

2. Sometimes You Just Do Things 10

Proctor, Minnesota, 1983

3. For My Own Good 18

Caribou Lake Invitational, 1986

4. Id Rather Ski 27

To Adolph Store And Back, 1986

5. The Pride of the Cake Eaters 37

Running Around with Dusty, 1991-92

6. The Wisdom of Hippie Dan 45

The Minnesota Voyageur 50-Miler, 1994

7. “Let the Pain Go Out Your Ears” 54

The Minnesota Voyageur 50-Miler, 1995; 1996

8. Attack of the Big Birds 62

The Angeles Crest 100, CALIFORNIA, 1998

9. Silent Snow, Secret Snow 72

Training for the Western States 100, Minnesota, 1999

10. Dangerous Tune 81

(More) Training for the Western States 100, Seattle, 1999

11. “Are You Peeing?” 91

The Western States 100, California, 1999

12. Bug Boy Goes Down 104

The Western States 100, 2000, 2001

13. Of Bears and Gazelles 123

The Western States 100, 2002 AND 2003

14. Hot Times 130

The Badwater Ultramarathon, Death Valley, California, 2005

15. These Guys Again? 142

The Copper Canyon, Mexico, 2005

16. No Good Deed Goes Unpunished 154

The Western States 100, California, 2006

17. Hunted by the Wasatch Speedgoat 164

The Hardrock100, Silverton, Colorado, July 2007

18. The Photographer Who Wasnt There 175

Spartathlon, Athens, Greece, September 2007

19. Lost 192

Duluth, Minnesota, 2010

20. One Step at a Time 207

Slacking in Yosemite Valley, 2010

21. Back to My Roots 215

The Tongo Trail, 2010

Epilogue 221

IAU World 24-Hour Championships, 2010

Acknowledgments 229

Race History 230

Notes 235

Index 241