Synopses & Reviews
“In pursuing the mental side of endurance, Jurek uncovers the most important secrets any runner can learn.” — Amby Burfoot, author of
The Runners Guide to the Meaning of Life 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 — Scott's 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.
Review
“Jurek's story and ideas should easily manage to speak to and cheer on anyone seeking to live life as fully as possible.” Denver Post
Review
“A shockingly honest, revealing, and inspiring memoir.” Trail Runner
Review
"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
Synopsis
New York Times bestseller
“What a triumph, both Scott Jurek's life and this one-of-a-kind book. Jurek defies unimaginable challenges, and thanks to this breathtakingly personal account, I finally understand how he does it.” — Christopher McDougall, author of Born to Run.
For nearly two decades, Scott Jurek has been a dominant force — and darling — in the grueling and growing sport of ultrarunning. In 1999, a complete unknown, he took the lead in the Western States Endurance Run, a 100-mile jaunt over the Gold Rush trails of the Sierra Nevada. He went on to win that race seven years in a row. Jurek was also one of the elite runners who traveled to Mexico to run with the Tarahumara Indians, as profiled in the bestseller Born to Run. Jureks accomplishments are nothing short of extraordinary — and all achieved on a plant-based diet.
In Eat and Run, 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 of hunting and fishing to his slow transition to ultrarunning and veganism to his epic, record-breaking races, Jurek's story shows the power of an iron will and the importance of thinking of food as fuel. Full of stories of endurance and competition as well as practical advice and some of his original recipes, Eat and Run will motivate people to go the distance, whether that means getting out for a first run, expanding food horizons, or simply exploring the limits of human potential.
About the Author
Scott Jurek is a world-renowned ultramarathon champion 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 on CNN and in the
New York Times,
USA Today,
The Wall Street Journal, and numerous 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 the esteemed Entertainment Gathering. He lives in Boulder.
Steve Friedman is the author of Lost on Treasure Island, Driving Lessons, and The Agony of Victory and co-author of the New York Times bestseller Loose Balls. His work has appeared numerous times in The Best American Sports Writing. His website is stevefriedman.net.
Table of Contents
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