Eat and Run

“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.

“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

“A shockingly honest, revealing, and inspiring memoir.” Trail Runner

"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

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.

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.

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