Scott Jurek
Encyclopedia
Scott Gordon Jurek is an American ultramarathon
er. Throughout Jurek's career he has been one of the most dominant ultramarathon runners in the world, winning many of the sport's most prestigious races multiple times, including the Hardrock Hundred (2007), the Badwater Ultramarathon (2005, 2006), the Spartathlon (2006, 2007, 2008), and the Western States 100 Mile Endurance Run (1999-2005). In 2010, at the 24-Hour World Championships in Brive-la-Gaillarde, France, Jurek won a silver medal and set a new US record for distance run in 24 hours with 165.7 miles.
, Jurek is of Polish
descent. His childhood involved a strong connection with nature developed through hunting, fishing, and camping with his family. Scott began trail running as a child but did not run long distances until his sophomore year in high school when he started cross training
with running to prepare for Nordic skiing
. Although he hated running at first, after spending summers running on trails with ski poles, he found a new passion for trail running. On a challenge from training partner Dusty Olson, Scott ran the Minnesota Voyageur 50 Mile in 1994, placing second in his first attempt at an ultramarathon, without even having run a marathon in training. Olson, himself an elite ultrarunner, later served as Jurek's pacer in many races.
, graduating with a Master's Degree in Physical Therapy
in 1998.
and the McKenzie River Trail Run 50K, and placing second in his first 100-mile race, the Angeles Crest.
In 1999, Jurek won the prestigious 100-mile Western States Endurance Run
on his first attempt, defeating five-time champion Tim Twietmeyer and becoming only the second non-Californian to win the race. He would go on to win Western States a record seven straight times. In 2004, he bested Mike Morton's 1997 time to set a new course record at the time of 15 hours and 36 minutes.
Over the next five years, Jurek notched victories in the McDonald Forest 50K (1999), the Bull Run Run 50 Mile (1999), the Leona Divide 50 Mile (2000, 2001, 2002, 2004), the Diez Vista 50K (2000-course record, 2003), the Silvertip 50K (2002), the Miwok 100K (2002, 2003, 2004). In 2004, he completed the "Ultra Running Grand Slam" by finishing Western States, the Leadville 100 (in which he was runner-up), the Vermont 100, and the Wasatch Front 100. He traveled to Hong Kong with Team Montrail to win the 2001 and 2002 OXFAM Trailwalker 100K team trophies, both years setting new course records. Jurek's 2001 teammates were Dave Terry, Ian Torrence, and Nate McDowell. In 2002, he ran with McDowell, Brandon Sybrowsky, and Karl Meltzer. Jurek was also on the winning team of the 2003 Hasegawa Cup Japan Mountain Endurance Run.
In 2005, just a few weeks after winning Western States, Jurek set a new course record in the Badwater Ultramarathon
, widely considered one of the world's most difficult races. Jurek came from behind to win this race despite temperatures of 120 °F (48.9 °C), dealing with the heat by periodically stopping to immerse himself in a cooler of ice.
Jurek repeated his Badwater victory in 2006, a year that also saw his first of three consecutive victories in the Spartathlon
, a 153-mile race between Athens and Sparta in Greece. Jurek is the only North American to ever win this race, and he holds the two fastest times on the course behind Yiannis Kouros
. In 2007, he also won the Hardrock Hundred, setting a new course record at the time.
In 2006, Jurek traveled to Mexico's remote Copper Canyon
with a group of runners including Christopher McDougall
and Jenn Shelton
to participate in a race against the Tarahumara
. Jurek narrowly lost to the fastest Tarahumara runner, Arnulfo Quimare, but in 2007 Jurek returned to win the race. McDougall's best-selling book about the 2006 trip, "Born to Run," significantly raised Jurek's profile.
On May 14, 2010, in Brive-la-Gaillarde, France, Jurek broke the USATF all-surface record for distance run by an American in 24 hours with 165.7 miles. His finish earned him a silver medal and helped the American men's team take a bronze overall.
When Jurek was very young, his mother was diagnosed with Muscular Sclerosis. Her struggles taught him to persevere in difficult circumstances , and he credits her memory as his major source of strength in the 24-hour race.
He is also known, however, for keeping a lighthearted attitude towards racing. He often screams loudly at the beginning of each race, rolls over finish lines, and sometimes launches into kung fu leaps into aid stations mid-race. After finishing races, he frequently remains at the finish line for hours to cheer for later finishers.
Jurek has said that, "though I want to win, the running is a vehicle for self-discovery." He believes that ultrarunning is more difficult mentally than physically. His memoir, Eat and Run, in forthcoming from Houghton Mifflin Harcourt in June 2012.
Ultramarathon
An ultramarathon is any sporting event involving running longer than the traditional marathon length of .There are two types of ultramarathon events: those that cover a specified distance, and events that take place during specified time...
er. Throughout Jurek's career he has been one of the most dominant ultramarathon runners in the world, winning many of the sport's most prestigious races multiple times, including the Hardrock Hundred (2007), the Badwater Ultramarathon (2005, 2006), the Spartathlon (2006, 2007, 2008), and the Western States 100 Mile Endurance Run (1999-2005). In 2010, at the 24-Hour World Championships in Brive-la-Gaillarde, France, Jurek won a silver medal and set a new US record for distance run in 24 hours with 165.7 miles.
Early life
Raised in Proctor, MinnesotaProctor, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 2,852 people, 1,196 households, and 772 families residing in the city. The population density was 942.8 people per square mile . There were 1,246 housing units at an average density of 411.9 per square mile...
, Jurek is of Polish
Poles
thumb|right|180px|The state flag of [[Poland]] as used by Polish government and diplomatic authoritiesThe Polish people, or Poles , are a nation indigenous to Poland. They are united by the Polish language, which belongs to the historical Lechitic subgroup of West Slavic languages of Central Europe...
descent. His childhood involved a strong connection with nature developed through hunting, fishing, and camping with his family. Scott began trail running as a child but did not run long distances until his sophomore year in high school when he started cross training
Cross training
Cross-training refers to an athlete training in sports other than the one that athlete competes in with a goal of improving overall performance...
with running to prepare for Nordic skiing
Nordic skiing
Nordic skiing is a winter sport that encompasses all types of skiing where the heel of the boot cannot be fixed to the ski, as opposed to Alpine skiing....
. Although he hated running at first, after spending summers running on trails with ski poles, he found a new passion for trail running. On a challenge from training partner Dusty Olson, Scott ran the Minnesota Voyageur 50 Mile in 1994, placing second in his first attempt at an ultramarathon, without even having run a marathon in training. Olson, himself an elite ultrarunner, later served as Jurek's pacer in many races.
Education
Scott was the valedictorian of his high school class. He attended the College of St. Scholastica in Duluth, MinnesotaDuluth, Minnesota
Duluth is a port city in the U.S. state of Minnesota and is the county seat of Saint Louis County. The fourth largest city in Minnesota, Duluth had a total population of 86,265 in the 2010 census. Duluth is also the second largest city that is located on Lake Superior after Thunder Bay, Ontario,...
, graduating with a Master's Degree in Physical Therapy
Physical therapy
Physical therapy , often abbreviated PT, is a health care profession. Physical therapy is concerned with identifying and maximizing quality of life and movement potential within the spheres of promotion, prevention, diagnosis, treatment/intervention,and rehabilitation...
in 1998.
Ultrarunning
During his college years, Jurek continued to compete in the Minnesota Voyageur, finishing second in 1994 and 1995 and winning the race in 1996, 1997, and 1998, when he set the current course record of 6:41:16. After graduation, he moved to Seattle, where he began competing on a national level, in 1998 winning the Zane Grey Highline Trail 50 Mile RunZane Grey Highline Trail 50 Mile Run
The Zane Grey Highline Trail 50 mile Endurance Run, known commonly as the Zane Grey 50, is a 50-mile ultramarathon that takes place on the Highline Trail in the Tonto National Forest just below the Mogollon Rim in central Arizona. The race is typically held on the 4th Saturday inApril...
and the McKenzie River Trail Run 50K, and placing second in his first 100-mile race, the Angeles Crest.
In 1999, Jurek won the prestigious 100-mile Western States Endurance Run
Western States Endurance Run
The Western States Endurance Run, known commonly as the Western States 100, is a 100-mile ultramarathon that takes place on trails in California's Sierra Nevada Mountains annually on the last full weekend of June. The race starts at the base of the Squaw Valley ski resort and finishes at the...
on his first attempt, defeating five-time champion Tim Twietmeyer and becoming only the second non-Californian to win the race. He would go on to win Western States a record seven straight times. In 2004, he bested Mike Morton's 1997 time to set a new course record at the time of 15 hours and 36 minutes.
Over the next five years, Jurek notched victories in the McDonald Forest 50K (1999), the Bull Run Run 50 Mile (1999), the Leona Divide 50 Mile (2000, 2001, 2002, 2004), the Diez Vista 50K (2000-course record, 2003), the Silvertip 50K (2002), the Miwok 100K (2002, 2003, 2004). In 2004, he completed the "Ultra Running Grand Slam" by finishing Western States, the Leadville 100 (in which he was runner-up), the Vermont 100, and the Wasatch Front 100. He traveled to Hong Kong with Team Montrail to win the 2001 and 2002 OXFAM Trailwalker 100K team trophies, both years setting new course records. Jurek's 2001 teammates were Dave Terry, Ian Torrence, and Nate McDowell. In 2002, he ran with McDowell, Brandon Sybrowsky, and Karl Meltzer. Jurek was also on the winning team of the 2003 Hasegawa Cup Japan Mountain Endurance Run.
In 2005, just a few weeks after winning Western States, Jurek set a new course record in the Badwater Ultramarathon
Badwater Ultramarathon
The Badwater Ultramarathon describes itself as "the world's toughest foot race". It is a course starting at below sea level in the Badwater Basin, in California's Death Valley, and ending at an elevation of 8360 feet at Whitney Portal, the trailhead to Mount Whitney...
, widely considered one of the world's most difficult races. Jurek came from behind to win this race despite temperatures of 120 °F (48.9 °C), dealing with the heat by periodically stopping to immerse himself in a cooler of ice.
Jurek repeated his Badwater victory in 2006, a year that also saw his first of three consecutive victories in the Spartathlon
Spartathlon
Spartathlon is a ultramarathon race held annually in Greece since 1983 between Athens and Sparta.-Origin:The Spartathlon aims to trace the footsteps of Pheidippides, an Athenian messenger sent to Sparta in 490 BC to seek help against the Persians in the Battle of Marathon...
, a 153-mile race between Athens and Sparta in Greece. Jurek is the only North American to ever win this race, and he holds the two fastest times on the course behind Yiannis Kouros
Yiannis Kouros
Yiannis Kouros is a Greek ultramarathon runner based in Melbourne. He is sometimes called the "Running God" or the "Pheidippides Successor". He holds every men's outdoor road world record from 100 to 1,000 miles and every road and track record from 12 hours to 6 days...
. In 2007, he also won the Hardrock Hundred, setting a new course record at the time.
In 2006, Jurek traveled to Mexico's remote Copper Canyon
Copper Canyon
Copper Canyon is a group of canyons consisting of six distinct canyons in the Sierra Tarahumara in the southwestern part of the state of Chihuahua in Mexico...
with a group of runners including Christopher McDougall
Christopher McDougall
Christopher McDougall is an American author and journalist best known for his 2009 best-selling book Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen....
and Jenn Shelton
Jenn Shelton
Jenn Shelton is an American ultramarathoner. She has set course records in several of the most demanding American ultramarathons.Shelton attended the University of North Carolina where she played on the rugby team...
to participate in a race against the Tarahumara
Tarahumara
The Rarámuri or Tarahumara are a Native American people of northwestern Mexico who are renowned for their long-distance running ability...
. Jurek narrowly lost to the fastest Tarahumara runner, Arnulfo Quimare, but in 2007 Jurek returned to win the race. McDougall's best-selling book about the 2006 trip, "Born to Run," significantly raised Jurek's profile.
On May 14, 2010, in Brive-la-Gaillarde, France, Jurek broke the USATF all-surface record for distance run by an American in 24 hours with 165.7 miles. His finish earned him a silver medal and helped the American men's team take a bronze overall.
Philosophy
Jurek is an advocate of plant-based eating for health and ethical/environmental reasons, and he cites his diet as the key to his superior athletic performance and recovery. He gave up meat in 1997 and became vegan in 1999, motivated by the belief that poor nutrition was responsible for the chronic illnesses he saw in his family and in his physical therapy patients.When Jurek was very young, his mother was diagnosed with Muscular Sclerosis. Her struggles taught him to persevere in difficult circumstances , and he credits her memory as his major source of strength in the 24-hour race.
He is also known, however, for keeping a lighthearted attitude towards racing. He often screams loudly at the beginning of each race, rolls over finish lines, and sometimes launches into kung fu leaps into aid stations mid-race. After finishing races, he frequently remains at the finish line for hours to cheer for later finishers.
Jurek has said that, "though I want to win, the running is a vehicle for self-discovery." He believes that ultrarunning is more difficult mentally than physically. His memoir, Eat and Run, in forthcoming from Houghton Mifflin Harcourt in June 2012.
Accomplishments
- United States record for 24 hour distance on all surfaces (165.7 Miles/266.01 Kilometers).
- Won the SpartathlonSpartathlonSpartathlon is a ultramarathon race held annually in Greece since 1983 between Athens and Sparta.-Origin:The Spartathlon aims to trace the footsteps of Pheidippides, an Athenian messenger sent to Sparta in 490 BC to seek help against the Persians in the Battle of Marathon...
152 miles (244.6 km) race from Athens to Sparta, Greece three consecutive times (2006-2008). - Won the Hardrock Hundred Mile Endurance RunHardrock Hundred Mile Endurance RunThe Hardrock Hundred Mile Endurance Run is an ultramarathon in length, with of climb at an average elevation of over . The race is held on a loop course on 4WD roads, dirt trails, and cross country in Southern Colorado's San Juan Range, USA...
, and held the record time for one year until Kyle Skaggs set a new record in 2008. - Won the Western States Endurance RunWestern States Endurance RunThe Western States Endurance Run, known commonly as the Western States 100, is a 100-mile ultramarathon that takes place on trails in California's Sierra Nevada Mountains annually on the last full weekend of June. The race starts at the base of the Squaw Valley ski resort and finishes at the...
seven consecutive times (1999–2005), and held the record time (15:36:27 in 2004) until 2010 - Won the Badwater UltramarathonBadwater UltramarathonThe Badwater Ultramarathon describes itself as "the world's toughest foot race". It is a course starting at below sea level in the Badwater Basin, in California's Death Valley, and ending at an elevation of 8360 feet at Whitney Portal, the trailhead to Mount Whitney...
twice (2005, 2006), and held the course record for two years (2005). - Finished first three times (2002–2004) and second three times (2001, 2005, 2006) in the Miwok 100K Trail Race.
- Won the Leona Divide 50 Mile Run four times (2000, 2001, 2002, 2004).
- Won the Diez Vista 50K Trail Run twice (2000, 2003).
- Won the Montrail Ultra Cup series twice (2002, 2003).
- Selected as UltraRunning Magazine's North American Male Ultrarunner of the Year in 2003, 2004, 2005, and 2007.
Personal records
- 100 Mile Trail: 15:36, Western States Endurance RunWestern States Endurance RunThe Western States Endurance Run, known commonly as the Western States 100, is a 100-mile ultramarathon that takes place on trails in California's Sierra Nevada Mountains annually on the last full weekend of June. The race starts at the base of the Squaw Valley ski resort and finishes at the...
2004 - 100 K Road: 7:28, GNC 100K 2001
- 50 Mile Trail: 6:21, Ice Age 50 Mile 1999
- 50 Mile Road: 5:50, GNC 2001
- 50 K Trail: 3:04, Bendistillery 50K 1999
- 26.2 Mile Road Marathon: 2:38, Austin MarathonAustin MarathonThe Austin Marathon is an annual marathon held in Austin, Texas. Freescale Semiconductor, spun off from Motorola's semiconductor products sector in 2006, founded the marathon in 1991 and served as title sponsor for fifteen years. The marathon was sponsored by AT&T in 2007 and 2008, but ran with no...
2006