Ultra-runner. Ultra-human being.
Catch him while you can…
Imagine running 50, 100, even 150 miles…in grueling heat, just you and your thoughts, millions of footsteps. To some it’s an inspiration…to others it’s downright crazy. For ultra-marathoner Scott Jurek, it’s a way of life—a means to explore his limits and push his body.
Scott was once a regular guy who didn’t even like running. A dare from a friend changed his life, and he went on to become a distance running champion. (And quite possibly one of the best athletes of our generation.) But unlike many elite sports figures, Scott isn’t out chasing money and fame.
Kathleen chats with this uber-athlete and all-around great guy, who was recently featured in the bestselling book, Born to Run. Get to know the man behind the sport as Scott talks about running as a form of meditation, his unusual choice of a vegan, plant-based diet, and his thrill-of-a-lifetime experience running with the Tarahumara Indians in Mexico. Whether you are an avid runner or can’t even jog a mile, Scott is a hero that’s sure to inspire you to get out, get your body moving, and start living.
Scott Jurek is one of the best ultra-marathoners in the world. He ran his first ultra in 1994, the Minnesota Voyager 50 Mile, on a challenge from a good friend. At age 20, Scott placed second and discovered his potential for ultra running distances. In 1999 Scott won the Western States 100-Mile Endurance Run. At age 25, this made him the youngest runner ever to win this race. Scott then went on to win for the next six consecutive years and currently holds the record for his time in 2004. He’s also won the Badwater Ultramarathon twice (2005, 2006), the Hardrock Hundred (2007), the Miwok 100K three times (2002-2004), and the 152-mile Spartathlon (a race from Athens to Sparta, Greece) in 2006 and 2007.
Scott graduated with his Master’s Degree in Physical Therapy at the College of St. Scholastica in 1998. He resides in Seattle, where he works as a physical therapist in his own private practice.
ultra-runners, wow ! That’s the real deal. A long way away from a marathon.
New info on Scott in this month’s Running Times, looks like it was online earlier:
http://capitolhill.komonews.com/content/scott-jurek-breaks-american-24-hour-running-record