| Running On: An Interview with Scott Jurek |
| Written by Jay Winans |
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Photography by Brian Buchsdruecker
Jurek's accomplishments are well known. Seven-time consecutive winner of the Western States 100-Mile Endurance Run from 1999 through 2005, he established a course record in 2004 in a time of 15:36. Two-time consecutive winner in 2005 and 2006 of the Badwater Ultramarathon, billed as the toughest foot race on earth, he established a course record there as well in 2005, running from Death Valley to Mt. Whitney, a distance of 135 miles, in 24:36. Jurek is the only three-time consecutive winner and the only North American to win the Spartathlon, in 2006, 2007, and 2008, a 246-kilometre race from Athens to Sparta, Greece, where he set the course record in 2008. In 2007, he established another course record at the Hardrock Hundred, a difficult trail race that changes direction every year. Jurek won the race running counter-clockwise, the more difficult direction. Born and raised in and around Duluth, Minnesota, where he spent his early years involved in hunting and Nordic skiing, Jurek eventually moved to Seattle, Washington, where he trains and works as a physical therapist, and where he switched, famously, many years ago to an entirely vegan diet. IMPACT Magazine caught up with Jurek in May 2009 on his first visit to Alberta on the occasion of the Woody's RV World Marathon, in Red Deer, where Jurek was a guest speaker, delivering a lecture on nutrition, diet, and sport performance. As Jurek's accomplishments are widely repeated on his own and other Web sites, we asked him about his sport and then some. Favourite race? A tie between Hardrock and Spartathlon. Obviously, Western States is one of my favourites because I won it seven times, and it’s really an important part of my career. As far as the beauty of the course and the difficulty, Hardrock and Spartathlon are my two favourites. Hardrock is a great trail one-hundred-mile experience in the San Juans of Colorado. 
Scott Jurek in Red Deer, Alberta, May, 2009.
I’ve wanted to do the Comrades Marathon in South Africa, for the history and because it’s one of the largest ultra-marathons in the world [this year’s entries were capped at 15,000]. The JFK 50-Mile near D.C. would also be cool. Morning routine? Usually I run sixty to ninety minutes, and it may be a recovery day or a timed workout, and usually I have to get up at 6:30 or seven for that, sometimes 5:30. After that, I do fifteen or twenty minutes of core work, and then another ten minutes of stretching. And some days I end up doing a strength workout of forty-five or fifty minutes. Then I get breakfast rolling, and off to work. Pre-race habits? I do have a vegetarian meal, usually tofu or tempeh with something like quinoa and some sort of steamed vegetables like broccoli, collards ... and then on the morning, pre-race, I’ll have a combination of a soy smoothie and a big bowl of Green Magma, which is a barley-grass drink. Best thing about being a professional distance runner? Knowing how to take care of my body so that I can perform race after race, week after week, year after year. Obviously, it’s a lot of work, but it’s taught me how to live with balance. Being able to inspire others is not something that drives my ego, but it’s good to know that other people—not that they want to run a hundred-mile race or be crazy—but that they are inspired to change their nutrition and that it helps their lifestyle. Worst thing about being a professional distance runner? It’s very hard to make much money in this sport, so it’s hard sometimes to keep everything going. It would be nice to just go out and go for a run and not have to be thinking, all right, I’ve got to do this for x race, or I have to be doing this type of workout—not having the pressure, not having the expectations. It’s nice to be able to unplug from that and just enjoy running for the sheer pleasure of it. Race you will never do again and why? Badwater. I don’t know if it’s healthy to run in 125-, 130-degree-Fahrenheit heat, especially for me trying to push hard and fast, push the limits. That’s one of those races where you don’t feel happy afterwards. It’s one of those special races where you do it for the experience. Worst experience in a race? Every race has a low point. It’s really hard to run one hundred miles or 135 miles and not experience the standard bad experience, but the beauty of it is that you have the opportunity to climb out of the low point and remember how you overcame. I’ve had really low points in Badwater, for instance: I was vomiting, puking my guts out, really having a very difficult time at around seventy-five miles ... and I revived myself, and I think that’s the key. Most gratifying victory? My course record at Western States in 2004 was a huge victory for me. I had been lowering my time year after year, and it was finally my time to set the course record there, so that was definitely one of my favourites. And my three wins at Spartathlon, a gruelling, long race. Last year, in 2008, my PR there was truly a gratifying experience. Number-one training tip for ultras? Listen to your body. When our bodies are hurt, something’s not going right, or we’re having a very difficult time in a race or in training, it’s very important to listen to what your body’s trying to tell you. Being in tune with the body and paying attention to the signals is probably number one. Indispensible training equipment? Obviously, shoes are important; it’s really the only key piece of equipment. The main thing for runners is to make sure that the foot fits properly to the shoes. There’s obviously a lot of talk about barefoot running and minimal footwear today, but it’s very important to make sure that a specialty running shop looks at the runner’s stride and gait and biomechanics and then fits you properly in a pair of shoes. Running seems so simple, but there are some key things about how a shoe should compliment the runner’s biomechanics. So get a proper fit. Best qualities in a running partner? Running is a pretty solitary sport. You can do it on your own, which is part of the reason a lot of people run. But when someone runs with a partner, it’s key that the training partner keeps it fun and motivating. I’ve done a lot of training by myself, but I enjoy running with other people, and at this stage in my career—I’ve been running for fifteen years and racing hard for ultras—I would say it’s key to keep it motivated and have fun, whether it’s a hard workout or just getting out the door a couple times a week. What you always wanted to be when you grew up? Well, I guess I’m still trying to figure that out. I guess I went through these different stages, from a policeman to a doctor to ... I was even thinking of game warden and wildlife management back in my hunting days. The resonating element of what I wanted to be when I grew up was I wanted to assist others. I wanted to teach others. That’s one of the things I do now as a physical therapist today, and as a coach and an athlete, as a public speaker. I really like motivating, inspiring, and teaching people. Favourite food? I used to hate fruits and vegetables—well, not fruit—but hated vegetables. Now, pretty much everything is wonderful. One of my favourite greens is Black Kale, or Dinosaur Kale or Lacinato Kale—those are just different names. And as far as a protein source, I’d have to say tempeh, a fermented soy product that originated in Indonesia. And as far as carbohydrate, I’d have to say quinoa or brown rice. Favourite training food? Usually while I’m training or racing I’ll do energy gels or energy drinks because they’re the simplest. I’m also a big fan of the Clif products. Book or movie you read or watch again and again? The Power of Now. And The Way of the Peaceful Warrior by Dan Millman. As far as movies, gosh, one of my favourites was Breaking Away or American Flyers, as far as cycling, a great story about training. And probably the Billy Mills story, too [gold medallist in the 10,000 metres at the 1964 Summer Olympic Games in Tokyo, the second Native American to win an Olympic gold medal.] I could add that I’ve always admired the story of Steve Prefontaine. He had a lot of character. Ran from his heart. Pure guts. And wasn’t afraid to tell people what he thought. Worst running injury? I’ve had a lot of minor ones, but over the last five months I’ve actually been dealing with plantar fasciitis. I haven’t had anything that held on this long. I’ve had IT Band problems that held on for maybe two months ten years ago, but this plantar fasciitis has been hanging on for about four months. Personal hero? I’d have to say Prefontaine would be my running hero. Gandhi was pretty inspiring, the way he was able to lead by example. Pets? I had a dog named Tonto that I ran a lot with. He passed away, actually. So I’m kinda holding back on the pets right now. What object or item do you always have with you? I had a couple of rings that I used to wear, but that’s about it. What object or item best represents who you are? It used to be my long hair—my ponytail. I cut it off and donated it a couple of times to Locks of Love, a non-profit that makes prosthetic hair—wigs—so I donated about twelve inches a couple of times. Do you collect anything? I have a small collection of pine cones from various places where I’ve run. How do you prepare your mind for a race? I prepare my mind in training and in daily life, but one of the things I like to do is try to get away from everything, whether it’s work or any other commitments, and try to get more focus. The other thing is meditation and yoga; that’s very helpful. What is your favourite chore? I love to cook, and I don’t look at it as a chore as some people do. But I really don’t like to do the dishes, that’s for sure. Flaw? One of my weaknesses is saying “yes” too much and taking on too many things. I need to remind myself that I can’t get everything done—so knowing when to say “when.” Biggest self-indulgence? Like I said, I really enjoy cooking. It’s something that I really put a lot of time into. There are times I come home after a long day at work, and I’m tired after training, and I have to wake up early or I’ve got a bunch of stuff to do, yet I still take out an hour to fix a meal. What would you study if you had unlimited time? I would like to study nutrition and learn more about the power of basic foods and whole foods in their purest form. It’s fascinating, the body, and how it works. Prized possession? I live pretty simply. I try to live in a way where, if I lost everything I had, I wouldn’t feel like I had lost my identity. How is life like an endurance race? There’s always something to be done, always challenges. I’ve learned that you have to meet them head on and press forward. A lot of difficult things happen, but you have to persevere. Keep moving forward. Keep positive. Where do you see yourself in twenty years? Still involved in sport, ultra-running, and running. I won’t be racing (ha ha), but I’ll be finding other ways to give back. I look forward to owning a little bit of land and doing some organic farming, just small scale. Ideally, I’d like to be self-sustaining—just get what I need from a food and energy standpoint, and not be reliant on others. Just have a simple life. Slow down. Next big race? I’m headed over to the Ultra Trails in Mont Blanc, which is a little over one hundred miles around the Mont Blanc Massif. It starts in Chamonix, and then goes through Italy, then Switzerland, and finishes in France. That’s coming up on August 28. Ultimate racing goal? I’d like to break the American record for the twenty-four-hour road. I’d also like see how close I can come to the world’s record. Pretty big record, but I’d like to see how I stack against the best maybe in the next year or two, focus on the twenty-four-hour and get that in. Western States 2009? I was pretty stoked and excited to be back there, but I’m not so sure that I was ready to go back. I had the plantar fasciitis and still had kind of a bug from a bunch of travelling prior. But I was really looking forward to running against some of the guys that I’ve run against before. I dropped out at about halfway. I was like forty-eight miles. It was back on June 27. Western States 2010? Part of me would like to, but I have to look at my schedule. At this point, I’m not sure. What item is always in your refrigerator? I always try to have plenty of fruit and vegetables. Favourite fruit? I like them all. Hours of sleep per night? Between seven and eight, maybe a bit more. Estimated number of miles run each year? I don’t keep track of that. Usually an average of eighty to one hundred miles a week, so take off about six weeks or maybe eight weeks vacation, and calculate. Most memorable thing in Alberta? Besides seeing everyone excited and motivated about their own running, one of the most memorable things was running with Bill Nielsen, and checking out his trails—going out and seeing the trails that he’s built and continues to do, despite his Parkinson’s. That was just great. Would you come back to run in Alberta? Yeah, I want to get up to do the Death Race.
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