Scott Jurek, MS

Author, “Eat and Run: My Unlikely Journey to Ultramarathon Greatness”

Athlete, named to Runner’s World Top Ten Greatest Runners of All-Time

Master’s degree in Physical Therapy

Throughout the past century, headline-making achievements in the sport of running centered around a few time-honored event types….  The “world’s fastest human” was a description generally awarded to victors in the 100-meter dash, an effort that would be completed in roughly 10 seconds.  The breaking of the “4 minute mile” barrier was celebrated as one of the greatest physical feats of modern times.  The 26.2 mile marathon, a competition tracing back to Greek society of about 2,500 years ago, did indeed find a striking resurgence in interest and prestige.  However, lurking in the faint background of public consciousness was a subculture of running accomplishment that would be incomprehensible to most people in society:  “ultrarunning”, extreme running, involving distances of 100 or 135 or 152 miles or even more.  Scott Jurek has emerged as an extraordinary champion in this daunting field, and was named by Runner’s World as one of the Top Ten Greatest Runners of All-Time.

Scott completed a graduate degree in physical therapy, and prior to that time was already training as a competitive runner.  He had been finding great frustration in being unable to make the leap from second-place to first-place finishes, but suddenly had a realization that spanned medicine and athletics.  During an internship he became convinced that injured or debilitated physical therapy patients must be hampered in their recovery progress by the horrendous quality of hospital food they were given….  but then, surely, an abysmal diet must similarly be hampering the training improvements of athletes!  Over a 3-year period, he steadily removed refined and animal-based foods from his diet in favor of plant-based whole foods, gradually experienced surprising improvements in overall health, and started winning 50-mile road races.  In the year, 1999, when he became completely vegan, he won the Western States 100 Mile Endurance Run for the first of an unimaginable seven consecutive times.  A truly incomparable athletic career was in full swing.

Scott holds a number of notable records such as the Appalachian Trail Speed Record of 46 days, 8 hours, and 7 minutes (for 2,189 miles), and the U.S. record of 165.7 miles for 24-hour road run.  He has been named National Geographic Adventurer of the Year, one of the Men’s Health 100 Fittest Men of All Time, and four times UltraRunning Magazine’s Ultrarunner of the Year.  He has been a worthy ambassador for running sports, via his sportsmanship and gracious conduct, encouraging the efforts and accomplishments of all persons regardless of skill level.  He is the author of the best-selling book “Eat and Run:  My Unlikely Journey to Ultramarathon Greatness”.  As a speaker, author and exemplar, he emphasizes the remarkable capacity of people of all fitness levels to heal and to make step-by-step progress toward ever greater physical functionality….  and he extols the enormous contributions a whole food plant-based diet can make toward overall health, or to athletic performance and recovery.

P-POD is holding a 2017 pre-conference run in Diné/Navajo country, and we are delighted that Scott has agreed to co-lead it!  See below….

We’re very excited to announce an optional extra pre-conference event, free to P-POD registrants:  On Weds. May 17, starting 5:30 or 5:45 pm (subject to slight change), in the Navajo Nation about 36 miles from Albuquerque, a noncompetitive group RUN/walk (5K run, 1 mile walk options) will be led by Scott Jurek (named by Runners World as one of the 10 greatest runners of all time) and Jonathan Nez (Vice President of the Navajo Nation)….  who will, by the way, be our 1st two speakers at conference opening on Thursday.  Buses will load up near P-POD’s university conference site around 4 pm.  A plant-based natural foods dinner will be provided around 7 or 7:30 pm at the run site, and buses will load up for the return trip after that.  Driving directions for those not choosing bus travel, will be provided to registrants.

Free pre-registration for the run/walk is required SEPARATELY from P-POD conference registration, and is being handled by our co-sponsor PCRM at:
www.pcrm.org/may17registration