Eat and Run: My Unlikely Journey to Ultramarathon Greatness [Hardcover]

I was very much looking forward to the release of this book, but somewhat apprehensive: I was hoping it wouldn't be preachy on the subject of veganism, or full of ego, or about sudden, life-changing transformations... As a (non-ultra) trail runner, I wanted to satiate my fascination about elite trail runners without ruining my image of Scott Jurek as someone who seems to balance kindness and competiveness. I needn't have worried. The book blew me away and only reinforced my positive image. It's a story of life-long transformation, about how little pieces fall into place over the years like clues to a bigger puzzle. He even says in the prologue "I was common as grass, longing for something I couldnt even name" and "The story of my life is going to sound very familiar. Not in the details but in the desire." So very true. I could relate personally in some small way to almost every aspect of his journey, despite the vastly different details between the life of an uber-athlete and that of a jane-doe-midlife-crisis-athlete. It is also about Jurek's extreme dedication to both mental and corporeal training and research, and his enormous desire to win, yet he maintains an air of honest humility throughout. The presentation of chapters is chronological, virtually all defined by the recounting of a specific key race, but there is enough non-linear story-telling and introspection woven within each chapter to make it fun to read. The photos are well-chosen, the recipes sound delicious, the opening-chapter quotes are spot-on, effort goes into mentioning all the books that have influenced him, and the references notes at the end provide the sources for stories he tells about other people and any cited studies or facts. A bit more care could have gone into the editing, and I found the sudden jump from the last line of a chapter into a recipe quite jarring. I think it could have been better separated by a more distinct visual presentation between the two. But these details don't detract from a satisfying reading experience. Highly recommended for any runner of any distance!

Scott Jurek was open and honest about his motivations, his life, his dreams ... and his recipes. I loved getting into this man's mind. What a fascinating person. At the end of each chapter, he has advice, tips and vegan recipes. I have tried 2 of his recipes - the strawberry pancakes and the lentil-mushroom burgers - both were a HUGE hit in my house. (I have 2 young kids, so this was amazing). I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to know about the foundations of ultra marathons and trail running. This guy is the real deal. Oh, and if you're an athlete who's considering trying out a vegan diet - Scott is a huge inspiration for that as well. The man won several 100 Mile races on a vegan diet!!!
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Scott Jurek's guiding ethic, and the title of my review, was very likely given to him by his father at a very young age. His early life was largely marked by a type of adversity that likely prepared him well for the extreme endurance events he would conquer. His upbring and personal life have not been easy, and in this book he definitely comes across as being wide open and honest about it.

I met Scott Jurek briefly at the Seattle Running Company in the summer of 2004. A year earlier, he'd been profiled in a well known running magazine, after winning the Western States 100 mile trail race four years in a row, and while eating a completely plant-based vegan diet. I remember looking at his finishing times that were posted in the magazine, and he just kept getting stronger and faster with every passing year. So in September of 2003, at age 45, I decided I needed to start paying much more attention to the stuff I was eating.

Eat and Run gives some interesting insights into a relatively small group of endurance athletes who somehow feel compelled to run long distances over often very arduous terrain and sometimes through very inhospitable weather conditions. Scott has included recipes and training tips at the end of each chapter.

For another kindred spirit whose tested his physiological and psychological limits while eating only plants, check out [[ASIN:0307952193 Finding Ultra: Rejecting Middle Age, Becoming One of the World's Fittest Men, and Discovering Myself],]

The parallels between Scott Jurek's and Rich Roll's lives are striking.