Eat and Run: My Unlikely Journey to Ultramarathon Greatness

Even if you don't care about ultrarunning or know anything about the sport, Eat & Run can be an entertaining and thought-provoking read. It's more than just a story about a man who has been one of the most dominant ultrarunners in the world for the last decade, it's about a man who seeks to transform himself through dedication to his sport, a conscientious way of living (especially through diet) and searching always for greater insight into himself. Jurek began making a name for himself in the ultrarunning scene in the late 90s, when he first began winning big ultrarunning events. He was featured in Christopher McDougall's bestseller, Born to Run, as he was one of the gringo runners who went up against the now-famous Tarahumara Indian runners in their native land. The book is entertaining as it details all the tribulations individuals go through who engage in extreme sports, who push themselves beyond limits most of us can't cross -- and do it time and again as a way of life. The book, though, is also compelling as biography, and Jurek comes across as an unpretentious guy who comes from simple, working-class roots who had to deal with many challenges early in life (an overbearing father, relative poverty, a mother who was sick from MS) and because of those challenges, became a fierce competitor with a drive that is admirable to say the least. The format is a bit quirky, with chapters about running mixed with recollections about youthful experiences and then random vegan recipes sprinkled throughout. There's also a lot of reflection/introspection, as Jurek melds existentialism with the runner's and vegan's way of life (without being preachy). The fact that Jurek is vegan is initially amazing for what he puts his body through, but it makes sense once you understand that Jurek's whole approach to living is about simplicity and purity. The book was a great read and inspired me to re-think some of my own limitations. I think it could do the same for you.

Biography. I liked this book more than I liked other sports biography books. I felt that this book was very well-written, well referenced, educational, and told some interesting stories about the field and history of ultramarathons. In particular, I felt the book did a really nice job of consistently presenting the author's inner thoughts, goals, feelings, and life story without coming across as being too egotistical, or too self-centered. This made the book much more accessible and enjoyable to read (at least for me). The detailed index with hyperlinks was a very nice touch in the Kindle e-book. There were separate indexes for the recipes and for the general index. The only letdown in the book for me – And I admit it is a minor one – is that given the depth of thoughtfulness in the book, I found the ending to be a bit abrupt. One minute the author finishes a big race, and three paragraphs later the book is over. I was expecting a longer section or closing chapter with a summary of the author's retrospective thoughts on his life and career, what major lessons he learned, what (if anything) he might do differently if he had it to do over again, and what recommendations from his fairly unique life perspective that he might make to the general population of readers. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys good biographies. I think the authors did a really nice job.

The book is a catchy read: easily written with a mix of action, life philosophy and culinary. Hence the five stars - I kept on reading every spare moment of the day I could find. I am an aspiring runner, not ultra- (at least yet), but a daily running amateur. I am also interested in healthy lifestyle, mindfulness and minimalism, hence my interest in Scott's thoughts. That said, as a source of an inspiration to my running and plant-based diet, Scott's book had somewhat of a mixed impact: - running: Scott does inspire to run and enjoy the spiritual side of running. However, his professionalism and devotion to running can be hardly matched by "occasional" runners like me. And since I have not done endurance training from childhood to my late 30s, I can hardly connect to the levels of performance that the book talks about (despite some entry-level advice that the book provides on techniques etc). Therefore at some stage of the book my read changed from admiration-only to admiration mixed with discouragement, because the performance Scott writes about can hardly be matched by someone like me (blame me for lack of self-confidence, though try to run 165 miles in 24 hours). - plant based diet: the book did inspire me to learn more about plant based diets and to actually try it out. I am now going through this fundamental change of lifestyle and am enjoying it quite a bit (with all the daily doubts about my ability to continue). That said, Scott's recipies were overly complicated to me - I am an amateur cook only, thus I like to follow recipies very closely, and I also live outside US/UK, thus products I can find in stores here are quite different from those in Scott's recipies. With this, starting from Scott's recipy 3 onwards I just skimmed them but really paid no attention, thinking that they are quite useless given my skills and products. So overall a great read, hope you enjoy it! Best regards, D.

A fantastic read. I was reluctant to read it at first because, while I am a long-distance runner, I'm a pretty average 5k, 10k, half-marathon, marathon kind of guy. I had recently read Bill Rodgers' and Alberto Salazar's memoirs, and I was gripped by both their personal stories and their descriptions of some of their great marathon victories. While I can't really relate to the mentality of an elite runner who is running to win a race, I have run marathons and can at least understand (and love) the event itself. Ultra-marathons, on the other hand, are completely incomprehensible to me, so I figured that reading an ultra runner's account of his races wouldn't have the same level of interest for me. On the contrary, Scott Jurek, though his humble and forthright account of the personal questions and little demons that drive him, made the event (and the people who run it) come alive for me. It is, I think, a profoundly different mentality, but one that is not entirely alien to me. His childhood, his relationship with his parents, his failing first marriage, his friendship with Dusty, his quest for a deeper meaning in life and in running - they are all part of the at times grueling, at times exhilirating experience of his life. Finding the symmetry between his running and his living makes for exceptionally compelling reading. I was also very much moved by his quest to lead a natural life, through his running and through his eating. I was a vegetarian for several years, then I slipped back into eating meat. Reading Jurek's book made me go back to not eating meat, but more importantly, it helped make me much more conscious of the ethics of how and what we eat. What and how we eat are not just things we do, it's who we are. Scott Jurek makes that point in simple and profound ways in this book, but he always does it with humility. He's not preaching, not proselytizing, not moralizing, just explaining how he has chosen to live his life and why.

Scott Jurek is known for two things, primarily: following a vegan diet, and running (and winning) ultramarathons. So when Scott Jurek writes a book called "Eat and Run: My Unlikely Journey to Ultramarathon Greatness", one should expect all other aspects of Jurek's life rendered erroneous. If you are looking for detailed descriptions of Jurek's relationship with his sarcastic and rebellious best friend, ex-wife, father, mother, or current girlfriend, you will have to wait for his next book. A book which, I might add, will seem completely irrelevant and pointless coming from a man known primarily for being a vegan and running ultramarathons. Conversely, Scott Jurek is not known for being a writer. The writing is simple and often repetitive, like a mantra one might silently chant while fighting inner demons and physical fatigue during a 100+ mile race. A solitary sport, running leaves one plenty of time for contemplation. Jurek revisits the same themes and even the same phrases over and over again, which can lead to some tedious reading. However, the repetition actually helped create a consistent narrative - Jurek's running became the inner and outer representation of his quest to answer the big questions in life. As someone who has been known to pound the pavement from time to time, I can appreciate the mental fortitude required to accomplish even a 3-miler, let alone an ultramarathon. Jurek clearly knows what it means to endure. His stories are genuine and honest, and though he tends to focus on his race victories and underplay the defeats, the victories are the better and more triumphant stories - the ones that recall the power of the human spirit. Plus, Jurek is known for winning, not losing. The vegan recipes and running tips at the end of each chapter remind the reader that the purpose of this novel is not just a narcissistic recount of Jurek's greatness - he also wishes to educate and inspire. Indeed, after reading this book, not only do I have a fresh variety of tasty vegan dishes to mix into the weekly meal routine, but I'm also experiencing a renewed vigor to get out there and log some miles.

Speaking from the standpoint of a person who both loves endurance activities, and embraces a plant-based lifestyle, Scott is a heroic figure. It isn't easy to step away from eating a diet that is not only seen as normal and necessary, but is often associated with the American way of life; our right. Many see those who shun animal products as living a dangerous existence, fraught with inevitable nutritional deficiencies. Others take offense at the implication that what is normal to eat as an American could possibly be leading to the illnesses and ensuing pharmaceutical cascade most in this country will face at some point in their lives. I have been mocked by my family and frequently meet with rolling eyes and impatience when trying to order food at a restaurant. Scott was initially seen by his running colleagues as crazy for giving up animal products; that there was no way he would be able to endure much less thrive with out animal based protein. What Scott figured out, however, is that plants provide not only easily metabolized protein, but didn't put his body through the trauma of having to deal with the inflammation meat and dairy causes--his recovery times actually diminished, he could train more often and longer and his protein intake was not compromised... interestingly, spinach, for instance, and beef have nearly the same percentage (51% and 53% respectively) of their calories as protein. This is a wonderful book. Scott is generous with his insight into running and life in general. He shares some really good recipes (my favorite is his Minnesota Winter Chili) and thoughts about how best to eat and run. Thank you Scott!

I liked the format. It's a bit unique in that it ends chapters with recipes and running tips and while at first I questioned whether they fit in with the story, I found myself looking forward to what recipe ideas he would have next. The training tips were oftentimes thought-provoking and helpful too. I also really enjoyed the story. I like how he weaves his personal story throughout. By providing a context for how he got into running, his family background, and details about himself and his friends, it makes the race reports all the more enjoyable. Being new to ultras myself, I found the race info captivating and motivating. The only constructive criticism I have is that I think the book would have been enriched with additional attention to his struggles along the way. While he does finish the book with some of his tough times and solid introspection, I think the book could have been more well-rounded with more insight into what he was thinking when he didn't do as well or when he dropped out of races. It's clear he's really focused and thoughtful by the way he tells of his victories. Adding more insight into what goes on in his mind when defeated would probably have enriched the story. Overall though, this criticism does not detract from the book but is merely something I was left wanting. I still think it's a 5 star book and one I am quick to recommend.

I am a casual runner at best--my race of choice is a 10K, and I will never be a marathoner, but I'm fascinated by these athletes who push themselves to the absolute limit of human endurance. I read an article about Scott Jurek in Runner's World and picked up his book, wanting to read more about the psychology of ultra-racing and his vegan diet. I found this book to an enjoyable, but uneven read. There were parts of the book that I found engaging--the descriptions of races, for one. When he describes running uphill on mile 100 through the searing Death Valley heat, running through the pain of a sprained ankle, and trying not to pass out from dehydration (or too much hydration), you feel like you're right alongside him in his road crew cheering him on. His sarcastic, pull-no-punches running partner Dusty is a great character, and I enjoyed reading about the way they trained together. He shared some beautiful and poignant moments with his mother, who suffered from multiple sclerosis when he was growing up. Although I'm an omnivore myself, I liked the vegan recipes (and tried some of them) and found the passages on veganism to be interesting, not preachy. I would've liked to have read more about his relationship with his wives, both current and ex--his wife Jenny is only mentioned in passing at the end of the book, and scant mention is made of his first wife Leah. What was her (their?) role in his life and running career? He delves deep into his difficult childhood, and those chapters are some of the best in the book, but doesn't devote much space to his personal relationships as an adult. To me this was a glaring omission. I bought the book to read about the unique mindset of an extreme endurance athlete, and in some passages, Jurek excelled at this. But here and there, he would change gears and speak to the casual runner (e.g., me), or someone who wants to give running a try. There are other books out there which do a much better job of targeting that population and those passages in this book felt thrown in, or added haphazardly. I would've rather have seen that space devoted to ultrarunning.