by Scott Jurek
2006
Copper Canyon Ultramarathon, 2nd place (6:47)
Leona Divide 50-Mile, 3rd place (6:48)
Miwok 100K, 2nd place (8:42)
Badwater Ultramarathon, 1st place (25:41)
McKenzie River Trail Run 50K, 8th place (4:32)
Spartathlon, 1st place (22:52)
2007
Copper Canyon Ultramarathon, 1st place (6:32)
Mad City 100K (USATF 100K Road National Championships), 2nd place (7:32)
Miwok 100K, 5th place (9:04)
McDonald Forest 50K, 14th place (4:40)
Hardrock 100, 1st place (26:08)*
Spartathlon, 1st place (23:12)
2008
Bridle Trails Winter Trail Running Festival 50K, 5th place (4:45)
Way Too Cool 50K, 4th place (3:35)
Chuckanut 50K, 3rd place (4:12)
Miwok 100K, 4th place (8:38)
McDonald Forest 50K, 3rd place (4:13)
Spartathlon, 1st place (22:20)
World of Hurt 50K, 3rd place (4:53)
UltraCentric 24 Hours, 46th place (48.7 miles)
2009
Chuckanut 50K, 11th place (4:25)
White River 50-Mile (USATF Trail National Championships), 4th place (7:13)
Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc, 19th place (26:07)
NorthCoast 24 Hours, 75th place (65.8 miles)
JFK 50-Mile, 11th place (6:31)
2010
IAU-IAAF 24-Hour World Championships, Silver Medal (165.7 miles), U.S. Record
White River 50-Mile (USATF Trail National Championships), 4th place (7:02)
Notes
1. Somebody
Badwater history and course details are from the official race website and the documentary The Distance of Truth, Pageturner Productions, 2008.
Information on ibuprofen’s harmful effects on runners is from an interview with David C. Nieman, Ph.D., director, Human Performance Laboratory, Appalachian State University.
4. “Pain Only Hurts”
The list of the benefits of a plant-based diet is drawn from “Vegetarian Foods: Powerful for Health,” a publication of Physician’s Committee for Responsible Medicine, 2011, and the American Dietetic Association’s “Position Paper on Vegetarian Diets,” July 2009.
7. “Let the Pain Go Out Your Ears”
The figure for average protein consumption is from the study “Current protein intake in America: Analysis of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2003–2004,” by Victor Fugoni, American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, vol. 87, no. 5, 1554S–1557S, May 2008.
The current U.S. recommended daily allowance of protein is from “Dietary Guidelines,” U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services, 2010.
The adverse effects of excess protein consumption is from The New Becoming Vegetarian: The Essential Guide to a Healthy Vegetarian Diet by Vesanto Melina and Brenda Davis, Book Publishing Company, 2003.
Information on the diabetes epidemic comes from “National Diabetes Statistics, 2011,” available online at the National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Evidence linking the three most common causes of death in America to the standard Western diet can be found in The Food Revolution: How Your Diet Can Help Save Your Life and Our World, by John Robbins, Conari Press, 2010, and The China Study: The Most Comprehensive Study of Nutrition Ever Conducted and the Startling Implications for Diet, Weight Loss, and Long-term Health, by T. Colin Campbell, BenBella Books, 2006.
The quote about the appropriateness of vegetarian diets for all stages of the life cycle is taken from the American Dietetic Association’s “Position Paper on Vegetarian Diets,” July 2009.
9. Silent Snow, Secret Snow
Information on the way cows are treated at industrial dairy farms comes from Mad Cowboy: Plain Truth from the Cattle Rancher Who Won’t Eat Meat, by Howard Lyman, Scribner, 2001.
Course details and the history of the Western States Endurance Run were drawn from the official race website, the website of the Tevis Cup, and interviews and correspondence with race cofounder Shannon Weil.
Historical references to the Paiute, Shoshone, and Washoe peoples were sourced from “WA SHE SHU: The Washoe People Past and Present,” a publication of the Washoe Tribe of Nevada and California and the Paiutes of Utah website.
Gordon Ainsleigh’s story comes from “Inventing 100-Mile Trail Racing,” 42K(+) Press, 1998, available online at www.marathonandbeyond.com, and from “Western States 100’s Gordon Ainsleigh,” by Mark Vanderhoff, Reno Gazette-Journal, June 2003.
10. Dangerous Tune
The biographical information on Arthur F. H. Newton was taken from Bunion Derby: The 1928 Footrace Across America, by Charles B. Kastner, University of New Mexico Press, 2007, and C. C. Pyle’s Amazing Foot Race: The True Story of the 1928 Coast-to-Coast Run Across America, by Geoff Williams, Rodale, 2007.
The biographical information on Percy Cerutty was taken from “Cerutty, Percy Wells (1895–1975),” Contemporary Authors, Thomson Gale, 2007, and from the Herb Elliot interview on Radio National on January 5, 2001, a transcript of which is available on www.coolrunning.com.
The biographical information on Chuck Jones comes from an interview with the runner.
The value of emptiness of mind for the warrior is explored in many bushido texts, among them The Book of Five Rings, by Miyamoto Musashi (tr. Thomas Cleary), Shambhala, 2010.
Henry David Thoreau’s famous quote about simplicity comes from Walden.
11. “Are You Peeing?”
The body’s ability to acclimate to heat is discussed in detail in Surviving the Extremes: A Doctor’s Journey to the Limits of Human Endurance, by Kenneth Kamler, St. Martin’s, 2004.
The rate at which a body loses fluid and salt during exercise comes from “Exercise and Fluid Replacement,” Position Paper of the American College of Sports Medicine, 2007.
The discussion of hyponatremia and the challenges of maintaining proper hydration during an ultra is drawn from interviews with Timothy Noakes, M.D., D.Sc., Ph.D. (hon causa), Discovery Health Professor of exercise and sports science, University of Capetown; Robert Lind, M.D., medical adviser to Western States 100, 1974–2006; David C. Nieman, Ph.D, FACSM, director, Human Performance Laboratory, Appalachian State University; and Zachary Landman, M.D., researcher and ultramarathoner.
12. Battling Bug Boy
Biographical details and the quote about running 10,000 miles were taken from an interview with James Shapiro.
The story of the remarkable pilgrimage of the marathon monks comes from The Marathon Monks of Mount Hiei, by John Stevens, Shambhala, 1988.
13. Of Bears and Gazelles
The study showing that vegetarians watch less television, smoke less, and sleep more per night than meat-eaters is the Loma Linda University Adventist Health Study.
Blood type O is described as a “canny, aggressive predator” on Eat Right for Your Type: Official Website, “The Type O Profile.”
Dr. Fredrick Stare’s takedown of the blood type diet comes from The Food Revolution: How Your Diet Can Help Save Your Life and Our World, by John Robbins, Conari Press, 2010.
14. A Hot Mess
The account of Al Arnold’s run comes from “The Road Goes On Forever,” by Bob Wischnia, Marathoner, Spring 1978.
Biographical details of Sri Chinmoy come from his official website and the article “Sri Chinmoy Seeks to Claim a Title: Stunt Man Supreme,” by James T. Areddy, Wall Street Journal, January 13, 1989 (reprinted on www.rickross.com).
Details of the self-transcendence race come from the Sri Chinmoy Marathon Team website, “The 2011 Self-Transcendence 3100 Mile Race.”
Accounts of the Divine Madness group are drawn from the articles “A Running Club Is 100 Miles Outside of the Mainstream,” by Jere Longman, New York Times, July 28, 1997; “Running Like Hell,” by Michael Finkel, Women’s Sports and Fitness, November 1999; and “Ultrarunning: Runner’s Death Places Spo
rt Under Scrutiny,” by Jere Longman, New York Times, March 7, 2004.
The body’s adaptations to altitude are described in Surviving the Extremes: A Doctor’s Journey to the Limits of Human Endurance, by Kenneth Kamler, St. Martin’s, 2004.
The detailed description of the stresses of the ultra, from the loading on bones and muscles to the cascade of stress-related hormones, is culled from interviews with Timothy Noakes, M.D., D.Sc., Ph.D. (hon causa), Discovery Health Professor of exercise and sports science, University of Capetown; Robert Lind, M.D., medical adviser to Western States 100, 1974–2006; David C. Nieman, Ph.D., FACSM, director, Human Performance Laboratory, Appalachian State University; and Zachary Landman, M.D., researcher and ultramarathoner.
15. These Guys Again?
Some of the information regarding Caballo Blanco and Copper Canyon comes from Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen, by Christopher McDougall, Vintage, 2011.
The study demonstrating the dangers of sitting is “Leisure Time Spent Sitting in Relation to Total Mortality in a Prospective Cohort of U.S. Adults,” by Alpa V. Patel, Leslie Bernstein, et al., American Journal of Epidemiology, 2010 doi: 10.1093/aje/kwq155.
16. The Central Governor
A fascinating discussion of VO2 max, lactate threshold, and efficiency in both humans and animals can be found in Why We Run: A Natural History, by Bernd Heinrich, Harper Perennial, 2002.
The central governor theory of neural recruitment is explained in Lore of Running, by Timothy Noakes, M.D., D.Sc., Human Kinetics, 2002. Noakes is Discovery Health Professor of exercise and sports science, University of Capetown.
17. Hunted by the Wasatch Speedgoat
Biographical details of the Skaggs brothers were taken from “Rogue Runners,” by Adam W. Chase, Running Times, June 2009.
Hardrock horror stories come from interviews with past participants, the official Runner’s Manual, and the article “It’s Gonna Suck to Be You,” by Steve Friedman, Outside, July 2001.
The biographical information on Rick Trujillo comes from an interview with the runner.
The biographical information on Laura Vaughan comes from an interview with the runner.
18. In the Footsteps of Pheidippides
Course details and the history of the Spartathlon come from the official race website.
Plutarch refers to the Marathon run in his essay “De gloria Atheniensium,” tr. Frank Cole Babbitt, via Perseus Digital Library, Tufts University. The full quote is as follows: “The news of the battle of Marathon Thersippus of Eroeadae brought back, as Heracleides Ponticus [an earlier historian whose works have been lost] relates; but most historians declare that it was Eucles who ran in full armour, hot from the battle, and, bursting in at the doors of the first men of the State, could only say, ‘Hail! we are victorious!’ and straightway expired.”
The references to Pheidippides in Herodotus’s Histories occur in Book 6, chapters 105–6. We cite the A. D. Godley translation available online via the Perseus Digital Library, Tufts University.
The biographical details of John Foden were taken from the online articles “Irishman Is Co-founder of Spartathlon” on www.ultrarunningireland .com and “John Foden—A Life Devoted to Ultrarunning” on www.ultralegends .com.
Yiannis Kouros’s biography and records were taken from his official website.
Kouros’s definition of ultrarunning is taken from “What Is Ultra-running?,” by Yiannis Kouros, March 2008, downloadable from www.yianniskouros.com.
The myth of the founding of Athens is recounted in Mythology, by Edith Hamilton, Bay Back Books, 1998.
Hippocrates’s quote about food and drink comes from On Ancient Medicine, tr. Francis Adams, via the Internet Classics Archive.
The research on soldiers by Dr. Andy Morgan at Yale Medical School was reported in “Lessons in Survival,” by Ben Sherwood, Newsweek, February 13, 2009.
Dr. Kenneth Kamler’s book about the factors that separate winners from losers in the world’s toughest environments is Surviving the Extremes: A Doctor’s Journey to the Limits of Human Endurance, St. Martin’s, 2004.
19. Lost
The historical background of the 24-hour race was taken from “History of the 24hr Race,” by Andy Milroy, www.ultralegends.com, November 4, 2008.
The importance of the sun in Native American ceremonial running is discussed in Indian Running: Native American History and Tradition, by Peter Nabokov, Ancient City Press, 1987.
20. Secrets of the Dark Wizard
Dean Potter’s biography was taken from “The Aerialist: Dean Potter,” by Matt Samet, Outside, July 2011.
For a discussion of the research linking runner’s high to endorphins and endocannabinoids, see “Phys Ed: What Really Causes Runner’s High,” by Gretchen Reynolds, New York Times, February 16, 2011.
The biographical information on Bill Kee comes from an interview with the runner.
The study about rats running themselves to death is cited in Activity Anorexia: Theory, Research and Treatment, by W. Frank Epling and W. David Pierce, Psychology Press, 1996.
The biographical information on Chuck Jones and his Badwater hallucinations comes from an interview with the runner.
Ann Trason’s quote about the cliff comes from “Catching Up with Ann Trason,” TrailRunner Magazine, January 2009.
Recipe Index
Apple-Cinnamon Granola, [>]–[>]
“Buttery” Omega Popcorn, [>]
Carob Chia Pudding, [>]
Chocolate Adzuki Bars, [>]–[>]
Coco Rizo Cooler, [>]–[>]
8-Grain Strawberry Pancakes, [>]–[>]
Green Power Pre-Workout Drink, [>]–[>]
Hemp Milk, [>]
Holy Moly Guacamole, [>]–[>]
Incan Quin-Wow!, [>]–[>]
Indonesian Cabbage Salad with Red Curry Almond Sauce, [>]–[>]
Kalamata Hummus Trail Wrap, [>]–[>]
Lentil-Mushroom Burgers, [>]–[>]
Long Run Pizza Bread, [>]–[>]
Minnesota Mashed Potatoes, [>]
Minnesota Winter Chili, [>]–[>]
Red Curry Almond Sauce, [>]
Rice Balls (Onigiri), [>]
Rice Milk, [>]
Salsa Verde, [>]
Smoky Chipotle Refried Beans, [>]–[>]
Strawburst Anti-Inflammatory Smoothie, [>]–[>]
Tamari-Lime Tempeh and Brown Rice, [>]–[>]
Western States Trail “Cheese” Spread, [>]–[>]
Xocolatl (SHOCK-o-laht) Energy Balls, [>]
Index
Active Isolated Stretching (AIS) technique, [>]
addiction to running, [>], [>]
addicts, recovering, as ultramarathoners, [>], [>]–[>]
agribusiness/factory farming, [>], [>]
aid stations, [>], [>], [>], [>]. See also pacers and specific races
Ainsleigh, Gordon, [>]–[>]
Allardice, Robert Barclay, [>]
almond butter, [>], [>], [>]
almonds, calcium in, [>]
altitude/high-altitude running
adaptations to, [>]
headaches from, [>]
training for, [>], [>], [>]
American diet, typical, [>]
American Dietetic Association, [>]
On Ancient Medicine (Hippocrates), [>]
Andrea (Morrison’s crew chief), [>]
Angela. See Jurek, Angela (sister), [>], [>]–[>], [>]
Angeles Crest [>], 1998, [>]–[>]
anger, as motivator, [>]
Angle, Justin, [>]–[>]
Anikin, Nikolai and Antonina, [>]
animal, factory-farmed, [>]
animal protein
decision to stop eating, [>]
eating, [>], [>]–[>], [>]
ankle ligament, torn, running on, [>], [>]
Annerino, John, [>]
antibiotics, in farmed animals, [>]
anti-inflammatories, natural, [>]–[>], [>]
<
br /> Apple-Cinnamon Granola, [>]–[>]
Apt, Kirk, [>]
Armstrong, Lance, [>]
arnica, [>]
Arnold, Al, [>]
Arnulfo (Tarahumara runner), [>]–[>], [>]–[>], [>], [>]
Ashland, Wisc., internship, [>]
Athens, Greece
and the first marathon, [>]–[>]
founding, myth about, [>]
Persian Wars, [>]–[>]
Auburn Journal, [>]–[>]
Austin Jarrow store, Duluth, Minn., [>]
Avalanche Café, Silverton, Colo., [>]–[>]
avocado
in guacamole, [>]
in plant-based diets, [>]
in raw diets, [>]
as source of calories, [>]
in Tarahumara diet, [>]
Ayurvedic medicine, [>]
back exercises, [>]
Badwater Ben, [>]
Badwater UltraMarathon (Badwater [>], the Badwater)
