Book Review: Eat & Run: My Unlikely Journey to Ultramarathon Greatness by Scott Jurek with Steve Friedman

Scott Jurek is one of the most renowned ultramarathoners in the business. He has been featured in Born to Run by Christopher McDougall and The 4-Hour Body by Tim Ferriss. His debut novel, Eat & Run, is a New York Times bestseller and explores the sources of motivation for ultra-distances as well as the plant-based diet that fuels him to victory.

Jurek goes into great detail as he describes the determination and satisfaction that he achieves through pushing his body to its athletic and mental limits. Jurek began his career as a cross country skier in rural Minnesota and used running as training device for his skiing career. Eventually he competed in his first 50k and was hooked. A major source of inspiration for Jurek is his mother. She suffered from multiple sclerosis dating from his early childhood and was unable to walk to the family pew in church let alone run. Jurek runs for her because she was unable to. He also runs for the inner peace he experiences during the grueling workouts and races he completes. Running is an escape from the suffering of his mother, his failed marriage, and his friendships that have been lost and weakened. For Jurek, a sufferer of childhood high blood pressure, the peace he finds in running has been his salvation both mentally and physically.

Eat & Run is a strong promoter of a plant-based, vegan, diet. Jurek first began experimenting with a plant-based diet while in college. He quickly realized that he felt better and recovered faster when he eliminated meat and animal byproducts from his diet. At the end of each chapter, Jurek has included one of his personal recipes to help others on the path to a vegan lifestyle. While Jurek mills some of his own flour and makes his own rice and almond milk, this is not necessary for the average reader to make use of his recipes. Most of the ingredients can be found at a local health food store, and I am looking forward to trying out some of his meals and snacks.

Scott Jurek is the first to admit that he is not the fastest or most naturally talented runner, but he trains hard, and he trains smart. He also has incredible focus and determination. He gives credit to his friends, biological family, and his racing family. He makes the claim that his plant-based diet has allowed him to reach his running potential and that his rugged determination keeps him competing when most people would call it quits. The combination has led him to become one of the most successful modern ulramarathoners.

While not all of Jurek's advice is applicable to my own life, I am interested in trying out some of his recipes. I also found his training regimen to be something to aspire to. I would love to get to the point where I could complete 10 mile runs multiple times per week. Jurek also discusses proper running form, and I am hoping to use some of his advice to improve my own form and thus endurance.  -Brianna

For the Love of Running

I run because I'm a glutton for punishment. Because if I'm comfortable in life, I have to make myself uncomfortable. I have to be digging out of something or digging deep for something else. I like running trails for all the other reasons runners like to run: solitude, freedom from cell phones and computers and stop lights and coffee shops, and cars, and politics and so on, exploring, adventure, camaraderie. I run to push my body to the breaking point and beyond, just to get up and do it again. I love trail/ultra running because in the woods or desert, I can hear my body, my heart beating, my chest rising. I can feel my blood pumping and taste mud and trees and clean air. I can see a sunrise or sunset, that no one else sees. You can't get that on a three mile run in the park. I'm not the most eloquent or entertaining writer so I will steel a quote from Theodore Roosevelt. I believe this says it all: 

It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.

Every time I run a race or get off the couch to do a long run I feel as though I might actually be living up to Mr. Roosevelt's "man in the Arena." Running allows me to be a participant in life not a spectator.

Oh and by the way, a big thank you to trailandultrarunning.com and Ultimate Direction for the inspiration and motivation to reflect on why I love running and the people who support all of us running fools.

After running on the Hilso Trail System in McGaffey, NM

 

6 am run on the High Desert Trail in Gallup, NM

On a long run- High Desert Trail

Finishing a long run on the High Desert Trail

Training Report Week of 9/15/2013

We did a twelve mile trail run on Sunday with some friends. Bri felt good and finished with a 10 minute mile average. I on the other hand had to stop and walk at mile 11. I felt like shit. Worst run in a long time.
Knees hurt, back was killing me (I have a herniated disc that I'm trying to rehab). I ended on a slow run but I finished with a 10:50 average pace. We are training for the Squash Blossom Half Marathon Trail Run on the 29th, so I took the whole week off from running. I went to the gym every day and just worked legs and lower back. Today was the first day in a while I woke without back/knee pain. Probably go for a short slow run tomorrow to finish off the week.

Book Review: Never Wipe Your Ass with a Squirrel by Jason Robillard

I just finished reading this really entertaining and educational book by Jason Robillard, author of The Barefoot Running Book (Plume 2012). It's a no-bullshit approach to introducing ultra-trail running to the trail running novice. It contains a lot of good information, mostly from Jason's own experiences and experimentation. The book covers everything from trail running nutrition to how to shave your balls (seriously). There are sections of the book dedicated to the nuances of selecting pacers and some of the problems that might arise while running a 100 miler.  One of the major take-home points for me was covered in a section about a 34 mile training run that Jason and his friend Jesse went on. Essentially, he explains a method of training called "speed-up when tired." In these sessions, when he was tired and felt like walking, he didn't. Instead he sped-up to a sprint for a short distance, then resumed his normal pace. He claims that your body actually adjusts better to this than if you start walking for a period, then resume running.  I'm gonna try it on my next long run. In all, I would recommend this book to anyone who is thinking about running their first ultra, there is a lot of information in the book that only an experienced runner would be able to explain. Additionally, I have to recommend this book simply based on the fact that he is a fellow Michigander. You can find the book on Amazon for around 13 bucks (new). Buy it here!

-Matt

Brooks Cascadia 7 Review

Over the next few weeks I will be reviewing the Brooks Cascadia 7. I've only logged 4 miles so far, so it's a little too early to tell, but I found them to be light and comfortable. I normally run in Salomon XR Mission trail shoes which are great, but they are wearing out so, I'm looking for a new shoe.  The Cascadias weigh in right around 12 oz (I'm a size 9.5 US) and the Missions weigh about 11.5 oz, so there isn't much difference in weight. The Missions have a 10mm  drop (20mm heal and 10mm toe) and the Cascadias have a 12mm drop (22mm heal and 10 mm toe). The 2mm difference was not noticeable on the first run and I don't think I will notice it.  The first run in the Cascadias was on a rocky dirt road, so they haven't made the trail yet. I'll be running the trail later this week so I should have some more to say after that.  -Matt

Update: I have put another 25 miles on the shoes now and love them so far. Just ran a half marathon trail run and didn't have any problems. No blisters or hot spots. I did have some problems with the laces coming untied during some training runs, but a good double knot has fixed the problem.  I do have to say that I like the Salomon lace systems better and may "upgrade" the laces at a later date.