Major Davy Godfrey contacted me in June 2010 to participate in an event he was organizing to commemorate September 11th and Wounded Warriors. At the time, I was disappointed that it wasn’t going to fit in with my travel and racing schedule already planned in Europe. It only took me a day to realize that I needed to make this fit into my schedule no matter what.

I wanted to show support for all the men and women who had spent years on deployment in the Middle East and the sacrifices they had made. I also knew of the many wounded and fallen soldiers and the incredible loss endured by family and friends.

I found myself on a plane headed to Kuwait City and Camp Arifjan on a USO tour. Each day I visited two to three camps, some in remote areas near the Iraq border and others on the coast where the Kuwait Naval base was located.

Signing autographs at Camp Burien

Giving a slideshow at Camp Arifjan

Sharing pictures of training and racing at Kuwait Naval Base

Sharing and listening to stories from the soldiers at Camp Virginia

This gear makes UTMB and Badwater seem like cakewalks!

Behind the wheel of a transporter vehicle that is used to haul equipment out of Iraq

Colonel Donnie Walker gives a pre-race memorial address

5:00am race start, over 1,600 strong including high ranking generals such as Gen Dowd

Sunrise finish line sprint on the Camp Arifjan track

MSG Herron and CPT Olson race to the finish

Running in with the final finisher as the sun gets ready to crank the temp up to 120 degrees by afternoon!

Top finishers of the 9.11K. Check out the prizes they won. Better than the awards at ultras!

Signing the 9/11 Memorial Poster

I would like to send a big thank you to Maj. Davy Godfrey, Maj. Larry Seward, Col. Donnie Walker, USO, commanders of the First Sustainment Brigade, and all those that made my USO Tour an unforgettable experience. A special thanks to all those soldiers who shared some time with me or ran a few footsteps.

Maj. Davey Godfrey put on a memorable event. Thank you to for your efforts and to all the amazing volunteers!

Major Davey Godfrey and I on a farewell Kuwait run. At 7:00am it was already 100 degrees!

Maj. Larry Seward an avid ultramarathoner, played a major role in making the 9-11 Run happen.

I’ve raced all over the world and these were some of the toughest runners I have met. For all those stationed overseas or in the States, thank you for your service. Keep running and walking those miles safely wherever you might be. I look forward to seeing you back home on the trails and roads soon!

To read more about the event and my experience see articles in Army Times and Running Times.

Photo Credits: 1st Sustainment Brigade, Maj. Larry Seward

2007 UTMB Start

2007
Less than six weeks following a win and course record at the Hardrock Hundred I found myself on the start line of UTMB. I was also six weeks status post a sprained ankle. I hadn’t run a step for two weeks after Hardrock and the ankle would still become swollen following just a couple long runs that I was able to sneak in over the last month before UTMB. I was hoping my conditioning from Hardrock would carry over.

Hal Koerner and Karl Meltzer were the top US runners that would be joining in on the action. Kim and Topher Gaylord were a big help in providing information before the race and they gave us a tour on a 10 mile section of the course. The magnitude of the Alps was staggering. Even though I had just spent a month training in the San Juan range of Colorado before Hardrock, the peaks surrounding Mt Blanc sung a tune that bellowed a harsh ruggedness, while at the same time echoing sheer beauty. This was mountain trail running at it’s finest.

An electrifying energy went through my body while standing on the start line with over two thousand other competitors and thousands of spectators. It was unlike any start line I had been on. I was sold on the race before the gun went off. That energy continued throughout the course as we made our way through towns, villages and even remote sections where hundreds to thousands of screaming spectators shook racers with their “Allez, Allez!” cries. The UTMB was the Tour de France of 100 mile mountain ultramarathons.

While there was a lot of chatter during and after the race that we Americanos were complaining of rule breaking, I chalked it up as differences in European trail racing and interpretation of rules. The main reason I dropped at Courmayeur halfway into the race was due to my ankle. The time needed to recover from running a 100 miles of the Hardrock course on a freshly sprained ankle was very evident 50 miles in.

Ascending the Grand col Ferret, 2008 UTMB

2008
This season started off well for me. I had PR’d in a bunch of shorter races earlier in the year and I specifically didn’t do another 100 miler before UTMB. I knew I was going to follow it up with Spartathlon and spend much of the summer in Europe.

Since I’d only seen 50 miles of it the year prior, I decided it would be key to see the rest of the course. Within a couple days of landing in Europe and a month before UTMB, I set out to run the entire 105 mile course over three days with Topher Gaylord, Sebastian Chagnieau and some Italian friends. Then I figured I should learn it from the French. So within 12 hours of finishing the three day tour, I set off to run it in four days with Team Lafuma including Julien Chorier, Karine Herry and Antoine Guillon. I ran over 200 miles with 60,000’ of elevation gain and 60,000’ of descent in one week. It was the most mileage and vertical I had ever run in a seven day period. On the last day, I developed patella femoral pain which sidelined me for the next ten days. I did everything to rehab it and recover, but on race day after spending a lot of time in second and third place behind Kilian Jornet and Julien, the same knee began to let me know that it wasn’t liking the descent down into La Fouly. By mile 75 at Champex Lac the knee pain was aggravated to the point that I couldn’t run down hill, so I dropped in order to avoid further damage to my knee. I had definitely learned the course, but I had also learned where my training limits were. Running around Mt Blanc twice in one week was a bit much.

Putting down some fuel on the descent into La Fouly, SWITZ, UTMB 2008

2009
I started running well, feeling like it was going to be my year. While running in the top ten over the Col de la Seigne I got lost in the fog with several other top runners including Vincent Delebarre and Julien Chorier. Once back on course I decided to make up lost ground and moved into the top three. I later paid for this strong push around mile 60, following the Arnuva aid station. I started developing stomach discomfort and nausea. Evidently I had not drank enough during the surge and I could hardly eat anything for over 20 miles. I spent a lot of time walking and trying to get my stomach back under control. Despite my stomach problems I had made up my mind that I was going to finish no matter what. It took me over 26 hours and I ended up in 18th place. When the announcer handed me the microphone after I crossed the finish line, the first thing I said was “I am proud to be in the UTMB finisher family.”

A proud UTMB finisher, 2009

2010
After training in Boulder, Colorado for two months I felt like I was in the best shape I had ever been for UTMB and was ready to finally make things happen. However, mother nature had other plans unleashing a two day storm that wreaked havoc on the race course including landslides that washed out access roads to aid stations. I had never been in a race before that was cancelled mid race. At 30K the race was discontinued. The race directors made a very difficult decision to ensure the safety of all runners. The cancellation left many people heartbroken and would change the race organization’s operating plan for future events.

2010 UTMB start around the first bend

Course UTMB Arretee Definitivement Aux Les Contamines

2010 UTMB Disappointment

2011
Again this year I came prepared, having moved to Boulder in the fall and saving my racing energy for UTMB. In many ways it seemed like the weather might repeat it’s 2010 performance and thus the race was delayed five hours to 11:30pm. As we toed the line, a steady rain fell, but a bright light in the gloomy weather was getting a hug and kiss from my friend Jacqueline Schweizer. Earlier this year, Jacqueline lost her husband Werner to cancer. Werner was a UTMB and an ultramarathon legend having run all the editions of the UTMB, including one while fighting cancer at 70 years of age. He also set the Western States 100 Mile Endurance Run 60 year old age division record twice.

Werner and his never give up spirit

A late and wet start for 2011

Just 10K into the race a severe pain in my left quad appeared. Soon after, both legs felt very fatigued as if I had run 120K on them. I’m not sure what caused it, maybe it was the cold wet weather. It was very strange. I decided to ignore it and continued running although it became evident I wasn’t able to keep a consistent pace, especially on down hills. I dropped out at Courmayeur because things had gotten progressively worse. Thus concludes my third DNF.

Trying to get my legs back at Courmayeur, 2011

So the big question is, why have I gotten shut down at UTMB for the last half decade? I don’t know, there are a lot of US race courses that are just as hard, if not harder. I think it is partly coincidence and partly the fact that the UTMB course doesn’t allow for errors. If something goes wrong, the severity of the course only exacerbates the problems. I think I have trained adequately for the terrain of UTMB and the specifics of the course. There could be other factors such as the late start time, weather, travel, but I don’t think those are reasons that I have not done well. It’s a mystery to me, I’m not sure I know the answer. Ultramarathoning is not about luck, I just haven’t been able to pull everything together the last weekend in August.

A few Americano dropouts cheering on finishers

A happy Hal Koerner gets his first UTMB finish

People always ask me why I keep going back? Michel and Catherine Poletti had a vision and through their untiring efforts have created an event that has become the premiere 100 mile mountain race of the world. From the race organization to the high level of competition that arrives every year, the Polettis have made the UTMB a must do event for anyone serious about trail ultramarathons.

A smiling Catherine Poletti before UTMB 2010

RD Michel Poletti post 2010 race festivities

A big part of what makes this a special event for me is the people involved and the friends I’ve made along the flanks of Mt Blanc. One of the highlights of UTMB is getting to see my good friend Giacomo who runs the Col Checrouit aid station at his high mountain refugio La Maison Vieille. Many years I have enjoyed a delicious Italian vegan meal while stopping by on a training run. If you are ever on the course during training or trekking it is a must stop. Giacomo’s delicious food and booming laughter will fuel you for the miles that lie ahead.

Two of my favorite personalities unfortunately are no longer cruising the UTMB course. Giorgio Simonetti and Werner Schweizer have taken to unknown trails and I feel very fortunate to have gotten to know these mountain souls. Giorgio was one of the founders of the Courmayeur Trailers club and a pioneer of the TMB trail. Both men embodied the spirit of the mountains and had a zeal for living life to the fullest into their golden years. Thank you Werner and Giorgio for inspiring me to climb higher and run longer. Allez, allez, my friends, your spirits live on!

Giorgio at the startline of Marathon Des Sables

Werner crushing it in the Alps

Giorgio larger than life in his memorial poster

Will I come back? As much as I love the race I feel that I might need a break from this quest. Thank you to all who followed me and offered your encouragement over the years. It is so wonderful to have your support.

Always one to mix things up, I’m trading the trails for the track and honing the skill of overcoming the highs and lows, not of mountain passes but of my own mind. The below photo will give an indication of what’s up next for me. The 2011 season isn’t done yet!

Next up: Soochow 24-Hour Invitational in December.

The brand new Chamonix track, and I thought my track had a great view

“Snow. Sun. Sandstone. Sky. He was doing what he liked and knew. It was now. And this now had no pressure, just permission.” -James Galvin

This weekend called for some wandering with Nick Clark and Joe Grant, high in Comanche Peak Wilderness and Rocky Mountain National Park. Nick gave us an off-trail tour of his turf with a hearty promise to bag a bunch of peaks in the Mummy Range. He definitely followed through, providing a 30 mile journey (over 1/3 off-trail) with over 8,000 feet of gain.

It was a spectacular day to explore the high country. While temperatures loomed in the upper nineties in Fort Collins and Boulder, we enjoyed pleasant 80 degree temps with hardly a cloud in the sky. The daily monsoons decided not pay a visit in the afternoon, and we were thankful as we made a few navigational errors along the way.

My knee cap decided to do battle with a rocky meadow, and the rock decisively won. Sometimes we don’t get to choose the landing of our falls. Need to get my severely bruised patella healed so I can keep up my UTMB training and continue to enjoy the short high mountain wandering season.

Map of the route

Joe making his way to top of Signal Mtn with Mummy Range looming

Atop Signal Mtn with South Signal Mtn and "the Mummies" on the far horizon

Nick wielding the summit log pen on Signal Mtn

Frogger loving the morning light on Signal Mtn

Another view of South Signal and Mummy Range, mtn running at it's finest!

Enjoying the sunrise on Signal Mtn

Descending an old unmaintained trail to the Stormy Peaks

Nick getting a lay of the land on the Stormy Pks Trail

Consulting the map on Stormy Pks Trail in Rocky Mtn National Park

Stormy Pks on the way to Stormy Pass, a wildflower run.

Nick getting a foot on the summit rock

Tagging a rocky summit in the Stormy Mtns. Photo: J. Grant

High on the ridge line of the Stormy Peaks

Rowe Mtn watches as we follow the spine of Sugarloaf Mtn to Icefield Pass

Off trail lunch of homemade ume musubi and sporting some good blood from earlier rock encounter

Leaving Stormy Peaks Pass for a long off trail journey

An icy Rowe Glacier fills the lake. Frogger watches icebergs while Nick navigates.

Rock bounding up towards Rowe Pk with Hagues Pk in background

Rock pile descent off Rowe Mtn in RMNP

Rocks & more rocks, Nick and Joe embracing the descent of Sugarloaf Mtn

Looking for the Mummy Pass Trail in RMNP. Photo: J. Grant

Trail at last! Mummy Pass Trail in RMNP on W. side of Mummy Pass

The road home and where we once were, Mummy Range

B & W photos courtesy of Joe “Frogger” Grant

1/13 Boulder Trail Runners Dinner Boulder, CO
1/15 Ponderous Posterior Fat Ass 50K Colorado Springs, CO
1/19-22 Outdoor Retailer Winter Market Salt Lake City, UT
1/20 Rowland Hall Middle School Salt Lake City, UT
2/5 Rocky Raccoon 100 Huntsville, TX
2/11-13 Rock & Roll Mardi Gras Marathon New Orleans, LA
2/18 Running Wild Event Boulder, CO
2/25-27 Tokyo Marathon Tokyo, JAPAN
3/11-13 Natural Products Expo West Anaheim, CA
3/19 Chuckanut 50K Bellingham, WA
4/1 Born To Run Cabaret Chicago, IL
4/7-9 Entertainment Gathering Conference Monterey, CA
4/14 Denver Flagship REI Presentation Denver, CO
4/16 Fruita Trail Running Festival 50M Fruita, CO
4/22-23 JackRabbit Running Show New York City, NY
5/7 Miwok 100K Sausilito, CA
6/26 IAU 24-Hour World Champs Brugg, SWITZERLAND
7/30 White River 50 Miler Crystal Mountain, WA
8/4-7 Outdoor Retailer Summer Market Salt Lake City, UT
8/26 Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc Chamonix, FRANCE
12/4 Rock & Roll Las Vegas Marathon Las Vegas, NV

You can follow the race live here:

My crew will be doing updates whenever possible on Twitter: @scottjurek

Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc LIVE Page: UTMB LIVE

Ultrafondus Live Page (will have live info and video in French & English): Ultrafondus

My race number (dosier in French): 19

For pre-race interviews with some of the top competitors, check out iRunFar.

I relocated to Boulder, CO for the past two months to get my sea-level lungs ready for the oxygen deprived air in the Alps. Tony Krupicka has been a regular sidekick for high altitude exploits. It has been a pleasure sharing time on and off the trail with this great athlete.

Not only is he a phenomenal runner, but he’s also an exceptional writer and you can browse photos and read about our adventures on his blog.

I also had the pleasure of hanging out with Kilian Jornet. I made him lunch (he’s mostly vegetarian) and taught him how to slackline, which he was quite good at on his first try!

At the end of July, I headed back to Seattle for an all time favorite race, the White River 50 Mile Trail Championships. I shaved 11 minutes off my PR and came in 4th amongst a deep field – a good that sign that the Boulder training is working!

It was great to see friends like RD Scott McCoubrey who puts on a fantastic race year after year.

Congrats to the winners Tony and Meghan!

A few days later I went to Outdoor Retailer in Salt Lake City with Brooks Sports where we unveiled the new Cascadia 6 which will be released spring ’11! I participated in the Uphill Challenge against Jared Campbell. Fun stuff, though to be honest, I prefer trails to treadmills.

One of the downsides of doing the Uphill Challenge is being a sweaty mess for the rest of the day. However it didn’t dissuade this “monkey” from talking to me.

Alex Honnold is one crazy mofo climber and is training to run his first ultra this fall. I watched his short film, “Alone on the Wall,” last year and was inspired by his mental fortitude while doing the first ever ropeless climb of Yosemite’s sheer 2000 ft wall of Half Dome. I highly recommend watching the series, “First Ascent,” made by my talented friends at Sender Films.

After the tradeshow, I traveled to France and immediately spent four days fast-packing around Mont Blanc for a little course recon, sleeping up high in the refugios.

Upon my return, I got my chef on by making vegan Thai Red and Green curry for 50+ people at an outdoor dinner sponsored by Brooks Sports France. Mount Banc and the mountains looking over Chamonix made for an incredible backdrop!

I spent the last few days relaxing, making final preps for my race, and getting the gear dialed for the “big loop.” Big thanks to my fun and hard working crew!

Congrats and thank you to UTMB RD Catherine Poletti for all the incredible work and energy she and her husband Michel put into making this the world’s best 100 mile event!

Feeling ready to go like I never have been before for UTMB! Merci pour votre support!

“You never know how strong you are, until being strong is the only choice you have.” -unknown

I am in Brive-la-Gaillarde, France watching the foreboding dark sky make lakes in the hotel parking lot. It is two days before the IAU World 24 Hour Championships where I will be taking a third crack at the classic and grueling 24-Hour ultramarathon event.

As I watch the large drops pelt the ground, I prepare my mind for what it will be asking my body to do in less than 48 hours. Of course the obvious question is “why?” Or at least that is what most people ask. Running around a 0.7 mile loop for 24 hours is hard even for an avid runner to comprehend. If you ask ultrarunners and those who follow my running career you would get a slew of answers. Some would say “He’s got to show us he still has it.” “He’s in a slump.” “He hasn’t won a major race since ’08.” “He’s gotta keep winning, keep inspiring.” or “Is he still running from something?”

Although those questions I shrug off, the thoughts that do go through my head are the recent loss of my mother and how I will run in memory of her. When the discomfort and fatigue become unbearable I will run because I can.

But the reasons go deeper than that. On the surface I have always had both intrigue and distaste for the 24 Hour ultra discipline. It is very similar to other ultramarathon events. The requirements on the body, mind, and soul to “go beyond” are really no different. But there appears to be something that puts a different twist on what I normally have come to expect in an ultra. Like James Shapiro, the 24 Hour “seemed like the perfect tool to pry me open and see what I am made of.”

Take away the mountain passes and wildflowers, take away the point to point course and goal of a destination, and I am left with a 0.7 mile path and the movement of my feet.

I have the utmost respect for my buddy Mark Godale’s eleven year old US 24 Hour Road record of 162 miles and the legendary Yannis Kouros’ world record of 180 miles. Following my winning performances at the Spartathlon, I started to think that I might have what it would take to break Godale’s inspiring record. Even though I preferred to head to the mountains, the US 24 Hour Road Record remained on my checklist and possessed an element of intrigue despite having raced ultras for sixteen years. It was the one way to see how I stacked up against the legends of the sport.

After pulling the plug at the Ultracentric 24 Hour in 2008 due to a non record breaking course and the Northcoast 24 Hour in 2009 due to not being recovered from the Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc, I decided that the 2010 IAU World 24 Hour Championships in Brive-la-Gaillarde, France would be the place to fully embrace the challenge of the 24- Hour.

2010 24-Hour World Champs Team USA

Opening Ceremonies & Parade down the streets Brive-la-Gaillarde

The 1.25 km (0.78 mile) course of pavement and dirt was full of tight “Formula One” turns.

We line up in the city center and as we wind through town a Spaniard is leading the pack. My pace starts out a little bit fast before I get into a rhythm which is hard to do with 229 starters bunched up in groups around the course. I feel light and fast on my feet, and wonder if the Brooks Green Silence would be too little shoe for the mileage that lay ahead.

And they are off! Allez! Allez!

The first three hours go smoothly, clicking along at a 7:00/mile pace. Lee Dong Mun of South Korea blows by me around the marathon mark along with Shingo Inoue of Japan a few laps later. The course twists and turns over a mix of pavement and hard packed dirt with two hills that add up to 10 feet of elevation gain per 1.25 km lap. Not the perfect world record course, but one that will poke and prod us along like voodoo dolls.

Lee Dong Mun of South Korea and lead pack a few K's in.

I decide to hold off on music for the first eight hours, saving it as a special treat when the night will set in. The next six hours becomes a schedule of eating, drinking and running. I pass through the mat and timing building, 6:15, 6:20, 6:15, and lap by lap it goes on. Darkness sets in and I put the tunes on. The music takes the edge off the pain and the repetitive cycle I have put myself in. Shingo holds a couple lap lead, and I let him go. Maybe he will crack and a lot of race is left. I will run my race.

'Round the corner...

Traffic was heavy at times, but provided company.

By 12 hours, I curse the monotony, but I knew that this would be part of the journey. I am reminded of what my yoga instructor “Big Bill” says with booming certainty as I struggle to hold a pose, “This is what you came for.”

As the night hours wear on I feel an electric energy when I run by dancing and partying spectators cheering on runners in the timing building and outside along the parking lot, and from the locals imbibing at the pub adjacent to the course, yelling enthusiastic encouragement and occasionally drunken jeers. At other times a stillness and loneliness exists on the far reaches of the course with only the sound of the river massaging the rocks, the wind combing the leaves of the trees, and the birds welcoming a new day.

Eating on the run...warm noodle soup.

More running, eating, drinking goes on as my laps slow. I continue to run with no walking for 16 hours. I don’t puke, roll on the ground in pain, nor have to leap over rattlesnakes (although I make 6 trips to the bathroom). But I face the hardest mental and spiritual challenge in my career. There are times when I don’t even notice what music is playing on my iPod, what my crew says to me as I run by, or what the other runners say as I pass them in the predawn hours. The great Kouros has described being out of his body and looking down at it while churning out his record performances. I don’t know if I see my body, but I seem to be somewhere else.

Sometimes my senses are so attune to taste, smell, touch, and sounds, while other times I am totally immune to what information they try to bring in. In some ways this is better. A certain comfort exists in not knowing what my body is sensing.

If the other ultramarathon events require razor sharp focus, the 24-Hour requires laser sharp focus that is almost supernatural, not manmade. The Samauri called it “Bushido” and yogis refer to it as “Sankalpa.” I summon my bushido and sankalpa and hunker down in a rhythm that will propel me into the morning light. The darkness is lonely, but I trust in the light ahead. I keep repeating, “This is what you came for. This is what you came for…”

I think of my mother who had almost every voluntary function of her body stripped away at the prime of her life. She never complained and even on her last day as I held her and saw the fear of death in her eyes she whispered “I’m tough.” My mother inspires me to live in the moment, and find joy in the challenging times. And so I press on.

As the dawn approaches and the sun rising, I know I am still on pace to break the American record with a little cushion. Team USA coach Mike Spindler does a great job of giving me splits and lap counts the last five hours. As I come closer the record, the announcer keeps the growing crowd of spectators updated on my progress as I approach the 162 mile mark. Even other runners are now yielding to let me pass as they cheer “Allez, Go Scott! U-S-A!”

As I pass through the aid tent on the record breaking lap, Team USA coach Roy Pirrung hands me an American flag which I proudly hold overhead as I cross the mat making it official. I feel honored to be running for my country. In the final hour with the clock winding down, several runners are hoisting their national flags as proud representatives of this world class event.

Record lap, running for the red, white and blue.

My crew runs out to cheer for me on my final lap. When the clock hits 10:00 am Friday morning, an official is there to mark my final distance on the course. In some ways, it is anticlimactic because everybody doesn’t cross a common finish line. But there is still something special about making it to each of our own final finishing marks. My mark is 165.7 miles and it is an incredible feeling to finally arrive.

Down to the final seconds...

Celebrating the American Record!

Where it all stops, 165.7 miles.

In the 24-Hour there is no finish line, just a moment in time when the mind will let the body stop. Just like all ultras the 24-Hour is analogous to life. In life there is no finish line. We all need to keep living, exploring, moving forward, despite what life delivers, to the moment in time when our body and mind let go.

Turns out Shingo was on a mission of his own. He broke the Japanese 24-Hour record by a mere 300 meters. The third place finisher, Ivan Cudin also broke the Italian national record, making the top three men new national record holders. Anne Cecille took gold and set an astounding French national record of 149 miles, just missing the world record.

The Brooks Green Silence go the distance.

A big congratulations to Shingo!

Podium time. Scott, Shingo, & Ivan

Team USA men placed third for the bronze medal with a heroic late surge and PR by Michael Henze and a solid PR performance by Serge Arbona. The women’s team placed fourth lead by Anna Piskorska, Deb Horn and Susanna Bon.

I want to thank my all star crew, my teammates, Team USA staff, the IAU, USATF, Brive-la-Gaillarde race committee and my sponsors. Last but not least, I want to thank Mark Godale for setting the bar high and inspiring me to raise it a little higher.

A BIG thank you to my amazing crew!

Some say, “The Jurker is back” but I say I never left. We usually don’t know why, nor maybe never will, but in the moment may we know that THIS is what we came for!

Final Race Results
Running USA News Wire 5/16/10
USA TODAY Names Scott Athlete of the Week 5/17/10
Scott in the New York Times

UTMB Course

Here are the details for following the race:

My crew will do their best to post updates on Twitter when possible. Follow me on Twitter: @scottjurek

Live UTMB webcast: UTMB home page

Click on UK flag for website in English.
Follow link to the LIVE coverage. The Live Webcast will probably only be in French, but you should be able to navigate it fairly

My race number (dosier in French): 4073

Fellow Americano friends running the race:
Jenny Uehisa 3403
Krissy Moehl 2477
John Stamstad 4026
Topher Gaylord 11
Joe Grant 2118
Jamshid Khajavi 313
Kim Gaylord 9543 (running TDS race)

Bon course! to all runners including my friends from all over the globe who will be running around Mt Blanc!

I also posted a small photo album of a week in Chamonix on my Facebook Fan Page. Check out some of the scenery I will be enjoying on race day!

Finally a big thank you to all the support and encouragement all of you have sent my way over here in France! Thank you to my sponsors Brooks Sports, Green Foods, & Pro-Tec.

direct link between protein and enhanced performance. One may think the calories from the fat and protein eaten while running provides energy, but that’s not the case. Our bodies have enough stored fat to provide energy at low to moderate intensities, and ideally we should not be burning protein for fuel. For higher intensities, carbohydrate is the fuel of choice. We usually have only 60-90 minutes of stored carbohydrate in the muscles (i.e. glycogen) at our disposal. Any additional carbohydrate needs to come from food we ingest. So, from a scientific view we really only need to eat or drink carbohydrate for optimal energy levels.

So why might we want to eat protein and fat while exercising? Why do we crave the fat and protein on long runs? Although the jury is still out, I have found protein and fat to be beneficial during ultra endurance events (i.e. those lasting 3+ hours) for the following reasons:

1. Fat and protein give a feeling of satiety.
2. The presence of protein and fat lower the glycemic index (sugar spike effect) of carbohydrates.
3. They break up the carbohydrate taste bud monotony. We all know that eating carbs in the form of gels and drinks can get old, so the protein and fat can refresh the palette.

During racing and training, I always make sure I consume enough carbohydrates every 20-30 minutes and I have found it helpful to incorporate protein and fat. I prefer to get those from whole foods such as bean & rice burritos, energy bars, and liquids (i.e. shake or smoothie) regularly throughout a race. Over the years, I’ve used a drink called “Balanced” that no longer was available due to the company reformulating the product. I was forced to find an alternative protein “meal in a can” drink. A number of people use “meal in a can” drinks like Boost and Ensure that contain dairy and lesser quality ingredients. So I went to the labratory (aka my kitchen) to create my own vegan concoction.

There are many protein powders on the market, but I use Jarrow Soy Essence because it is less processed, non GMO, and fermented for better digestibility. And it tastes good and easily dissolves into most liquids!

Protein On the Run

2 tablespoons Jarrow Soy Essence Protein Powder
8 oz rice milk*

Combine ingredients and shake, blend or whisk until smooth.

If you want to add more carbohydrate calories, add 1 tablespoon of agave nectar, brown rice syrup, or other sweetener. Other options include ½ banana or 1-2 dates. For more sodium, add ¼ sea salt.

* making your own rice milk is easy and reduces the waste produced from containers.

1 cup of cooked white or brown rice
3 cups water
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 tablespoon agave nectar, brown rice syrup or other sweetener

Combine ingredients in blender and blend for 2 minutes until smooth. If the texture is grainy, strain through cheesecloth or fine strainer.

At the end of November, I headed down to So Cal to volunteer at the Santa Barbara 9 Trails Race (aka the Rose Valley 33 Mile Endurance Run). My good buddy Luis did a fantastic job re-routing the entire course to Ojai at the last minute due to several trail and road closures brought on by the Santa Barbara Tea Fire just a few weeks prior to race day.

I refilled water bottles, cheered runners on and soaked up some Vitamin D at an aid station on Nordoff Ridge for most of the morning until Luis put me to work on the grill. Hey, who said vegans can’t make a mean burger?!?!

While it may be hard to sit on the sidelines a race, it is very rewarding, not to mention a ton of fun to give back the sport we all love. If it were not for volunteers, most running races would not happen. Check with your local race directors and running clubs to see how you can help others have a fantastic race experience!

While I was in town, I gave a free pre race slide show on race day nutrition at the Santa Barbara Running Company.

Back in Seattle, I did some trail maintenance and worked on a new trail at Cougar Mountain with the Issaquah Trails Club. Trail maintenance is vital to the preservation of the trails we all enjoy. With the drop in governmental funding for parks and trails throughout the country it is imperative that we pick up a shovel, pick mattock, or McLeod. While it may seem like a thankless job, there is nothing like seeing the fruits of your labor the next time you pass that maintained section of single track. And if you worry that you are missing a run by working on the trails, never fear as trailwork will definitely work you over both aerobically and anaerobically. Just insert some rock splitting and removal to your training plan!

To get involved with trail building and maintenance check with your local hiking clubs, trail work organizations, government land management agencies, trail race directors, or American Trails.

I also gave a presentation at Starbucks Headquarters which was chronicled on the Brooks blog.

What else did I do while on my running hiatus? I spent a lot of time enjoying the wilderness in other capacities like backpacking and hiking…

surfing, sailing,…

and even some rock climbing!

Having more down time made it possible for me to explore various farmers markets (Ballard, University District, Ojai, Ventura), harvest fruit, and make food for friends.

“If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world.”
– JRR Tolkien

At the end of January, I attended the Outdoor Retailer show to promote the latest version of the Brooks Cascadia 4 which won the “Editor’s Choice” award in Runners World’s “Spring 2009 Trail Shoe Guide.” If you pick up a pair, the insoles have my course record from Western States 100 printed on them.

My racing season began in early February when I flew to Costa Rica to participate in the 6 day Coastal Challenge.

Needless to say, I was a bit out of shape for this but had a blast! I’ll post a race report and photos next time…

Thanks for staying tuned in!

Photo credits: Luis Escobar, J. Vargas