He would go on to win Western States a record seven consecutive times. In 1999, Jurek won the 100-mile Western States Endurance Run on his first attempt, defeating five-time champion Tim Twietmeyer and becoming only the second non-Californian to win the race.

After graduation, he moved to Seattle, where he began competing on a national level, in 1998 winning the Zane Grey Highline Trail 50 Mile Run and the McKenzie River Trail Run 50K, and placing second in his first 100-mile race, the Angeles Crest.

Scholastica in Duluth, Minnesota, graduating with a bachelor's degree in Health Science in 1996 and a master's degree in physical therapy in 1998.ĭuring his college years, Jurek continued to compete in the 50-mile Minnesota Voyageur, finishing second in 19 and winning the race in 1996, 1997, and 1998, when he set the current course record of 6:41:16. Jurek was the valedictorian of his high school class at Proctor High School. Olson later served as Jurek's pacer in many races. On a challenge from training partner Dusty Olson, Jurek ran the Minnesota Voyageur 50 Mile in 1994, placing second in his first attempt at an ultramarathon, without even having run a marathon in training. Although he hated running at first, after spending summers running on trails with ski poles, he found a new passion for trail running. Jurek began trail running as a child but did not run long distances until his sophomore year in high school when he started cross training with running to prepare for Nordic skiing. His childhood involved a strong connection with nature developed through hunting, fishing, and camping with his family. He is the son of Lynn (Swapinski) and Gordon Jurek. Raised in Proctor, Minnesota, Jurek is of part Polish descent. Jurek has followed a vegetarian diet since 1997, and a vegan diet since 1999. In 2010, at the 24-Hour World Championships in Brive-la-Gaillarde, France, Jurek won a silver medal behind Shingo Inoue and set a new US record for distance run in 24 hours with 165.7 miles (an average pace of 8 minutes and 42 seconds per mile). Throughout his running career, Jurek was one of the most dominant ultramarathon runners in the world, winning the Hardrock Hundred (2007), the Badwater Ultramarathon (2005, 2006), the Spartathlon (2006, 2007, 2008), and the Western States 100 Mile Endurance Run (1999–2005). Scott Gordon Jurek (born October 26, 1973) is an American ultramarathoner, author, and public speaker.

Jurek in the San Juan Mountains of Colorado (2014)

Scott jurek cookbook