Unreal! -- Jurek wins Badwater 2 weeks after Western States
Two weeks, 235 miles and two titles
Jurek endures grueling Badwater Ultramarathon, setting new course record
By: Ryan Sabalow, Journal Staff Writer
Thursday, July 14, 2005 12:30 AM PDT
As if running 100 miles from Squaw Valley to Auburn and winning the Western States Endurance Run for a record seventh straight time wasn't enough, two weeks later, Scott Jurek decided to try for the impossible yet again.
He succeeded.
Tuesday morning, the Seattle physical therapist completed the Badwater Ultramarathon, a hellish 135-mile race from the bowels of Death Valley to the slopes of Mt. Whitney, with a time of 24 hours, 36 minutes, 8 seconds. He broke the record set in 2000 by Russian runner Anatoli Kruglikov's by nearly an hour.
It takes most runners nearly three days to complete the event.
Running through temperatures at times exceeding 110 degrees, the 31-year-old climbed from Badwater, the lowest point in the Western Hemisphere at 280-feet below sea level, across asphalt hot enough to melt runners' shoes to the Mt. Whitney Portals at 8,360 feet.
Although Jurek could not be reached for comment Wednesday, local endurance runners had plenty to say about his amazing back-to-back records.
John Trent, the media coordinator for the Western States Endurance Run who also completed the Western States run this year with a sub-24-hour finish, said Jurek's performance is a testament to his amazing athleticism and versatility.
"He wins the most prestigious trail race in the world, then two weeks later wins the world's most prestigious ultra road marathon," Trent said. "To bounce back the way he did is just amazing. I don't know how he does what he does."
Trent said he couldn't even imagine running even a handful of miles so soon after finishing Western States, let alone go out and try to attempt 135 miles of hell.
Other runners said Jurek's feat is even more impressive because it shows his body is operating at a level other athletes can only dream of achieving.
Dan Moores, owner of Auburn Running Company, said Jurek's vegan diet, in which he eats only organic food without any animal products, may have something do with his incredible endurance, but his genetics are likely adding to success.
"That's what people said about Steve Prefontaine," Moores said referring to the Oregon runner of legend who destroyed American running records in everything from the 2,000 meter to the 6-mile in the 1970s. "(Prefontaine's body) was able make better use of oxygen. He just had a predisposition to do better."
Moores said Jurek is also very in tune with his physique. As a physical therapist, he knows his limits. Plus, he's focused his whole lifestyle around running and trains extensively.
This year's cool temperatures at the Western States may have also added to Jurek's success at Badwater.
Tim Twietmeyer, the Auburn runner who has finished Western States 24 times in under 24 hours, said Jurek is a great athlete, but the pleasant temperatures at Western States likely lent itself to a quick recovery for Badwater.
"That makes a huge difference," Twietmeyer said. "It was a lot cooler this year than it normally is. Recovery was probably half the time of what you would normally see."
But cooler temperatures hardly took away from his accomplishment, and even non-runners were awed by Jurek's amazing endurance.
As she walked with a group of friends through downtown Auburn Wednesday, Rocklin resident Kathy Coder gave the usual response most give when they first hear about the sport of ultra running.
"That's insane," she said.
But a few seconds later, Jurek's accomplishment gained perspective.
"How can anybody do that?" she said. "That's got to be such a personal challenge."
The Journal's Ryan Sabalow can be reached at ryans@goldcountrymedia.com.
Jurek endures grueling Badwater Ultramarathon, setting new course record
By: Ryan Sabalow, Journal Staff Writer
Thursday, July 14, 2005 12:30 AM PDT
As if running 100 miles from Squaw Valley to Auburn and winning the Western States Endurance Run for a record seventh straight time wasn't enough, two weeks later, Scott Jurek decided to try for the impossible yet again.
He succeeded.
Tuesday morning, the Seattle physical therapist completed the Badwater Ultramarathon, a hellish 135-mile race from the bowels of Death Valley to the slopes of Mt. Whitney, with a time of 24 hours, 36 minutes, 8 seconds. He broke the record set in 2000 by Russian runner Anatoli Kruglikov's by nearly an hour.
It takes most runners nearly three days to complete the event.
Running through temperatures at times exceeding 110 degrees, the 31-year-old climbed from Badwater, the lowest point in the Western Hemisphere at 280-feet below sea level, across asphalt hot enough to melt runners' shoes to the Mt. Whitney Portals at 8,360 feet.
Although Jurek could not be reached for comment Wednesday, local endurance runners had plenty to say about his amazing back-to-back records.
John Trent, the media coordinator for the Western States Endurance Run who also completed the Western States run this year with a sub-24-hour finish, said Jurek's performance is a testament to his amazing athleticism and versatility.
"He wins the most prestigious trail race in the world, then two weeks later wins the world's most prestigious ultra road marathon," Trent said. "To bounce back the way he did is just amazing. I don't know how he does what he does."
Trent said he couldn't even imagine running even a handful of miles so soon after finishing Western States, let alone go out and try to attempt 135 miles of hell.
Other runners said Jurek's feat is even more impressive because it shows his body is operating at a level other athletes can only dream of achieving.
Dan Moores, owner of Auburn Running Company, said Jurek's vegan diet, in which he eats only organic food without any animal products, may have something do with his incredible endurance, but his genetics are likely adding to success.
"That's what people said about Steve Prefontaine," Moores said referring to the Oregon runner of legend who destroyed American running records in everything from the 2,000 meter to the 6-mile in the 1970s. "(Prefontaine's body) was able make better use of oxygen. He just had a predisposition to do better."
Moores said Jurek is also very in tune with his physique. As a physical therapist, he knows his limits. Plus, he's focused his whole lifestyle around running and trains extensively.
This year's cool temperatures at the Western States may have also added to Jurek's success at Badwater.
Tim Twietmeyer, the Auburn runner who has finished Western States 24 times in under 24 hours, said Jurek is a great athlete, but the pleasant temperatures at Western States likely lent itself to a quick recovery for Badwater.
"That makes a huge difference," Twietmeyer said. "It was a lot cooler this year than it normally is. Recovery was probably half the time of what you would normally see."
But cooler temperatures hardly took away from his accomplishment, and even non-runners were awed by Jurek's amazing endurance.
As she walked with a group of friends through downtown Auburn Wednesday, Rocklin resident Kathy Coder gave the usual response most give when they first hear about the sport of ultra running.
"That's insane," she said.
But a few seconds later, Jurek's accomplishment gained perspective.
"How can anybody do that?" she said. "That's got to be such a personal challenge."
The Journal's Ryan Sabalow can be reached at ryans@goldcountrymedia.com.
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