Scott Jurek

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Scott Jurek (born October 26, 1973^[1]) is an American ultramarathoner originally from Minnesota and now residing in Seattle, Washington. He has:

Won the Spartathlon 152-mile race from Athens to Sparta, Greece two consecutive times (2006-07).^[2]
Won the Hardrock Hundred Mile Endurance Run, and holds the record time (2007).
Won the Western States Endurance Run seven consecutive times (1999-2005), and holds the record time (15:36:27 in 2004). ^[3]
Won the Badwater Ultramarathon twice (2005, 2006), and held the course record for two years (2005).
Finished first three times (2002-2004) and second three times (2001, 2005, 2006) in the Miwok 100K.
Won the Leona Divide 50 Mile Run four times (2000, 2001, 2002, 2004).
Won the Diez Vista 50K Trail Run twice (2000, 2003).
Won the Montrail Ultra Cup series twice (2002, 2003).

Jurek set a course record in the Western States Endurance Run in 2004 with a time of 15:36:27, and another course record in the 2005 Badwater Ultramarathon with a time of 24:36:08. His Badwater course record was broken in 2007 by Valmir Nunes.

Jurek announced after winning Western States for the seventh time in a row in 2005 that he would not return to the race as a competitor. He returned in 2006 as the pacer for Brian Morrison, also of Seattle. After Morrison collapsed repeatedly in the last 300 meters of the 100-mile course due to hyponatremia, Jurek was among those who helped Morrison get back up before crossing the finish line. Morrison understood that he had won the race before falling unconscious, and was then declared to be disqualified because he had received assistance from others instead of completing the course under his own power, leaving Graham Cooper as the winner. Jurek informed Morrison that he had been disqualified when Morrison regained consciousness in the hospital. ^[4]

Jurek was selected as UltraRunning Magazine's North American Male Ultrarunner of the Year in 2003, 2004, 2005, and 2007, and placed second in 2006.

Jurek holds a master's degree in physical therapy from the College of St. Scholastica in Duluth, Minnesota. He works as a physical therapist in his own private practice in Seattle and operates a coaching business called Beyond Running. Jurek is a vegan. ^[5]