Vegan Ultra-Runner Sets Record on Appalachian Trail

Yesterday afternoon, plant-powered ultra-runner Scott Jurek set a new record, completing what he calls his “masterpiece” — he ran 2,189 miles on the Appalachian Trail in 46 days, 8 hours, and 7 minutes. That’s three hours faster than the previously held record set in 2011 by Jennifer Pharr Davis.

Jurek started his journey on May 27 at Springer Mountain in Georgia. Crossing through 14 states and averaging nearly 50 miles a day, he reached the summit of Mount Katahdin in Maine on Sunday afternoon.

A legend in the running world, Jurek is considered one of the greatest ultrarunners of all time. He’s a seven-time winner of the Western States 100-miler as well as a two-time winner of the Badwater 135-miler which is described as “the world’s toughest foot race.”  In 2010, he set a US record at the World 24-hour Run Championships in Brive, France, where he ran 165.7 miles in 24 hours, averaging 8:42 minutes per mile. That’s equivalent to running 6.5 marathons in one day!

In his best-selling book Eat & Run, Jurek chronicles his journey in ultra-running and vegan eating. His inspiring story empowers readers to “go the distance” by going out for that first run, exploring the limits of your own potential, and expanding your food horizons by thinking about food as fuel to help you achieve your goals.

You can see photos and read more details about Jurek’s Appalachian Trail adventures on his Facebook page.  And you can also discover the many benefits of plant-based eating at TryVeg.com.

photo credit: Runner’s World