Eat and Run: My Unlikely Journey to Ultramarathon Greatness

by Scott Jurek

Only the most saintly and delusional among us welcomes all pain as challenge, perceives all loss as harsh blessing. I know that.

It’s a hard, simple calculus: Run until you can’t run anymore. Then run some more. Find a new source of energy and will. Then run even faster.

As a child, I ran in the woods and around my house for fun. As a teen, I ran to get my body in better shape. Later, I ran to find peace. I ran, and kept running, because I had learned that once you started something you didn’t quit, because in life, much like in an ultramarathon, you have to keep pressing forward. Eventually I ran because I turned into a runner, and my sport brought me physical pleasure and spirited me away from debt and disease, from the niggling worries of everyday existence.

Rice Balls (Onigiri) I first saw these seaweed-wrapped rice packets when I asked a Japanese runner to show me what was in his race pack. I’m grateful I did, because white rice is a great food for cooling your body, especially in hot climates like Death Valley. It’s packed with carbohydrates, it’s not too sweet, and it’s soft and easy to digest. A great source for electrolytes and salt (via the seaweed), rice balls have always been a portable pick-me-up in Japan. These days, you can even find them at convenience stores in Asia. For a soy-free variation, substitute pickled ginger or umeboshi paste for the miso. 2 cups sushi rice 4 cups water 2 teaspoons miso 3–4 sheets nori seaweed Cook the rice in the water on the stovetop or using a rice cooker. Set aside to cool. Fill a small bowl with water and wet both hands so the rice does not stick. Using your hands, form ¼ cup rice into a triangle. Spread ¼ teaspoon miso evenly on one side of the triangle. Cover with another ¼ cup rice. Shape into one triangle, making sure the miso is covered with rice. Fold the nori sheets in half and then tear them apart. Using half of one sheet, wrap the rice triangle in nori, making sure to completely cover the rice. Repeat using the remaining rice, miso, and nori. MAKES 8 ONIGIRI

He tempered his discipline with compassion and a sense of fun. He would challenge me to see how much wood I could haul into our “wood room” in 10 minutes or how many rocks I could pick out of the garden in the same time. I don’t think I realized it at the time, but he was teaching me that competition could turn the most mundane task into a thrill, and that successfully completing a job—no matter how onerous—made me feel unaccountably happy.

When you went cherry picking with her, you were picking for hours. And when you went fishing with Grandpa Jurek, if you got bored, too bad, you were gonna stay and fish. I learned patience while doing the tedious tasks, but more important, I learned to find joy in repetitive and physically demanding work.

I don’t think they knew it at the time—and I certainly didn’t—but my parents were training me to be an endurance athlete. By the time I started running, I knew how to suffer.

Your long, slow runs will strengthen your heart and lungs, improve your circulation, and increase the metabolic efficiency of your muscles.

Minnesota Mashed Potatoes As a child, I had a glass of milk with every meal and could pile mashed potatoes higher than anyone in my family. I still love the dish, but now I use homemade rice milk, which is just as creamy and rich as the stuff from cows, much less expensive, and doesn’t produce any plastic container waste. There’s no better comfort food. 5–6 medium red or yellow potatoes 1 cup rice milk (see recipe, below) 2 tablespoons olive oil ½ teaspoon sea salt ½ teaspoon crushed black pepper Paprika (optional) Wash the potatoes; peel or leave the skins on as you prefer. Place in a pot and add enough water to completely cover, 1 inch above the potatoes. Bring to a boil, covered, over high heat. Lower the heat and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes. Check the potatoes with a fork. If the fork goes into the potatoes easily, they are ready. Remove from the heat and drain. Mash the potatoes with a potato masher or hand mixer. Add the remaining ingredients and continue to mash until a smooth, fluffy consistency is reached. Season with a dash or two more salt and pepper and paprika if desired. MAKES 4–6 SERVINGS

Rice Milk 1 cup cooked brown or white rice 4 cups water ⅛ teaspoon sea salt 1 tablespoon sunflower oil (optional) Combine the rice, water, and salt in a blender. If you want a creamier milk, add the oil. Blend on high for 1 to 2 minutes, until smooth. Pour into a container, cover, and refrigerate. Rice milk will keep for 4 to 5 days. MAKES 5 CUPS

Lentil-Mushroom Burgers For any reluctant vegan who worries that nothing will ever replace the taste or texture of a juicy beef patty, consider the lentil burger. It might not matter so much that lentils are an excellent source of protein, that they are one of the fastest-cooking legumes, or that they are consumed in large quantities all over Europe, Asia, and Africa (even Idaho!). What will impress you is how tender, juicy, and “meaty” they taste. I grew up grilling over campfires, and I know burgers. These are as delicious as they come. Sometimes I’ll even take a few patties with me on long training runs and races. 1 cup dried green lentils (2¼ cups cooked) 2¼ cups water 1 teaspoon dried parsley ¼ teaspoon black pepper 3 garlic cloves, minced 1¼ cups finely chopped onion ¾ cup finely chopped walnuts 2 cups fine bread crumbs (see Note) ½ cup ground flax seed (flax seed meal) 3 cups finely chopped mushrooms 1½ cups destemmed, finely chopped kale, spinach, or winter greens 2 tablespoons coconut oil or olive oil 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast 1 teaspoon sea salt ½ teaspoon black pepper ½ teaspoon paprika In a small pot, bring the lentils, water, parsley, 1 garlic clove, and ¼ cup of the onion to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, partially covered, for 35 to 40 minutes, until the water is absorbed and the lentils are soft. While ...

Knowing pleased him not nearly as much as wondering.

Some people needn’t bother with stretching. If you have good biomechanics, don’t spend a lot of time in front of a computer, and have the kind of lifestyle where you can nap or take a dip in the ocean whenever you want, you might be one of them. Otherwise, stretch. Focus on the “runner’s five”: hamstrings, hip flexors, quadriceps, calves, and the iliotibial (IT) band, or connective tissue that runs from your hip down the outside of the leg. These are the muscle groups that tighten even when people aren’t running, from bad posture, sitting, repetitive activities, and just living.

Apple-Cinnamon Granola The secrets to this recipe are the soaked oat groats and the hemp milk. Soaking the oat groats (the whole-grain form of oats) promotes the release of enzymes that aid digestion. Hemp seeds are high in omega-3 fatty acids, and hemp milk creates a creamy, light accompaniment to the crunchy granola. It’s perfect for before or after a morning workout or race. 1–2 teaspoons coconut oil 4 cups raw oat groats, soaked in water for 6 to 8 hours or overnight, then drained 1 apple, cored and sliced ½ cup dried coconut flakes 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon 2 tablespoons maple syrup or 1 tablespoon agave nectar 1 teaspoon vanilla extract ½ teaspoon sea salt ½ cup raw almonds, chopped ½ cup pumpkin seeds, chopped ⅔ cup raisins Preheat the oven to 250°F. Grease two baking sheets with the oil. Process the oats, apple, coconut, cinnamon, sweetener, vanilla, and salt in a food processor for 30 seconds. Scrape sides, process for another 30 seconds, and repeat one more time. Transfer the mixture to a large mixing bowl and combine with the almonds, pumpkin seeds, and raisins. Mix thoroughly with a spoon. Spread the mixture in a thin layer on the prepared baking sheets. Bake for 2 to 4 hours, turning the granola over a few times with a spatula, until dried and crisp. You can set the oven temperature higher and reduce the baking time, but be sure to check frequently to avoid burning. Cool and stir in the raisins. Serve w...

Hemp Milk ¼ cup raw shelled hemp seeds 4 cups water ¼ teaspoon sea salt 1–2 teaspoons agave nectar or maple syrup (optional) Place the hemp seeds, water, and salt in a blender and blend on high for 1 to 2 minutes, until smooth and milky. For sweeter milk, add agave nectar or maple syrup to taste. Hemp milk keeps for 4 to 5 days in the refrigerator. MAKES 5 CUPS

Somewhere between my agonized, gasping high school forays to Adolph Store and now, running had turned into something other than training. It had turned into a kind of meditation, a place where I could let my mind—usually occupied with school, thoughts of the future, or concerns about my mom—float free. My body was doing by itself what I had always struggled to make it do. I wasn’t stuck on my dead-end street. No bully was spitting in my face. I felt as if I was flying.

Coming from the flatlands, I had to learn to run uphill. Sharpening that skill, I improved all my running. You can, too, with or without hills. Next time you’re running, count the times your right foot strikes the ground in 20 seconds. Multiply by three and you’ll have your stride rate per minute. (One stride equals two steps, so your steps per minute will be twice your stride rate.) Now comes the good part: Speed up until you’re running at 85 to 90 strides per minute. The most common mistake runners make is overstriding: taking slow, big steps, reaching far forward with the lead foot and landing on the heel. This means more time on the ground, which means the vulnerable heel hits the ground with more force on landing, creating more impact on the joints. Training at a stride rate of 85 to 90 is the quickest way to correct this problem. Short, light, quick steps will minimize impact force and keep you running longer, safer. It also will make you a more efficient runner. Studies have shown that nearly all elite runners competing at distances between 3,000 meters and marathon distances are running at 85 to 90-plus stride rates.) I used to train runners with a metronome. Nowadays there are plenty of websites that list music by BPM (beats per minute)—try http://cycle.jog.fm/. Either 90 or 180 BPM songs will do the trick.

Green Power Pre-Workout Drink Hippie Dan first taught me the importance of greens like spirulina and wheatgrass. Spirulina is a green algae said to have been carried into battle by Aztec warriors. Used for centuries as a weight-loss aid and immune-booster, it has lately been studied and shown promising results as a performance enhancer for long-distance runners. Because spirulina is marketed as a dietary supplement rather than a food, the FDA does not regulate its production; buy it only from a health food store and a brand you trust. Packed with protein (spirulina is a complete protein) and rich in vitamins and minerals, this smoothie is an excellent source of nutrition. For a little extra carbohydrate boost, replace 1 cup water with 1 cup apple or grape juice. 2 bananas 1 cup frozen or fresh mango or pineapple chunks 4 cups water 2 teaspoons spirulina powder 1 teaspoon miso Place all the ingredients in a blender and blend for 1 to 2 minutes, until the mixture is completely smooth. Drink 20 to 30 ounces (2½ to 3¾ cups) 15 to 45 minutes before a run. MAKES TWO 20-OUNCE SERVINGS

needn’t have worried about getting enough protein. The average 19- to 30-year-old American consumes 91 grams a day, nearly twice the recommended daily amount (56 grams for an adult male, 46 for an adult female). I wasn’t aware that too much protein stresses the kidneys (an organ long-distance runners worry about in the best of times, due to our careful attention to water consumption, retention, and elimination) and can leach calcium from the bones. I didn’t quite believe that you could get an adequate supply of protein—even if you’re an ultrarunner—from plants. I certainly didn’t think it would be easy.

What we eat is a matter of life and death. Food is who we are.

What’s important isn’t what part of the foot you strike but where it strikes. It should land slightly in front of your center of mass or right underneath it. When you have a high stride rate and land with the body centered over the foot, you won’t be slamming down hard, even if you connect with the heel.

Was it compulsiveness or just the determination of a Minnesota redneck or, as Dusty described my heritage, “Norwegian stubborn, French arrogant, and Polish stupid”? Or was it something more pure inside me, something good? I wasn’t sure. To find out, I needed a test.

Minnesota Winter Chili The night I tasted this chili is the night I decided I could be a happy, athletic vegetarian. One mouthful made me realize that vegetarian food could taste just as good, and have just as hearty a texture, as meat-based foods. The bulgur wheat is a source of complex carbohydrates, and combined with the other ingredients, it makes a complete protein. There’s nothing like it after exercise, especially on a cold winter night. 2 tablespoons coconut oil or olive oil 2 garlic cloves, minced 1 cup finely chopped onion 8–10 medium mushrooms, finely chopped ½ cup finely chopped green bell pepper ½ cup finely chopped red bell pepper ½ cup finely chopped carrots 1 jalapeño pepper or other hot pepper, seeded and minced (optional) 1 cup frozen corn kernels 1 teaspoon ground cumin ½ teaspoon ground coriander 2 tablespoons chili powder 2 teaspoons sea salt, plus more to taste ½ teaspoon black pepper 1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes 1 15-ounce can tomato puree 1 15-ounce can kidney beans, drained 1 15-ounce can black beans, drained 1 15-ounce can red beans, drained 2½ cups water ½ cup dry bulgur wheat Hot sauce or cayenne pepper (optional) ¼ cup minced fresh cilantro, for garnish Add the oil to a large pot. Sauté the vegetables and spices in the oil over medium to medium-low heat for 10 minutes or until tender. Add a few tablespoons of water if the vegg...

8-Grain Strawberry Pancakes I first cooked these pancakes after a 20-mile run in a northern Minnesota winter, and the experience taught me two things: first, that I could create a creamy, sweet texture without eggs or milk, and second, that there were an awful lot of grains in the world that I had never heard of. Whole-grain flours can be found in health food stores, or, if you have a high-powered blender like a Vitamix, you can make fresh whole-grain flour like I do. Grind together any combination of whole grains to make a total of 2 cups of flour. The ground chia and flax act as a binder to replace eggs. In addition to tasting great, the pancakes contain plenty of carbs and protein. It’s the perfect food for a long morning run, both before and during. I often carry leftovers on the trail. ¼ cup spelt flour ¼ cup buckwheat flour ¼ cup whole wheat flour ¼ cup oat flour ¼ cup millet flour ¼ cup rye flour ¼ cup barley flour ¼ cup corn meal ¼ cup ground flax seed or chia seed 2 teaspoons baking powder ½ teaspoon sea salt 2 cups non-dairy milk (see recipe for rice milk, page 17) 3 tablespoons olive oil 2 tablespoons agave nectar or maple syrup 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1½ cups frozen or fresh strawberries, chopped 1 teaspoon coconut oil Maple syrup or fruit sauce, for serving Combine the flours, ground seeds, baking powder, and salt in a mixing bowl. Add the milk, olive oil, sweetene...

difficult childhood. An unconventional and difficult training regimen. A simultaneously cerebral and primitive approach to running that brought childlike joy. It seemed familiar.

Running wasn’t just exercise or a hobby, or even necessarily competition, for them. Basically, they were existentialists in shorts. I wanted to be one, too.

you want to improve as a runner, you can (and should) do supplemental training, which involves strengthening, flexibility, and technique work. But the simplest way to improve is to run faster. And the way to do that is to train yourself to run harder,

After you’ve been running for 30 to 45 minutes at least three times a week for six to eight weeks, you’re ready to start running occasionally at 85 to 90 percent of your physical capacity, or the point where lactate is building up in your muscles but your body is still able to clear and process it. Build to where you can maintain that lactate threshold level for 5 minutes. Then take 1 minute of easy running to give the body time to recover, then repeat. As you progress, increase the number of the intervals and their length while maintaining a 5:1 ratio between work and rest. So you would do 10-minute intervals of hard running followed by 2-minute breaks, or 15 minutes of hard running followed by 3 minutes of rest, and so on. After four to six weeks, you’ll be able to maintain this effort level for 45 to 50 minutes. And you’ll be faster.

Chocolate Adzuki Bars If you’re going to eat a moist, dense dessert on the run, this one is ideal. Made from the most digestible of beans, along with banana, rice flour, and vanilla, these lightly sweetened bars taste even better than their ingredients suggest. Plus, they are an excellent source of carbohydrates and protein. ½ teaspoon coconut oil 1 15-ounce can adzuki beans, drained 1 medium overripe banana ½ cup almond or rice milk ½ cup light coconut milk ½ cup barley flour ¼ cup rice flour 6 tablespoons cocoa powder 3 tablespoons maple syrup 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 teaspoon miso or ½ teaspoon sea salt ⅓ cup goji berries, currants, or raisins (optional) ½ cup vegan chocolate chips Preheat the oven to 400°F. Grease a 9-inch square cake pan with the coconut oil. Using a blender or food processor, puree the beans and banana with the almond milk and coconut milk until smooth and creamy. Add the flours, cocoa powder, maple syrup, vanilla, and miso, processing until they are thoroughly mixed. Stir in the dried fruit. Pour the mixture into the cake pan and sprinkle the chocolate chips on top. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, until firm. When the bars have cooled, they can be cut into squares, placed in small plastic bags, and refrigerated overnight for the next long day on the road or trail. MAKES 16 2-INCH-SQUARE BROWNIES

this is what I had learned—the screaming in my head could be reduced to faint hissing. All I had to do was remember why I was here, what I wanted—how bad I had wanted it. I had faced difficulties before. You work through them. The lung-burning climbs and quad-pounding descents? A small price to pay for entry into the promised land I had dreamt about. Part of me felt the scalding air. Part of me didn’t care. Part of me winced at each painful, jolting step. Part of me didn’t care. I was running toward that region where my body couldn’t go on, to see if I could will it to do so. It was exactly the place I wanted to be. And there was only one way to get there.

can guarantee that no one at the Western States knew they were going to finish, much less win (including me). A lot of people never do something great with their lives. A lot of people never attempt it. Everyone here had done both. Staying at the finish line and greeting those runners, I could pay tribute to the pain and doubt, fatigue and hopelessness, that I imagined they had pushed through. Staying there allowed me to acknowledge the strength they had needed to summon, to congratulate them on setting their sights on an important goal and achieving it. I didn’t realize it till later, but it allowed me to give back something to the sport that had already given me purpose and a measure of peace, that had granted me some answers—however fleeting and ephemeral—to the question why.

If you’re new to plant-based eating, that’s my biggest piece of advice for you: Think about what high-quality foods you can bring into your diet to replace the calories from animal products you’re excluding. And make sure you get enough.

One of the most important things you can do as an ultrarunner is to breathe abdominally, and a good way to learn that skill is to practice nasal breathing. Lying on your back, place a book on your stomach. Breathe in and out through your nose, and try to make your stomach rise and fall with each breath. When you succeed in doing so, you’re breathing from your diaphragm rather than your chest (which allows you to breathe more deeply and efficiently). Once you’ve mastered that, try nasal breathing (in and out through the nose) while you’re running easy routes. For more difficult runs, like hills and tempo workouts, breathe in through the nose, then exhale forcefully through the mouth (akin to what yoga practitioners call “breath of fire”). Eventually, you should be able to breathe through your nose for entire easy runs and to inhale nasally during the less strenuous sections of even 100-mile runs.

Indonesian Cabbage Salad with Red Curry Almond Sauce I became intrigued by peanut sauce as I ate more and more Thai food. When I learned that almonds are higher in calcium than peanuts and contain monounsaturated fat, as opposed to polyunsaturated fat or processed oils, I decided to substitute almond butter for peanut butter. The ginger and curry paste give the sauce a Thai feel, and the agave (or maple syrup) sweetens the dish. If you, like me, thought you hated cabbage, do what I did: Don’t cook it. In this case, the raw food tastes much better. ½ head green cabbage, coarsely shredded 4 stalks bok choy or 1 head baby bok choy, sliced into ¼-inch pieces 1 carrot, peeled and cut into thin rounds 1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into 2-inch-long thin strips ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro ½ cup raw sunflower seeds ½–¾ cup Red Curry Almond Sauce (see recipe, below) Toss all the ingredients to combine and let sit for 10 to 20 minutes or more before serving. MAKES 6–8 SIDE-DISH PORTIONS

Red Curry Almond Sauce ½ cup almond butter ½ cup water ¼ cup fresh lime juice or rice vinegar 2 tablespoons miso 1 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro 2 tablespoons agave nectar or maple syrup 2 teaspoons Thai red curry paste, or to taste 1 teaspoon onion powder ½ teaspoon garlic powder ½ teaspoon ground ginger Combine all the ingredients in a small mixing bowl or blender. Mix well until smooth. Keeps refrigerated for 2 weeks or frozen for several months. MAKES 1½ CUPS

Tamari-Lime Tempeh and Brown Rice The big concern I hear from people about a plant-based diet is difficulty. It takes too long. It requires too much focus. For those folks I make this dish, which—if you cook the rice beforehand—you can have on the table in less than 20 minutes. The brown rice gives the dish a nutty texture and provides essential amino acids. Tempeh contains 3 grams of protein for every gram of fat, which makes it one of the leanest, most protein-heavy of the soy products (which was invaluable when I was cranking up my training, looking for more protein). Better, it’s fermented and easily digestible, even for people who have trouble with most soy products. 4 cups uncooked brown rice 2¾ cups water 1 teaspoon coconut or olive oil 8–12 ounces tempeh, sliced ⅛- to ¼-inch thick Juice of 1 lime or lemon 1 tablespoon tamari or shoyu mixed with 1 tablespoon water Red Curry Almond Sauce (see recipe, page 122) Add the brown rice and water to a pot and bring to a boil. Simmer over low heat for 30 to 40 minutes, until the water evaporates and the rice is tender. Fluff with a fork and cool. Coat a large skillet with the oil and heat over medium-low heat until a drop of water sizzles when it hits the pan. Saute the tempeh for 3 to 5 minutes on each side, until lightly browned. Remove from the heat. Squeeze the lime or lemon over the tempeh and sprinkle with the tamari or shoyu. For each serving, place a cup of brown rice on a plate ...

A cascade of stress-related hormones floods the body in response to the sustained exertion. Blood tests after ultras have shown elevated cardiac enzymes, renal injury, and very high levels of the stress hormone cortisol, the proinflammatory compound interleukin-6, and creatine kinase, a toxic byproduct of muscle breakdown. That’s a lot for the immune system to handle. Approximately one in four runners at the Western States gets a cold after the race, and this is in the height of summer!

Altogether, our modern inclination toward sloth, the easy availability of processed food, and the prevalence of life-saving medical treatments have made us a long-lived, unhealthy people.

Humans aren’t built to sit all day. Nor are we built for the kinds of repetitive, small movements that so much of today’s specialized work demands. Our bodies crave big, varied movements that originate at the core of our body. Imbalance comes when we spend all day doing small, repetitive actions like typing, scanning groceries, flipping burgers, or operating a computer mouse. Much of the purpose of structured training, therefore, is compensatory. It’s not so much that we need to learn to run per se, as we need to unlearn bad habits and correct imbalances wrought by the modern lifestyle.

You want to try barefoot running? Before you toss the shoes and enter a 10K, remember: slow and easy. When runners do too much too soon, injuries often result. First, find an area of grass or sand and take easy 5- to 10-minute runs once or twice a week. Remember, easy. Don’t worry about speed at all. You’re working on your running form. As long as it feels good, increase the length of one of the runs until you’re up to a 20- to 45-minute barefoot run once a week. I like to do 2 to 3 miles on the infield of a track or in a park after an easy run day or for a cooldown run after a track workout. Two important things to remember—other than starting slow and easy—are that you don’t need to run barefoot all the time to get the benefits. And you don’t need to run completely barefoot. Lighter weight, minimal running shoes and racing flats will give you a similar type of feel as running barefoot. It will all help you with form. I have been running most of my long training runs and ultra races in Brooks racing flats for almost a decade, even Badwater and Spartathlon. Racing flats and minimal shoes provide the best of both worlds: comfort and performance.

To run far, fast, or efficiently, you have to run with proper posture. Keep your shoulders back and your arms bent 45 degrees at the elbow. Allow your arms to swing freely, but don’t let them cross the imaginary vertical line bisecting your body. This will create openness in the chest, better breathing, and more balance. Lean forward, but not at the hips. Imagine a rod running through your body from the head to the toes. Keep the rod at a slight forward angle to the ground, with a neutral pelvis. When the entire body participates, you’re using gravity to your advantage. Remember, running is controlled falling.

Incan Quin-Wow! Quinoa (pronounced KEEN-wah) is one of the first grains (technically a seed) humans ever cultivated and used in cooking. It has a dense, earthy flavor and is one of the few grains with all nine essential amino acids, so it’s perfect for a dish like porridge—hearty, basic, and satisfying in an almost primal way. When I learned about quinoa, it helped me appreciate the many ancient foods and cultures that could enrich my life, if only I made room for them. Make it the night before, so you can warm it up to eat before a long morning run. A great mixture of carbs, protein, and fat, this porridge is sweetened with fruit and cinnamon. Replace the vanilla with almond or hazelnut extract for a nutty variation. 1 cup dried quinoa, rinsed and drained 2 cups water 1 cup almond milk or your favorite nondairy milk 1 ripe pear, cored, quartered, and finely sliced, or 1 banana, sliced ¼ cup dried coconut flakes 3 tablespoons Flora Oil 3-6-9 Blend ½ teaspoon sea salt or light miso ½ teaspoon vanilla extract 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon Garnish: Raisins, apple slices, and chia seeds or your favorite nuts Add the quinoa and water to a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, until the water is absorbed and the quinoa turns translucent. Fluff the quinoa with a fork and cool for 5 minutes. Place the quinoa and the remaining ingredients in a blender or food processor and mix ...

In ultrarunning, the mountains and willpower equalize the genders.

Strawburst Anti-Inflammatory Smoothie I have always shied away from using pharmaceutical agents like ibuprofen to treat pain and swelling, so it’s natural that I have experimented with natural anti-inflammatories. When I sprained my ankle days before the 2007 Hardrock, my experiments took on a new urgency. This smoothie combines the anti-inflammatory ingredients of pineapple (bromelaine), ginger, turmeric, and Flora Oil (omega-3 fatty acids). It’s a great daily postworkout drink, soothing aching muscles, and a terrific addition to your regular meals before your run on a long training day. It has a fruity, sweet taste like Starburst candy and is loaded with healthy fats as well as carbohydrates and protein. The miso replaces the salt and electrolytes lost in sweat. In Japan, miso is viewed as an endurance-booster. Edamame provides an extra whole-food protein boost. Fresh turmeric root can be found in the produce section of natural foods stores. You will need a high-powered blender to process the roots. If you don’t have one, opt for the dried turmeric and ginger. 2 cups water 1 banana 1 cup frozen or fresh strawberries ½ cup frozen mango ½ cup frozen pineapple ½ cup frozen shelled edamame ¼ cup dried coconut flakes 3 tablespoons Flora Oil 3-6-9 Blend 1 tablespoon plant protein powder (brown rice, pea, etc.) 1½ teaspoons miso 1 1-inch piece turmeric root, chopped, or teaspoon ground turmeric 1 1-inch piece ginger root,...

he didn’t even get what he wanted! If you run long enough, that tends to happen. Whatever quantitative measure of success you set out to achieve becomes either unattainable or meaningless. The reward of running—of anything—lies within us. As I sought bigger rewards and more victories in my sport, it was a lesson I learned over and over again. We focus on something external to motivate us, but we need to remember that it’s the process of reaching for that prize—not the prize itself—that can bring us peace and joy.

Rational assessments too often led to rational surrenders. I tried to go to that place beyond thinking, that place that can bring an ultramarathoner such happiness.

as I was contemplating a life alone on a country farm—how important friendship was to me. It also struck me how ironic it was that my most important friendships had come from a sport singular in its isolation and demands on self-reliance. Ultramarathons aren’t won by teams, yet the bonds I have forged through this sport of obsessive individualism are stronger than any others in my life.

16 ounces silken tofu, drained 3 tablespoons maple syrup 3 tablespoons raw carob powder or cocoa powder 1 teaspoon miso 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 2 tablespoons chia seeds Mint sprigs, for garnish Place the tofu, maple syrup, carob, miso, and vanilla in a blender and blend for 1 to 2 minutes, until smooth. Transfer to a serving bowl and stir in the chia seeds. Refrigerate for 10 to 20 minutes, then serve in small cups or bowls, garnished with the mint. MAKES 4–6 SERVINGS

Smoky Chipotle Refried Beans The Tarahumara eat these beans smeared on corn tortillas. They ate them on our burly 30-mile hike over and down into the Copper Canyon, and they ate them before, during, and after our race, too. At home I eat them with fresh tortillas as a snack or with a plate of chile rice, guacamole, and some salsa on the side for a hearty meal. If you have leftover beans, freeze them for future lunches and dinners. 3 cups dried pinto beans 1 medium white or yellow onion, chopped 2–3 garlic cloves, chopped 1 ½-inch piece dried Kombu seaweed (optional) 1–2 dried whole chipotle peppers or canned chipotles in adobo to taste 1 tablespoon chili powder 2 teaspoons dried epazote (see Note) 1 tablespoon olive oil 1½ teaspoons sea salt Soak the beans in water to cover by 2 inches, 8 hours or overnight. Drain and rinse the beans in a colander a few times, then transfer to a large pot. Add the onion, garlic, seaweed, chipotles, and spices. Add water to cover the beans by 2 inches. Bring to a boil and simmer over medium-low heat for about 1 hour, or until the beans are soft and cooked through. Drain the beans, reserving 4 cups of the liquid. Remove the seaweed. Remove the chiles, or leave one in if spicier beans are desired. Cool the beans for 15 minutes, then place in a food processor along with ½ cup of the liquid and process until smooth. If desired, you may thin the beans with additional cooking liquid. Return the pure...

It’s easy to get wrapped up in deadlines and debt, victory and loss. Friends squabble. Loved ones leave. People suffer. A 100-mile race—or a 5K, or a run around the block—won’t cure pain. A plate filled with guacamole and dinosaur kale will not deliver anyone from sorrow. But you can be transformed. Not overnight, but over time. Life is not a race. Neither is an ultramarathon, not really, even though it looks like one. There is no finish line. We strive toward a goal, and whether we achieve it or not is important, but it’s not what’s most important. What matters is how we move toward that goal. What’s crucial is the step we’re taking now, the step you’re taking now.