I often time look for inspirational figures when embarking on something new. In running this marathon, I have identified a few people that provide me with the belief that I can overcome physical limitations and pull this thing off.
You probably don’t know who Scott Jurek is. It is understandable. I didn’t know who he was until a couple months ago. Scott is probably the greatest ultramarathoner in history. In 2005, Scott Jurek ran the 135-mile race called “Badwater”. Here is Wikipedia’s description of the Badwater Ultramarathon:
“The Badwater Ultramarathon describes itself as "the world's toughest foot race". It is a 135-mile (217 km) course starting at 282 feet (85 m) below sea level in the Badwater Basin, in California's Death Valley, and ending at an elevation of 8360 feet (2548 m) at Whitney Portal, the trailhead to Mount Whitney. It takes place annually in mid-July, when the weather conditions are most extreme and temperatures over 120 °F (49 °C), even in the shade, are not uncommon. Consequently, very few people—even among ultramarathoners—are capable of finishing this grueling race.”
70 miles into the race, which he didn’t properly train for, Scott Jurek was almost beaten by the heat. He started to shake, vomit, and, ultimately, collapsed on the +200 degree asphalt. For 10 minutes, Scott lay on the road unable to move. He grappled with idea of quitting. His friends and family had never seen him look so bad. As he laid on the ground, he reasoned that if he was going to continue that he would have to run the fastest 75 miles he had ever run to win the race.
Well, he did get up. And yes, he won the race, setting the all-time course record. Below is an interview Scott did with CNN…
Every time my foot, hip, or knee starts to hurt I think about Scott Jurek lying on that asphalt. The human body can withstand a lot more than we give it credit for. Pain is something that can be overcome.
“You never know how strong you are, until being strong is the only choice you have.” –unknown
Scott’s blog: http://www.scottjurek.com/blog/
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