Legendary Distance Runner, Scott Jurek Attempting to Lower His Speed Time & Complete Feat in 40 Days or Fewer in the Appalachian Trail

Northeast Piscataquis, Maine - Aug. 9, 2021 -- One of the most accomplished and respected distance runners of all time, Scott Jurek is returning to the Appalachian Trail with the goal of completing the trek in 40 days or less, which would lower his personal record by 6 days and result in a new Fastest Known Time. Jurek, who famously set the speed record in 2015, will run the 2,193-mile trail North to South from Mount Katahdin, Maine to Springer Mountain, Georgia.

Making his highly anticipated return to the Appalachian Trail and distance-running record attempts, Jurek, 47, began the journey the week of Aug. 2 and will attempt to run an average of 54 miles per day, with significant elevation gains throughout the way. He’ll aim to complete the trail in mid-September. Fans and media can follow his journey via Facebook.com/ScottJurek and Instagram.com/ScottJurek and through the Somewear tracking app.

Jurek’s motivation for returning to the trail is to fulfill his full potential, having left time on the table with his 2015 attempt. Successful completion of the trail will solidify his belief that thoughtful training, nutrition and mindset can lead to improved speed and performance with age. With the attempt, he hopes to inspire people to exceed their expectations and strive to achieve their goals no matter where they are in life.

“When I was racing, I kept going back to the same races. Not to replicate the experience but to have a completely different perspective. I wanted to crack the code, to see if a new approach could extract more from me,” said Jurek. “Each race was not about the finish line, but more about working my way backwards to the start. Six years have passed since I set the record, and I feel like I left a lot of time on the table. I haven’t forgotten the suffering, but sometimes you have to go back to the hard places and do the hard things. I still have so much to learn, and I still have more to give.”

To accomplish the feat, Jurek will have the support of his wife Jenny and children Raven and Evergreen (Instagram.com/JureksOnTheRun), former Marine Scout Sniper and accomplished thru-hiker Tom Gathman (@TheRealHikingViking) and previous Appalachian Trail speed record holder Karl Meltzer (@MeltzerKarl).

Over the course of his accomplished career, Jurek has continually pushed the limits of human performance. He’s won nearly all of ultrarunning’s elite trail and road events, including the historic 153-mile Spartathlon, the Hardrock 100, the Badwater 135-Mile Ultramarathon and the Western States 100-Mile Endurance Run, his signature race which he’s won a record seven consecutive times. He set the 2015 Appalachian Trail speed record by covering an average of 47 miles for 46 straight days and he has set the United States all-surface record in the 24-Hour Run with 165.7 miles.

Partners helping make Jurek’s attempt possible include:

• Brooks Running, a running brand that sells its performance footwear, apparel, run bras and accessories in more than 50 countries worldwide. Brooks’ purpose is to inspire everyone to run their path to a better self by creating the best gear, tools and experiences.
• CLIF Bar & Company has crafted nutritious and organic food for CLIF®, CLIF Kid®, and LUNA® brands for nearly 30 years. Family and employee owned, Clif Bar is committed to sustaining its people, community, planet, brands, and business.
• Dave & Matt Vans, the custom van outfitter that builds and rents ‘lifestyle vehicles’ featuring everything you need, and nothing you don’t — for everything from weekend adventures to long-term travel to full-time living. Built around a mission to make vanlife accessible to everyone, Dave & Matt Vans offers some of the most affordable campervans on the market.
• Gaia GPS, the best map and navigation tool for backcountry adventurers. Used by world-class trail runners, guides, thru-hikers, and many more off-grid adventurers, Gaia GPS gives you the tools to explore safely all over the world.
• JUST Egg, America's fastest-growing egg brand made entirely of plants. JUST Egg is free of cholesterol and packed with clean, sustainable protein. Its ingredients use less water and carbon emissions than conventional eggs.
• Somewear Labs, creators of intuitive, advanced software designed with usability at top of mind to make off-grid communications hassle-free and incredibly easy to use.
• Wahoo Fitness, the leader in connected smart fitness equipment, including the class-leading ELEMNT RIVAL GPS Sport Watch, which boasts a powerful battery necessary for long days on the trail, while still being among the lightest and most comfortable devices available to runners.

To stay updated on the attempt, follow Scott on Facebook (@ScottJurek), Instagram (@ScottJurek), via the hashtag #webwalkerAT21 on social media and the Somewear tracking app.