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North cover art

North

Written by: Scott Jurek, Jenny Jurek
Narrated by: Scott Jurek, Jenny Jurek
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Publisher's Summary

From the author of the best seller Eat and Run, a thrilling new memoir about his grueling, exhilarating, and immensely inspiring 46 day run to break the speed record for the Appalachian Trail.

Scott Jurek is one of the world's best known and most beloved ultrarunners. Renowned for his remarkable endurance and speed, accomplished on a vegan diet, he's finished first in nearly all of ultrarunning's elite events over the course of his career. But after two decades of racing, training, speaking, and touring, Jurek felt an urgent need to discover something new about himself. He embarked on a wholly unique challenge, one that would force him to grow as a person and as an athlete: breaking the speed record for the Appalachian Trail. North is the story of the 2,189-mile journey that nearly shattered him.

When he set out in the spring of 2015, Jurek anticipated punishing terrain, forbidding weather, and inevitable injuries. He would have to run nearly 50 miles a day, every day, for almost seven weeks. He knew he would be pushing himself to the limit, that comfort and rest would be in short supply—but he couldn't have imagined the physical and emotional toll the trip would exact, nor the rewards it would offer.

With his wife, Jenny, friends, and the kindness of strangers supporting him, Jurek ran, hiked, and stumbled his way north, one white blaze at a time. A stunning narrative of perseverance and personal transformation, North is a portrait of a man stripped bare on the most demanding and transcendent effort of his life. It will inspire runners and non-runners alike to keep striving for their personal best.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2018 Scott Jurek, Jenny Jurek (P)2018 Hachette Audio

What the critics say

"Pure suspense, adventure, and inspiration. When Scott Jurek went into the woods to create his masterpiece, no one knew if he would make it back out again. He was America's greatest ultra athlete, a runner whose brains and singular intensity led him to years of extraordinary victories. But this time, Jurek was pushing himself into realms more dangerous than Death Valley, more treacherous than Mexican canyons, and only slightly less crazy than the time he chased after a wild bear. His story of plunging into the wilderness in pursuit of a dream is both heartwrenching and spellbinding."—Christopher McDougall, author of Born to Run and Natural Born Heroes

"Scott Jurek's record-setting journey on the Appalachian Trail was the most punishing, most demanding, most grueling feat I've ever personally witnessed. By mile 2,000, he was a hollowed-out, broken-down carapace of a person. And unless he found something, some way not just to keep going but to speed up, he was going to miss the record. Over those final 200 miles, I watched him dig deeper than I thought humanly possible: he not only claimed the fastest known time, but—most impressively—never failed to greet a fellow blaze-hiker with a smile and a cheery, 'How far ya' going?' Now, reading his immersive and engaging book, where he asks and pushes himself to find the answers to all of the 'whys,' I almost don't want his suffering to end, just so I can enjoy another chapter."—Aron Ralston, adventurer and author of 127 Hours: Between a Rock and a Hard Place

"When Scott first shared with me that the AT would be his next record setting challenge, I was in awe at the stamina it would require and the precision in planning and preparation that it would ultimately entail. Scott, and Jenny, are both living proof that what you dream you can also make manifest. Read this book and redefine your own personal limits."—Christy Turlington Burns, Founder & CEO Every Mother Counts

What listeners say about North

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Hated it

The narration is awful and they complained the whole way through. Not worth the credit.

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Pure inspiration

Scott and Jenny are pure inspiration.
Can’t recommend enough. I took this in while running an ultramarathon through the mountains. Is there any better way?

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Lovely story, well told.

Loved it, knowing the ending didn't matter. Alternating narration worked well. Thanks Scott and Jenny.

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amazing

thank you so much for sharing your amazing journey with us. I enjoyed it immensely

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inspirational

Great story, motivating , emotional and keeps you wanting to hear the next steps of the journey. Highly recommend.

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engaging

These 2 write so well together I really hope there are more to come. I have been a long time fan of Jereks books as they keep me motivated on long training runs, but the honesty of Jennys experiences in this book, adds a new human dimension to Scotts ultra human athleticism.

#Audible1

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An inspiring tale

A great follow up to Eat and Run. I was inspired to start trail running after his first book and he continues to motivate through his own struggles and perseverance.

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Absolutely Recommend!

This book was amazing from start to finish. the overall story was a great one already, but with how it is told and narrated, you can really connect and relate with Scott and Jen. I personally love the alternating narrations from Scott and Jen, which also added another personalized touch. Not many people could truly understand the journey they went through, but with the detailed descriptions, it makes the reader feel close.

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Personal, just enough

I’m not a runner, or even really know who SJ is. But I enjoy the genre of sport related autobiography, like Rich Roll, David Goggins, etc. This life event is well told by “Jerker” and his wife Jen. Part of what hooked me was Jens high, tiny voice. That is adorable, and I love that she calls him Jerker, throughout- I think it’s a direct reflection of the closeness of their relationship in real life.
The book is an interesting recount of an epic journey, and it’s hard to believe that a 45 day time period in one’s life could actually be book worthy, but here it is!
There is emotion, a touches of reality that I’m certain only scratch the surface of what really happened. Cool that there are so many in the UltraWorld that can and do come out to help guide, navigate, and provide support.
Congrats Scott on the journey, the record (however short lived it was) and the family that has since been realized!
I’ve hiked the Camino to Santiago, and ridden my bicycle across Canada (all 3 coasts) and can’t imagine putting a book together for it. But other people have!

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A delightfully listenable story

It felt like I was there, at the trailheads, rooting for Scott all through the book. I'm not a runner, or fan, or even much of a hiker, but truly enjoyed this story penned by people who seem genuinely nice.

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