Scott Jurek on the Golden Age of Ultra, Dean Potter and The Dark Wizard, 200-Milers, and the Odds of a Sub-14 at Western States (Sunday Conversation)
6/23/20262 hr 1 min
Scott Jurek is one of the greatest ultramarathoners of all time. His career ushered in an era of professionalism that enabled many that came after him to pursue this sport as a full-fledged career.
Since 2024, we have had Scott in the studio for long-form conversations during Western States week. At this point, it’s become one of our favorite traditions. Sometimes we talk about the state of the sport, sometimes we reflect on key moments in his racing career, and other times we just shoot the breeze.
In this one, we talk about Scott’s experience at Cocodona this year, his relationship with Dean Potter, pacing Brian Morrison in 2006, and whether ultrarunning is in a “golden age” right now.
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Clips
Transcript preview
First 90 secondsFinn Melanson· Host0:00
Norda is the official footwear partner of our 2026 Western States 100 coverage. All the rage this summer is the imminent release of their new model, the 055, the shoe that Rachel Entrickin wore start to finish en route to her course record victory at the Cocodona 250 earlier this year. Go check it out at nordarun.com, and make sure you are subscribed to their mailing list to get exclusive early access to the shoe. I've put a bunch of training miles in it. It's the real deal. All right, our 2026 Western States 100 coverage continues. At this point, we're calling it a tradition. It is year three with Scott Jurek in studio. How are you doing today?
Speaker 20:38
Doing well. Usually, we do this at the end, though, so we're kinda, like, messing up. I can usually talk trash about everybody after you've, like, gotten their lowdown, so I'm kinda going early.
Finn Melanson· Host0:49
We're, we're workshopping the timing. And offline, I thought of a question, 'cause we have Hal Koerner's Cougar staring us in the face right now. Do you know where all seven of your Cougars are?
Speaker 21:00
This is Hal's here? I thought this might be Caleb's. [chuckles] Like, I figured you stole Caleb's or something like that.
Finn Melanson· Host1:05
Uh- That would've been an easier one.
Speaker 21:06
You just-- Does Hal, like, spit shine this thing, or what does he do?
Finn Melanson· Host1:09
I think- He, like, buffs it?
Speaker 21:10
He- Mine, mine do not look like that ... he, he likes keeping the store, you know, pretty tidy. That one's on one of the front shelves as soon as you walk into RVR now, so he's probably making sure that that thing's front and center, nice and shiny.
Finn Melanson· Host1:23
I, I don't know. I feel like he did a custom, like, refurbishing or something, and, like- He, he- ... did a, did a custom detail on that thing, because mine