North: Forty-Seven Trail Runs and a Typewriter | Book Review

Some books you read for excitement and adventure and some books you read purely for the information they contain. Scott and Jenny Jurek’s North: Finding My Way While Running the Appalachian Trail (2018) is both. While primarily a narrative account of Scott’s attempt to break the fastest known time (FKT) for the Appalachian Trail, it is littered with loads of helpful tips and tricks for trail runners, aspiring and experienced alike. The main reason it stands above others in the genre, however, is because we hear not only from Scott, but also Jenny. It took them 46 days (and six hours and seven minutes, technically) to cover the entire distance of the trail. While Scott was, technically, the one hitting the trail hard, Jenny was the logistical master and leader of the support team; thus, hearing her side of things added another layer of depth to the account.

Examining Jurek’s achievements can lead you to believe that he is an invincible fortress of grit and determination, an unflinchingly tough athlete who doesn’t bleed. In North, Scott rejects this perception and takes the reader inside his strained, desperate quest to conquer the Appalachian Trail FKT. He lays his injuries bare and lets the reader inside every struggle of the attempt. While reading Scott and Jenny’s accounts of the run I kept thinking that what makes this book stand out is their vulnerability. Detailing hamstring and knee injuries is one thing, but the Jureks take us through the ups and downs of their relationships with other runners, other crew members, and each other.

Scott and Jenny Jurek are honest throughout North about just how hard the Appalachian Trail was on their marriage. It wasn’t for lack of effort – they planned to run together every morning, carving out explicit time just for themselves – but forty-six days of waking up at 5 am and running until nearly midnight some nights takes a toll on a relationship. As I said before, what differentiates the book from others in the genre is getting to hear from Jenny every chapter. The two authors have distinct voices and distinct roles in the FKT attempt. Often, we will hear the same story told both from Scott’s perspective and, later, from Jenny’s; or vice versa. One might expect this to get repetitive, but the book is planned so well, and the details of the stories so distinctive in each telling, that it works perfectly. In fact, I left the book looking not only for Eat and Run (Scott’s first book), but also for any other titles Jenny may have written (looking for a mom runner/climber book here in 5-10 years!)

Another treat for readers is all the different characters that pop up throughout the telling of North. Those who have read Born to Run will recognize Luis Escobar, Jenn Shelton, and Billy Barnett. Others familiar with the trail community will enjoy reading about David Horton and Karl Meltzer (the latter of whom broke Jurek’s AT record a few years later – with help from Scott himself). All these people – and many more – pop up throughout the book as members of Scott’s crew for varying durations. Of course, this makes sense given the length of his presence in the trail/ultra-world; Scott is known as much for his friendliness as he is for his feats and accomplishments. In addition to helping Scott complete the Appalachian Trail, his companions add color to the book and make for an incredibly interesting narrative.

There’s a great quote from Chris McDougall, regarding why he wrote Born to Run; “Most of the time when you see running depicted, it’s punishment… Yet I know the experience is the exact opposite – it’s fun!” North is its own story, and the Jureks own it. But in a way, it feels like a continuation of Born to Run’s modus operandi. North pulls you into Scott and Jenny’s world, the world of ultra-racing and the world of trail running. It reaches towards the reader, enticing them into the trail world just for a few hours. And, despite the lowest lows that Scott and Jenny have on the trails, it reminds you that, at the end of the day, running is fun. Running is enjoyable. Running is a lifestyle, but it is also something we do to escape the monotony, chase endorphins, and add a bit of enjoyment to our days.

Scott ends the book with a quote from David Horton, “This is who I am. This is what I do.” This is the mindset that carries the Jureks from Springer Mountain to Katahdin, and the mindset that keeps so many runners pushing for consistency and pushing for improvement. North is about Scott Jurek’s Appalachian Trail FKT attempt, but it is also about his transformation and the rekindling of his inner fire. It is about how running brings people together and how we need each other to keep going. It’s a remarkably timeless theme that the Jureks pull, subtly, from their month and half on the trail and weave perfectly through the book.

Ultimately, as one blogger pointed out, reading North is a bit like reading about the Titanic. You know what’s going to happen, but you want to hear the tale of how it reached that point. At the end of North, Scott gets the FKT. But the real story is how they made it happen together, and with the help of everyone around them on the trail. It’s nearly impossible to walk away from the book without the strong urge to dash onto the nearest trails and lay down a few miles. I would recommend it to anyone, regardless of where you are in your running journey. The book is a page-turner and will certainly motivate you to pick your shoes up and turn the doorknob – you will not regret it.

North Rating: 8.2/10

If you liked this article, check out: Once a Runner: An Imperfect Masterpiece