Why We Run: A Natural History
by Bernd Heinrich
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other reviews (showing 1-20 of 87)
Read in January, 2007
As someone who had read numerous books and articles about the physiology of training to be a distance runner, I found the perspective of this book really interesting. Heinrich approached his running with hardly any background knowledge about the sport, but by applying what he knew about endurance performance in other animals, he was able to be extremely successful. Occasionally his passion for flora and fauna gets to be too much, but I also found the accounts of his experiments on animals and ...more
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Sort of like a Scientific American article. The book sells itself as more a natural history than it ends up being. There's an awful lot about his preparation for a race. Overall it's interesting, though, but I remember having some problem with something about the section on bees. I think his science might be a little stretched sometimes. And again, his training regimen is a big part of this book. I think this'd make a good gift for a jogging addict.
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Read in November, 2007
Some things this book taught me:
1. Counter-intuitively, we humans shouldn't be so embarrassed about our evolutionary heritage in the physical sense. We're actually pretty decent runners (we can even chase down antelope!)
2. Bernd Heinrich is a fabulous athlete and writer. He weaves the complementary threads of exercise physiology, research, and personal narrative into one heck of a compelling tapestry of a book.
3. Birds have enviable lungs.
1. Counter-intuitively, we humans shouldn't be so embarrassed about our evolutionary heritage in the physical sense. We're actually pretty decent runners (we can even chase down antelope!)
2. Bernd Heinrich is a fabulous athlete and writer. He weaves the complementary threads of exercise physiology, research, and personal narrative into one heck of a compelling tapestry of a book.
3. Birds have enviable lungs.
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Read in April, 2008
Useful book that I initially thought I was not going to like, as it started out with childhood reminiscences about life in Germany and ended up covering a lot of technical running issues, dealing with biology and comparative anatomy, at both the macro and cellular levels.
It may be a book only a geek runner (is there any other kind?) could love, but I liked it and would recommend it to my geek runner friends.
It may be a book only a geek runner (is there any other kind?) could love, but I liked it and would recommend it to my geek runner friends.
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Has a copy to sell/swap
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Read in March, 2008
recommends it for:
running geeks
This book had some good bits to it. All in all, it read rather schizophrenically. It seemed like two books combined into one (a scientific book about physical endurance in nature and a memoir of a runner). The author, however, has a great passion for both his life's work and his running, and his enthusiasm lent a great deal to the book.
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Read in March, 2008
recommended to Bcoghill by:
A friend recommends it for: Runners
I am reading an older copy of this book titled Running with Antelope. Apparently there were to many Antelope titles out there. It combines the story of Bernd running 100 Ks with his exhaustive knowledge of biology and zoology.
I only wish I could run a 100 K but the ankles are weaker than my desire.
I only wish I could run a 100 K but the ankles are weaker than my desire.
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Read in February, 2008
somewhat scattered in form, but interesting in a lot of places; brought out both my inner passionate runner, and the aspects of my baggage with running as well - wrapped up very nicely, which I suppose reveals I know more about road racing than biology terminology.
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Read in May, 2007
An interesting view into one runners research into becoming a better runner. By analyzing it from multiple aspects, historical and biological/physiological, it becomes a well rounded read about running, training, and a small bit about human motivation.
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Half of this book is fascinating; details Heinrich's experiences training to set the 100k world record at age 40-something. I'm no naturalist, so the bits about birds and bees were mostly a blur for me.
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I accidentally read this and then I purposely read everything else he wrote.
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Read in October, 2007
recommends it for:
Runners/scientists
Pretty interesting book, but very dry. I love the stuff about our biology and how we're made for long distance running. Not crazy about his writing style, though.
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Read in December, 2005
Very interesting look at the physiology behind endurance running from someone who is both a competitive endurance runner and a qualified scientist.
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This is a good one for me. Its about running and biology and written by a German. Its also very good.
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Read in May, 2004
Really about extreme long distance running, but interesting nonetheless
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Read in August, 2006
If you're athletic and wonder about it, you'll like this.
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Read in January, 2008
Very enjoyable book on the importance of running.
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