Christopher McDougall's Blog, page 17

BTR Barefoot Run, Pt. II: So what's the deal?

What this isn't:

A race, a tough guy contest, or a trial by fiery sidewalk (although it's supposed to be pretty stinking hot on Wednesday).

What it is:

A fun run. That, plus a celebration that the dismal days of being afraid of running are coming to an end. Fast, light-footed running has nothing to do with gimmicky shoes, as even Nike elite coach Alberto Salazar agrees. Learn to trust the equipment you were born with, and rediscover what a blast running can be.

What it lacks:
Rules. Of any...

BTR Barefoot Run: Harlem to Brooklyn, Aug. 11

Out of the blue a couple of weeks ago, I heard from John Durant. You probably know him from the Colbert Report, or the New York Times profile of his urban-paleo adventures. We got to talking, and suddenly this is happening. I'll update soon with more backstory and details, but for now, here's what's going down:

Join Christopher McDougall, author of "Born to Run," and John Durant, founder of Barefoot Runners NYC, in an epic barefoot run from Harlem to Brooklyn. Run barefoot, near-barefoot, or...

The Right Way to Run

Wow. In this remarkable interview , one of America's top distance-running minds is suggesting that cushioned shoes are the cause of running injuries, not the cure. There's no competing with Alberto Salazar's credentials: he's a former U.S. Olympian, a three-time New York City Marathon Champ and winner of both Boston andSouth's Africa's fabled 54-mile Comrades. Salazar is now head of Nike elite project, and the No. 1 problem he faces is keeping his aces healthy. Some 85% of all runners who...

"There has to be one best way of running. It's got to be like a law of physics." Alberto Salazar: U.S. Olympian, 3-time New York City Marathon Champ, current head of Nike elite project.

Wow. In this remarkable interview , one of America's top distance-running minds is suggesting that cushioned shoes are the cause of running injuries, not the cure. Some 85% of all runners who use running shoes land on their heels, a style of running that's impossible without cushioning, while 100% of barefoot runners land on their mid-to-forefoot. Eliminate the conditioned shoe, and you eliminate heel strike. So should you rely on shoes to fix your problems and just "run the way you run" —...

"There has to be one best way of running. It's got to be like a law of physics." Alberto Salazar, U.S. Olympian, 3-time New York City Marathon Champ, current head of Nike elite project.

Wow. In this remarkable interview, one of America's top distance-running minds slashes right to the heart of the debate about form vs. footwear. In his mind, there's no debate at all:

There has to be one best way of running. It's got to be like a law of physics. And if you deviate too much from that–the way I did in my career–it can be a big handicap. Dathan can't be a heel striker and expect to run as good as the best forefoot runners. You can be efficient for a while with bad form–maybe...

Reinventing the Black Comedian: "I love the n-word. It makes me giggle."

Seaton Smith was the guy I was most looking forward to at TEDx, and by the end, he owned the joint. Way more interesting than listening to some guy who thinks he has the answers is listening to someone who's close, but not quite there. You're not forced to sit back and be lectured; you're invited to lace up and join a brain expedition in progress.

Brujita Unplugged: "Afterwards, I pooped black for two days…"

Jenn Shelton took questions live online yesterday at Portland's Mail Tribune. No surprise, the conversation went directions others rarely do. Jenn criticizes the sub-title of the book and what she feels is a romanticized portrait of the Tarahumara, but if she wasn't insightful and out-spoken, I wouldn't recognize her. Archived video is at bottom. Highlights include:

I don't like cougars much. I'm okay with bears, though."

Q: Remember when you babysat my gerbil and fed him to a snake?"
Jenn...

"It's like having a tire with a nail in it." —Nike's top coach, on heel-striking

If two of America's greatest runners can get healthy by getting off their heels, why shouldn't you? Three years ago, Alan Webb was one of the world's best milers. In 2007, he ran the fastest time in the world in both the mile and 1500 meters. Then he began to get injured and sank into a slump. Recently, as the Portland Tribune reports, he put himself into the hands of Alberto Salazar, the distance running legend who's now head of Nike's elite training program. And one of Salazar's first...

Barefoot Secrets from Grunts and Seals

The key to light, easy running is rhythm, and that's a secret that combat forces have known for thousands of years. Roman centurions used to cover 50 miles in a single night, running with one hand holding their weapons and the other on the shoulder of the soldier ahead of them. That kind of close-quarters striding demands a quick, left-right-left-right rhythm: you'd either kick the guy ahead of you or get kicked by the guy behind if you didn't get your feet up fast. No way, in other words...

Better Running With the Barefoot Pro

I've been lucky enough to learn from a lot of excellent barefoot runners and natural-running coaches. Dr. Mark Cuccuzella in West Virginia and Ryan Miller in Boston are top-notch; they teach Danny Dreyer's ChiRunning and are masters of making the technique easy to learn and remember. Ken Mierke, the Annapolis-based coach who developed Evolution Running and first got it through my head that form is everything, is also a superb instructor.

But every time I run into Lee Saxby, I learn something ...