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Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen

Christopher McDougall

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Sep 09, 2009 John rated it it was amazing

Born to Run is a mysteriously engaging tale of body and mind. Unveiled in a similar spirit as that of outdoor writer John Krakauer (Into the Wild, Into Thin Air), McDougall presents a mystery, a murder mystery even. But for all the questions posed, this gripping yarn is both inspiring and informative leaving the reader with a desire to run farther, faster, easier, lighter, and just more betterer.

Among the questions McDougall poses, either directly or indirectly, the initial question begins "Why Born to Run is a mysteriously engaging tale of body and mind. Unveiled in a similar spirit as that of outdoor writer John Krakauer (Into the Wild, Into Thin Air), McDougall presents a mystery, a murder mystery even. But for all the questions posed, this gripping yarn is both inspiring and informative leaving the reader with a desire to run farther, faster, easier, lighter, and just more betterer.

Among the questions McDougall poses, either directly or indirectly, the initial question begins "Why do my feet hurt [when I run only 3 miles:]?" This question launches the author on an investigation which literally spans geographies, anthropologies, eons and even the realms of research and higher education.

In his investigations McDougall learns of the physical and cultural strengths of the Tarahumara Indians found in the Copper Canyons of Mexico. Why, McDougall asks, does a shy, modern-culture-shunning tribe of Mexican Indians run faster than ultra-marathoners and Olympic marathoners who train with greater abundance, more science, and richer technology? Why can the Tarahumara run faster while maintaining poor diets, consuming plenty of beer, and sporting simple sandals rather than high-tech running shoes? What are the Tarahumara secrets? And can Tarahumara actually hunt and kill deer solely by running them to death ; death by exhaustion? Answers to these questions and others are revealed while also noting the Tarahumara unique cultural positives: they avoid annoying self-promotion ; they thrive in an inhospitable desert ; they have no need for money ; And there is no rape, violence, or hunger. Too good to be true? You decide, but the author reveals a compelling tale.

McDougal's investigation of the Tarahumara is perhaps most interesting while highlighting contrasts with modern culture by considering aspects of running techniques and injury rates. For example, Tarhumara don't have incidents of Plantar Facitis or debilitating jogging-induced knee injuries despite the fact that they run almost barefoot with simple sandles.

This book is a fascinating read, perhaps because of the novelists approach to questions and cultural contrasts. But hard scientists should look elsewhere for a thorough scientific investigation into the evidence. And yet, the writing style is wholly engaging as it reveals many secrets, not the least of which is to suggest and explain why humans are born to run. ...more

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Jun 14, 2011 Kyle rated it it was amazing

Amazing. This book is truly awesome. I have despised running most of my life, and this book flat-out changes my opinion about the world of running. McDougall is a master story teller. Read this book.

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May 03, 2009 Ann rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: travel, narrative-nonfiction, immersion-writing, nonfiction

This book blends an adventure travel story into a treatise on the physiology, nutrition, and lore of distance running. The author has me eating salad for breakfast and planning barefoot runs once a week.

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Aug 06, 2009 L marked it as to-buy-or-borrow

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