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Audiobook11 hours
Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen
Written by Christopher McDougall
Narrated by Fred Sanders
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
4.5/5
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About this audiobook
Full of incredible characters, amazing athletic achievements, cutting-edge science, and, most of all, pure inspiration, Born to Run is an epic adventure that began with one simple question: Why does my foot hurt? In search of an answer, Christopher McDougall sets off to find a tribe of the world's greatest distance runners and learn their secrets, and in the process shows us that everything we thought we knew about running is wrong.
Isolated by the most savage terrain in North America, the reclusive Tarahumara Indians of Mexico's deadly Copper Canyons are custodians of a lost art. For centuries they have practiced techniques that allow them to run hundreds of miles without rest and chase down anything from a deer to an Olympic marathoner while enjoying every mile of it. Their superhuman talent is matched by uncanny health and serenity, leaving the Tarahumara immune to the diseases and strife that plague modern existence. With the help of Caballo Blanco, a mysterious loner who lives among the tribe, the author was able not only to uncover the secrets of the Tarahumara but also to find his own inner ultra-athlete, as he trained for the challenge of a lifetime: a fifty-mile race through the heart of Tarahumara country pitting the tribe against an odd band of Americans, including a star ultramarathoner, a beautiful young surfer, and a barefoot wonder.
With a sharp wit and wild exuberance, McDougall takes us from the high-tech science labs at Harvard to the sun-baked valleys and freezing peaks across North America, where ever-growing numbers of ultrarunners are pushing their bodies to the limit, and, finally, to the climactic race in the Copper Canyons. Born to Run is that rare book that will not only engage your mind but inspire your body when you realize that the secret to happiness is right at your feet, and that you, indeed all of us, were born to run.
From the Hardcover edition.
Isolated by the most savage terrain in North America, the reclusive Tarahumara Indians of Mexico's deadly Copper Canyons are custodians of a lost art. For centuries they have practiced techniques that allow them to run hundreds of miles without rest and chase down anything from a deer to an Olympic marathoner while enjoying every mile of it. Their superhuman talent is matched by uncanny health and serenity, leaving the Tarahumara immune to the diseases and strife that plague modern existence. With the help of Caballo Blanco, a mysterious loner who lives among the tribe, the author was able not only to uncover the secrets of the Tarahumara but also to find his own inner ultra-athlete, as he trained for the challenge of a lifetime: a fifty-mile race through the heart of Tarahumara country pitting the tribe against an odd band of Americans, including a star ultramarathoner, a beautiful young surfer, and a barefoot wonder.
With a sharp wit and wild exuberance, McDougall takes us from the high-tech science labs at Harvard to the sun-baked valleys and freezing peaks across North America, where ever-growing numbers of ultrarunners are pushing their bodies to the limit, and, finally, to the climactic race in the Copper Canyons. Born to Run is that rare book that will not only engage your mind but inspire your body when you realize that the secret to happiness is right at your feet, and that you, indeed all of us, were born to run.
From the Hardcover edition.
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Author
Christopher McDougall
Christopher McDougall is author of the internationally bestselling Born to Run, which is being adapted into a TV series, Natural Born Heroes, and Running with Sherman. He lives in rural Pennsylvania and Hawaii.
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Reviews for Born to Run
Rating: 4.288309300924703 out of 5 stars
4.5/5
1,514 ratings141 reviews
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5This is one of the best nonfiction books I've read this year.
Starting with the basics: McDougall's book begins as an exploration into running injuries, but is really about three interweaving themes: Ultramarathon running; the Tarahumara people; and barefoot running.
I was most impressed by *how* McDougall tells these three stories. They're all interconnected, and I had the sense that the book works like waves crashing onto the beach - each wave overlaps the ones that had come before, mixing and making the previous wave reverberate. It's a truly impressive writing job.
And it's a fascinating story, and inspiring, and very entertaining. - Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5This got such great reviews on audible.com that I decided to give it a try. I've listened to a couple of hours and am intrigued by the story (even tho I have never and will never be a runner :).
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5nonfiction love-letter to running, while mostly narrative, it helped me get out there and run more.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Christopher McDougall, a US men's magazine writer, was fed up repeatedly injuring himself on insignificant short runs, prompting a trail of discovery into what makes ultrarunners such as the infamous Tarahumara tick and why the rates of runner injury have been significantly climbing ever since the invention of clever cushioned running shoes.Even if you last ran in 1972 when you were 12 years old, I think this is a fantastic read for anyone. Part science, part travelogue, part social history, part anthropology, part extreme sport, it's peppered with a cast of fabulous characters such as the shy and reclusive Tarahumara people who run hundreds of miles up mountains for fun in sandals made out of old tyres, Caballo Blanco, the mysterious loner who turned his back on a life in the US to become an ultrarunning nomad in the Copper Canyon wilderness, and Barefoot Ted, the annoying US ultrarunner with insatiable verbal diarrhoea who became a respected pioneer for barefoot running. It's utterly fascinating, and extremely well written. McDougall manages to really nicely knit investigation into the science and history of our bodies and distance running with a gripping travelogue which culminates in the first ever underground ultra race between the Tarahumara and a handful of selected US ultrarunners in the deadly terrain of their Copper Canyon homeland. As I read I was able to Google this infamous cast of characters and images of the Copper Canyon which really nicely complemented the book.And in case you were wondering, it's the marketing devilment of Nike and the like that is behind our increased running injuries. Build up the natural muscles in your feet and ankles that the modern day running shoe prevents you using and your injury woes will behind you. Apparently.5 stars - the Asics are in the bin and the barefoot trails are beckoning.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5I am not a runner, and as far as I can tell, I never will be.
Despite that, this book kept me riveted the whole way through, and at times made me even think I might want to give running another chance. You may even one day see me in those weird five-toe gloves-for-feet shoe-sock things, whatever they're called. I'm intrigued by this culture of ultramarathon runners, I'm fascinated by the Tarahumara, and I'm really interested in the claims the book makes about running injuries being largely attributable to running SHOES (specifically as opposed to running shoeless, or close to it).
But my praise for the book really boils down to this: I've never been tempted to run a mile, let alone two, just for the fun of it. While reading this book, I was able almost (almost!) to envision setting out to run forty or fifty miles... and somehow finding it exhilarating rather than excruciating. That in itself is a spectacular accomplishment for any book (or any person or thing, for that matter); the curiosity-piquing anthropological info about culture, diet, and the physiology of running was all just a mind-expanding bonus.
Highly recommended, especially if you're a runner, but even if you aren't. - Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5"Born to Run" follows Christopher McDougall, a fantastic journalist and writer in his investigation of a little-known Indian tribe in Mexico called the Tarahumara whose existence seems to be based around running of some sort. Its a fascinating tale of the best, brightest and toughest runners in the world, whether Tarahumara or American.He also documents his personal investigation into his body's, ahem, 'dislike' of running, and is surprised to find that running may have been in our DNA since we began walking upright. Overall, a great book, even if you aren't a runner.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5This is a great, inspirational read for those looking to improve or transition into long-distance trail running. It is not an anthropological book about the Tarahumara people, so if that is what you are looking for, you might be disappointed. But it does present a detailed, thoughtful analysis of what is flawed in the "no pain, no gain" running mantra, and I found many useful tidbits that I can apply to my exercise regime.
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5I generally like travel books, but I found the travel and culture sections of this a little overwritten. What really interested me is the insight it gave into running injuries and how our unnatural approach to running is likely causing us to be injured more. I'm not a runner myself, but an avid walker in a family of runners, and I read this while trying to recover from incredibly persistent and discouraging tendonitis. It really made me think about my attitude toward physical activity and made me rethink some of the medical advice I had received that wasn't useful. McDougall is really trying to answer that universal question, "Why does my foot hurt?"
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Really great.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Great story, helpful facts on running and body mechanics.
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5I couldn't stand the writer as I think he has a cliche-ridden, second-rate sports page style. That said, the book makes some interesting points and introduces the reader to some characters and stories that are a lot more interesting than the narrator and to some extent forgive the narration. I must admit that it is a worthwhile read for any runner or endurance athlete.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Great read, not just for runners! Lots of running info and interesting introduction to the Tarahumara indians of the Copper Canyons in Mexico.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5I am so glad I finally read this! Next time someone asks why I love running I think I will tell them to read this.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Good yarn about the authors adventures in Mexican canyons with various odd characters mixed together with fascinating running tips & research & tribal knowledge.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Fascinating.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5super cool. Barefoot running. Hidden Mexican Indian tribe. Ultra marathon
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5A must read for any one interested in running or the human condition. I also recommend reading this in connection with Eat and Run by Scott Jurek as a less sensationalized, more practical sequel.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5I enjoyed this book and felt like running again!
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Review from a non-runner: I read this book because it was the book of the month for my book group. I had no idea what to expect. I don't run and have vowed I will run when a bear is chasing me. That said, I loved this book. It was fascinating to learn about the Tarahumara people. I love learning about other cultures, and these guys are wonderful. But the ultra runners are also "another culture" and it was fun getting to know them, too. Also, very interesting to learn the science about our bodies being built for running. I'll still only run if a bear is chasing, me, but I've stopped telling my running friends that running is bad for them. You don't have to be runner to like this book.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5LOVED this book.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5v interesting
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5As a runner and being obsessed with ultra running, I read and reread this book. I really enjoyed how they included the different personalities.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Extremely inspiring!
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5This was great! At first I thought it was hokey, too much of a tall tale. But as the book went on and he got more detailed, I enjoyed it more. I've actually changed my running stride due to this book and am reading a different book about barefoot running. It gave me a new perspective on the average person's running potential.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5I heard about Vibram FiveFingers shortly after they came out, but I was pretty suspicious that they were a fad. About five years later, after numerous friends had told me how much they loved them, I decided, hesitantly, to give them a try. I'm a snowboarder and a mountain biker, not as much a runner. But I love going barefoot, and love being nimble on my feet. Within weeks of buying my first pair, they were pretty much the only thing I wore. Five years later, I'm on my fourth pair, and feel uncomfortable wearing normal shoes anymore. I even go out for trail runs sometimes.My introduction to this book has been similar. I've heard of it since shortly after it came out, but didn't feel like it was a priority, as I don't think of myself as a runner. Sure, I wear barefoot shoes, but I'm not an evangelist. I just tell people that they're comfortable for me when the random person in an airport asks how I like them.But I finally got around to this book, and it's amazing. There's a reason I love the barefoot approach.The storytelling, the science, and rhetoric are riveting. It's a real page-turner. All the sudden, I can't stop talking to people about how they should be switching to minimalist footwear. My dad's had knee problems all of his life; he's started walking more on his forefeet, and is reading the book, and is picking up his own pair of minimalist shoes, and is already starting to feel better.The only critiques I can offer: Chris is a little sensational at times, which I find off-putting. Also, he knows a lot about running, but I don't think he's so much of an expert on nutrition or food systems. These are just side notes.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5I really enjoyed this book and it is an easy read. I am a runner and the novel addresses some of the quirky characteristics of endurance athletes. It was interesting to hear a true story about pitting the Tarahumara against other runners and there are some really gripping descriptions of some of the challenging races. The characters were interestingly developed as well and really engage the reader and from experience, believable. If you are runner you will enjoy this book and I think non-runners will as well.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5An adventurous tale of athletic potential of the most unassuming people in the world. So much fun to read and plenty of drama to keep the pages turning
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5I'm not even a runner but learning about the mindset of ultra-runners and the science of running and what the human body can endue makes for a fascinating read/listen. May have even inspired me to take up running.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Amazing book! very entertaining and educational! I extremely recommend it
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5If you’re a runner it’s a great read. If you’re not, it’s not bad. I’m just getting into running and it’s fascinating to learn about the history and biology of running. It’s also cool to learn about the Mexican tribe.