Monday, September 10, 2012

Born to Run


Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Super Athletes, and the Greatest Race the World has Never Seen by Christopher McDougall

Someone else actually checked this book out for me, because they know I am a runner. I decided to give it a shot and I could not put the book down! It is a fascinating story about a tribe in Mexico called the Tarahumara. They run miles and miles for recreation and never seem to tire or get injured.

It all began when the author, Christopher McDougall, began searching for a solution for his foot injuries. His doctors always told him it was inevitable, he was too big to run, and running was too stressful on our joints. But then he learned about the Tarahumara and other "barefoot runners" and ultramarathoners who could run over a hundred miles at one time and not get hurt. He set out to discover their secrets.
In the book he talks to many doctors, scientists, and runners who discuss how shoes have basically ruined our natural stride and cause many of the foot and knee problems we have today. These problems never existed when everyone went barefoot.

The most fascinating part of the book is learning about the Tarahumara, how they live, work, and play, and what they eat. The author also participated in, and describes a 50 miles race through Tarahumara country, competing with the tribe and famous ultramarathoners from the U.S.

This is a must read for all runners !! I learned a lot about how I can improve my running and nutrition. Even those who don't run will be fascinated by the science and history of human physiology and the unique Tarahumara.