Born to Run

A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen

By: Christopher McDougall

Narrated by: Fred Sanders

Length: 11 hrs and 6 mins

Publisher's summary

NATIONAL BESTSELLER • The astonishing and hugely entertaining story that completely changed the way we run. An epic adventure that began with one simple question: Why does my foot hurt?

“Equal parts quest, physiology treatise, and running history.... The climactic race reads like a sprint.... It simply makes you want to run.” —Outside Magazine

Isolated by Mexico's deadly Copper Canyons, the blissful Tarahumara Indians have honed the ability to run hundreds of miles without rest or injury. In a riveting narrative, award-winning journalist and often-injured runner Christopher McDougall sets out to discover their secrets. In the process, he takes his readers from science labs at Harvard to the sun-baked valleys and freezing peaks across North America, where ever-growing numbers of ultra-runners are pushing their bodies to the limit, and, finally, to a climactic race in the Copper Canyons that pits America’s best ultra-runners against the tribe. McDougall’s incredible story will not only engage your mind but inspire your body when you realize that you, indeed all of us, were born to run.

©2009 Knopf (P)2009 Random House

Critic reviews

“Compelling. . . . Entertaining. . . . [McDougall] uses an extended portrait of one of the world's least known cultures, the Tarahumara Indians of Mexico's Copper Canyons, to put modern American running under an exacting magnifying glass.”—San Francisco Chronicle

“Equal parts quest, physiology treatise, and running history. . . . [McDougall] seeks to learn the secrets of the Tarahumara the old-fashioned way: He tracks them down. . . . The climactic race reads like a sprint. . . . It simply makes you want to run.”—Outside Magazine

“Hugely entertaining. . . . One of the most joyful and engaging books about running to appear for many years.”—The Irish Times

Fantastic and inspiring

This is a must “read” for anyone who loves running, nature and just plain good story telling. The narrator perfectly captured the story’s imagery, humor and varied voices.

Inspiring, motivating, amazing!

I’m so glad to have heard about this book! Life changing - I’m working to strengthen my muscles in my body and feet so I can start barefoot walking and then get to running once I have walking down! It’s a huge change so take baby steps and notice any bad pain as you go, but I’m sure this will be worth it!

Note: this book uses lots of profanity and filthy talking about all manner of sin. There’s also quite a bit of violence, pretty morbid, and evolution is discussed as well. Would not recommend for children, and am not even sure I can recommend this to other adults without warning them! Wish there was an abridged version that was more appropriate. Besides that, the story is amazing!

completely captivating

amazing storyline and performance. A well written book that makes the reader want more.

Mash up of great running stories

It’s a winding road to bring the initial story to a close, but the journey was very entertaining. I enjoyed the background of padded shoes vs the perspective of barefoot Ted. Very well read, definitely a must have for anyone vaguely interested in endurance running.

unexpectedly one of my favorite books

Title says it all, I got this book interested in learning about this group of ultra runners (not a runner myself at all, just sounded cool), and ended up walking away with a lot more than that, including some evolutionary biology and an interest in taking up a sport I have historically despised.

highly, highly recommend to anyone and everyone.

Inspiring and encourages you to exercise

Great book. My favourite type in that it tells a great story and gives lots of information. It makes you really question how helpful high priced running shoes and orthodics really are.

Reading the book inspires you to go outside and run barefoot on dew-covered grass.

Entertaining and educational

This was a great listen and I found it hard to turn off at the end of my commute to and from work. If you're already a runner, besides entertaining you and motivating your running, this book will tempt you to try at least two things. Try chia fresca and try running barefoot or in some other supportless "shoe." I'd caution runners not to overdo it the first time they run without shoes; no more than a couple/few miles at a time until you build up foot strength. I ran six miles in a pair of the Vibram Five Fingers the author mentions, and while it felt great at the time, my feet and ankles were terribly sore for a week or so after.

One of the best

A wonderful book that is well read. I have little interest in running, but I continually made excuses for listening to this book.

Great book to run to!

I tend to download books to listen to while I run. Out of all the books which I have listened, this book was the most motivating. McDougall touches on all of the reasons I enjoy running. Listening to this book I found it easy to push through that extra mile or two.

Pitch Perfect Performance of an Inspiring Book

Any additional comments?

Masterfully crafted narratives that engage even non-runners in the lives of the most extreme runners in the world.

I had already started down the path of barefoot or at least minimalist running/walking due to realizing that whilst on vacation in Europe, I had walked a marathon in two days in flimsy fashion sneakers with barely any sole - and NO pain!

This book has inspired me to stay on my minimalist journey - a personal one - and continue to be bipedal, especially on the trails in my neighborhood.

Humans were designed to be in motion, in nature, and this book helps me to remember that.

Thoroughly recommended.

Narration was perfect too.