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

From a standard runner

If you run, thought about running or appreciate the art of running in any way, you'll want to read this. It randomly showed up as a suggestion when it first came out and couldn't put it down. I'd give it 6 stars if I could.
FYI, this is not a how to get faster book but you may be inspired to kick off your shoes and do 50 miles in the hills.

Take your shoes off

Where does Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Pretty good, lagged in spots but good story.

What did you like best about this story?

I liked the descriptions of the people's and why they are running

What about Fred Sanders’s performance did you like?

Good job

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

No, I like to savor them

Great book and I learned a lot too!

I didn't know what to expect fro this book but was glad where it took me. This inner world of the ultra marathoner is fascinating and it's ties back to anthropological analysis had me on the edge of my seat. I'm ready to start walking barefoot everywhere now.

A must read!

I downloaded this book for a long road trip with my husband who has been plagued by running injuries. He and I are now complete converts to a more natural running style. Even bought "Five Fingers" and are running barefoot on a regular basis! No injuries! The story is great and the characters are wonderful. A must read (listen)!!!

Completely Caught My Imagination

This book caught me and took me for a ride I did not expect. I am a runner, and had heard plenty about the book and it's story. However, I was not prepared for the way the individuals in this book became real. It's hard sometimes in non-fiction to make real people become bigger than life, and yet still feel authentic. Christopher McDougall did that for me with this book. I got caught up in their stories, and in their motivations.

The book does get a bit caught up in the mechanics of running, and while I found that enjoyable, I didn't necessarily completely buy into all of McDougall's conclusions. But the strength of the book is not in the science, it's in the story. And the story is truly fascinating. I literally couldn't stop listening. Making a 100 mile race feel like a breathtakingly exciting athletic event is no easy achievement, but that is what he accomplished.

I was taken to a different time and place, and I enjoyed every minute of it.

Amazing read, for runners and non-runners alike.

This was an incredible read. I first picked it up looking to know more about barefoot running and its effect on form, endurance, and injury rates. I got what I was looking for, but I also got an incredible story.

This book is full of sudden tangent stories about everything from the creation of ultra running races, the evolution of the human body, and how the downfall of society is directly linked to the creation of the running shoe. While a little jarring at first, as they take you out of the primary story arc, these stories all weave together in the end to create a beautiful and moving whole.

I can only hope that everyone has a chance to read this book and understand its message. If we can do that, the world will be a stronger, healthier, happier, and more positive place. And all it takes... is running.

As a short note about the audiobook version, the narrator has been chosen well. He does a good job displaying the energy in what he's reading, as well and using (at least what sound to me) like accurate pronunciations of the Spanish phrases.

I give Born to Run, by Christopher McDougall, an easy 5 out of 5 stars.

Motivated me to increase my committment to running

It was a very interesting listen. The narrator did an admirable job with a story that should be interesting to all who either run, or wonder why we just keep getting fatter.

Love those Chia Seeds!

I don't run but I do compete in another sport so I get the dedication and need . Born to Run was such a fun listen and to know this is a true story makes it even more fun. To know that there are people out in the world enriching the human race with such positive energy and passion and fun warms my heart makes me smile. As for the Chia seeds that is an amazing find and you will have to listen to the book to find out the secrets of Chia.

I couldn’t stop

I’m not a runner but I want to be now. I literally could not stop listening to this book. The performance is great and the story fascinating!!

Fascinating!

Interesting! McDougal is a great story teller. I was looking for running info, got entertained!