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

As a former runner...

One of the most inspiring and entertaining books I've heard in many years. A must-read for aspiring distance runners

If you like running....

This definitely makes you think about humans and their ability to do a lot more than we think they can. Fun read!

Great book, a must finish

A long history start but necessary to understand the rest of the book! I would recommend this book to anyone who runs or is interested in running

worth the listen

best narrator I have heard thus far. great book to remind you of your natural nature and also give you some history of ultra running.

An amazing story

Initially i was looking for a running guide, but shortly i started to love the story line. also the scientific facts are narrated as a story which helps to remember them. can't wait to eat kilometers with my new minimal shoes

I was spellbound!

Once I started listening, I couldn’t stop. Literally every drive, run, shower, anything I did I was listening to this book. Phenomenal!

I was spellbound!

I've had a love hate relationship with running my whole life. My psyche loved it, my body.... not so much. After growing up barefoot and hating wearing shoes for anything especially running, I decided to transitioning to running barefoot. I bought this book after my 1st barefoot run and couldn't stop listening! Not only is it chalked full of good information but it's a riveting tale of people and what drives them to such great distances! You don't have to be a good runner to enjoy this book, you don't even have to run at all! Just a lover of a good story!

Great book

Great book. Read well. Very inspiring if you like running. If you don't like running there's still a great story woven in.

Absolutely amazing. . .

The most incredible, backed up, theory on how we became creative, forward thinking, and the dominant lifeforms on the planet. We. Were. Born. To. Run.

let's go for a run

Wonder tale, wonderful characters, amazing science. If this book doesn't make you get off of the coach then no book will.