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

good story, felt messy at times like it *

* wasnt cohesive, but you can't blame real life. other than that it was informative.

A must read, even if you don't run

What did you like best about this story?

the description of the characters is amazing, you like the characters without meeting them.

What does Fred Sanders bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

I think the reader brings a lot of passion into the reading of this book. his tone of voice helps set the mood right for the scenes depicted in this book

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

It made me change my perception of human limits, I run 5 Km daily after reading this book I decided to increase my runs to 10 Km daily. and was able to do it. Got me to start exploring barefoot running.

Brilliant writing and performance!

Christopher McDougall knows how to spin a yarn in a way that ties past and future into one cloth, a story you fall into and find a yourself in as one of the ghost runners keeping pace along side the other characters. This is a classic adventure tale!

great book

this is the second book I've got written by Christopher McDougall and I've thoroughly enjoyed them both I recommend his books highly informational entertaining and just plain great way to spend your commute

Damn.

What a book. Damn.

For someone who runs, this book is awesome.

It captured the emotion of the run so well you can feel and imagine.

Damn. What a book.

Compelled to Run

So good I've read it twice. You will feel like running and not stopping for a very long time. If you like to run this will spur you on and wonder why you don't run more.

A fascinating story of human endurance and simplicity that is the joy of running.

Enjoy

Best book I’ve ever read about running

This may be the best book I’ve ever read... it is for sure the best book I’ve read about running. If you’re a runner you have to read this book. Right now! Even if you’re not a runner it’s a great book.

Riveting

This book had me on the edge of my seat. I mainly listen to audio books in my car, and often found myself sitting inside listening, long after I'd reached my destination.

All 1st time marathoners should read

Very inspiring, fun, thrilling book that all marathoners should read. I went into my runs after with a new perspective.

Great page turner!

The best "page turner" I've "read" in a while. An exhilarating tale filled with characters pulsing with life and leaping off the pages, interwoven with sparkling gems on the secrets to running like our ancestors - fast, free and full of joy.