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

Incredible, Clever, and Very Well Done!!

Christopher McDougall clearly did his homework on this one! I thought that I would merely be reading a fascinating book on an ancient tribe of incredibly fit runners. What I read was an inspiring book on living and loving, not just one's self but others as well as a book that quite frankly turns conventional running upside down. I started listening to this book about a week ago. I had been training for my first marathon. I normally don't run while listening to audio, but, I was so engrossed in this book that I decided to listen to it while running my marathon. Unfortunately, my battery died and I had to wait to finish the book today. Just an incredible, incredible story of inspiration and I can't wait for someone to make about 3 movies out of this book. One criticism: I don't know why authors have to use such fowl and offensive language! It is disappointing to me that we can't write a book without resisting the urge to use obscenities. They detracted from the message.

Excellent.

I have regularly runs ultras since 2001. This book has spurred more growth in a single listen than all those years, combined. What others have called "bird walking" is the true substance of this book. While the actual race is fascinating, the research and stories about running, in general - shoes, or the lack thereof, nutrition, physiology, and psychology - are a veritable goldmine for an ultrarunner, or anyone aspiring to try.

A Fantastic Story

Very simply, this is one of the best books that I have listened to, or read, in the past ten years. I plan to go out and purchase the physical book so that I can refer to it again and again, to keep it at arm's length in my library. I cannot recommend it highly enough. It succeeds on many levels, and one does not need to be a runner (or even athletic) to appreciate the way that the author presents the story, the characters, the information. Simply fantastic!

Great Story, Great Message, Great Information

I've always run a little.

With this book I found myself sneaking out of work with my iPod and running shorts to listen to and live this great story.

It's not surprising Christopher McDougall made so many "crazy" friends on his journey, his writing style makes me feel like he's my old college buddy (might be the language). Fred Saunders narrating goes perfectly with this text.

Based on this book I can't stop myself from telling people to throw away their expensive running shoes and run the way we were made to run. I've decided to go against the conventional wisdom and do MORE walking barefoot to get rid of my heel pain. I've gone from a mind set of "maybe I'm not meant to run so much to "I want to run for hours and hours, everyday and all the time" and I can't wait until I can.

Usually I don't like a lot of "names" in a book (my simple mind has trouble keeping them straight) but, I loved meeting all these characters.

I've got another hour left of the book that I'm saving for tomorrows "lunch". I hope the undercurrent of living "a good life" is what really makes a "good runner" carries to the end. Don't confuse "good life" with no partying 'cause there is plenty of that. This is the good life the prophets talk about with sharing, love, compassion and simple living.

crazy, fun and interesting

This is one of the best books I've come across in a long time. It was motivational and entertaining. It proposes new ideas based on old trials and coaxes a smile the whole way through

Couch Potatoe Endorsement

Haven't run a mile since high school and enjoyed this book anyway. Story weaves people, running theory, events and history. Learned tons and who knows I might throw away the Nike's and try to run again. Anybody know how to brew Chia?

Great story, also for non-runners

So, what kind of book is this actually? It is part biography, part history, part science and part fun stories about the weird characters in the ultra running-scene. A short outline of each of the parts of the book:

1. biography: the search of Chris McDougall for how to run injury free, finally culminating in his participation in a 50 mile ultra-marathon in the Copper Canyons with the best racers in the world.
2. history: how running developed and what it has meant for human beings over time. Also the recent history of running (Nike) and ultra-running. This is really fun stuff, even if you don't like to run yourself. You feel yourself in the excitement of these extreme races that last sometimes more than a day in deserts, over icy mountains and through rugged forests.
3. science: running causes an amazing amount of injuries, where many people believe it to be healthy. It seems modern runners entertain the entirely wrong running style/method. This sounds strangely true, and other science books confirm this hypothesis.
4. story: there are about 10 great characters in the book, which are described vividly although almost too fantastic to be true. The main ones are Micah True (Caballo Blanco), Scott Jurek (the greatest ultra-marathoner ever) and the Tarahumara Indians of Mexico.

Although McDougall has a tendency to exaggerate, the story develops at a good pace and it has both riveting sub-stories as well as many nuggets of knowledge related to running. The most perplexing the one about persistence hunting: the ability of humans to hunt prey by running after them until they die of a stroke. Apparently, this is the very first means of hunting mankind employed, only later abandoned for easier/faster methods.

I thoroughly recommend this book to anyone who knows someone that likes to run, so can empathize a bit with the sport. You don't have to like it yourself, this book will not turn you into a runner (I am still not), but you certainly get a better feel of the thrill that people feel with running long distance and particularly trail and ultras.

Outstanding story for anyone

This is a great story! Loved all of it. I am not a runner, but am very interested in fitness and health. This story has great history and great characters mixed together in a very unusual event.

Greatness!

What made the experience of listening to Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen the most enjoyable?

The story telling is on point and the educational aspect is terrific. The reader is has a wonderful flow and does a great job of putting the books images right in your mind!

What was the most compelling aspect of this narrative?

I have been told several times that I need to read/listen to this book because I have been running barefoot for years… I found the way the author put together the stories and information to be truly terrific! He is able to paint a picture in words so well.

Have you listened to any of Fred Sanders’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

The voice sounds very familiar not sure If I have though… Amazing reading!

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

The whole book cover to cover was great!

Any additional comments?

Keep Running!

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.