• 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
  • 4.7 out of 5 stars (19,896 ratings)

Prime logo Prime members: New to Audible?
Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
Premium Plus auto-renews for $14.95/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime.
Born to Run  By  cover art

Born to Run

By: Christopher McDougall
Narrated by: Fred Sanders
Try for $0.00

$14.95/month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $18.00

Buy for $18.00

Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.

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

Featured Article: The Best Sports Audiobooks to Get You in the Game


Whether you’re a die-hard sports fanatic or a casual observer, you’ve likely felt the rush of adrenaline that comes from watching a world-class competitor at peak performance. Another way to capture the high energy of professional athletics? A sports audiobook with the perfect balance of substance and style. From rags-to-riches stories to tales of the biggest comebacks, these audiobooks will bring you closer to the game than ever before.

What listeners say about Born to Run

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    15,662
  • 4 Stars
    3,226
  • 3 Stars
    744
  • 2 Stars
    165
  • 1 Stars
    99
Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    12,401
  • 4 Stars
    2,664
  • 3 Stars
    530
  • 2 Stars
    66
  • 1 Stars
    54
Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    12,686
  • 4 Stars
    2,256
  • 3 Stars
    611
  • 2 Stars
    115
  • 1 Stars
    67

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

A good read

This book changed my outlook on running. It It puts forth some very interesting theories. Well worth the credit

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

A Great Listen!

This book is just what I was looking for. Motivating, scientific, worldly, and best of all laugh out loud hilarious. I love a book that can entertain and teach at the same time. I can't wait to lace up my barefoot running shoes and run the way we were all born to! Another plus, Fred Sanders delivered excellent narration.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Couldn’t Stop

I read (or listen) a lot, and this is the first book in a while that I legitimately couldn’t put down. The colorful stories all interwoven together were amazing!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Food for the runners mind!

Love this book! I always learn so much when I read it! I read it 10 years ago and I realized I had forgotten a lot of the amazing running advice that is in this book! It's a amazing story about a race interspersed with really great stuff about why we are born to run!

The narrator was great too!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Wow!

As a runner things brings many things into light that I have never thought about- from unnecessary items to hidden running tribes - what a great book!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Incredible

Incredible book. Excellent Story. Amazing insights.

Would recommend to anyone that has any interest in running.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Loved It

I used to run a lot more, but I haven't been into it as much anymore because I've gotten more into strength training and changed my way of thinking to think that strength was more important than cardio work. This book really made me rethink that. If you're into bodybuilding or powerlifting and are open-minded, I don't see why you wouldn't really enjoy this book. Don't think that your sport is the best (lots of people do).

I think I'm going to start upping my running again. I'm still going to strength train as I think it's vitally important but I'm not going to compete so I see no reason I shouldn't run more.

That said, this book isn't about exercise. Not at all. It's about why humans love running. I remember loving to run in the morning and that great feeling I got about an hour after. It just felt good. I enjoyed it. This book is about that.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

incredible listen!

An incredible book! amazing science, history, and story telling! I raced through it and couldn't help but go for a nice long run afterward.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

loved it !

I really enjoyed how this book was put together . The stories we're very interesting they placed me there while I was listening. I've been practicing some of the techniques I took from this book on my mountain endeavors and Im very happy with the changes I've made so far.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Entertaining and Inspiring

Best weight loss book I’ve ever read/listened. It’s always entertaining and got me back in my running shoes.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!