Book Bio: Born to Run

VICKY: Born to Run:  A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen is about Christopher McDougall’s journey to find the secrets of the world’s greatest distance runners. Here’s an excerpt from the publisher’s website:

“Full of incredible characters, amazing athletic achievements, cutting-edge science, and, most of all, pure inspiration, Born to Run is an epic adventure that began with one simple question: Why does my foot hurt? In search of an answer, Christopher McDougall sets off to find a tribe of the world’s greatest distance runners and learn their secrets, and in the process shows us that everything we thought we knew about running is wrong.

Isolated by the most savage terrain in North America, the reclusive Tarahumara Indians of Mexico’s deadly Copper Canyons are custodians of a lost art. For centuries they have practiced techniques that allow them to run hundreds of miles without rest and chase down anything from a deer to an Olympic marathoner while enjoying every mile of it. Their superhuman talent is matched by uncanny health and serenity, leaving the Tarahumara immune to the diseases and strife that plague modern existence. With the help of Caballo Blanco, a mysterious loner who lives among the tribe, the author was able not only to uncover the secrets of the Tarahumara but also to find his own inner ultra-athlete, as he trained for the challenge of a lifetime: a fifty-mile race through the heart of Tarahumara country pitting the tribe against an odd band of Americans, including a star ultramarathoner, a beautiful young surfer, and a barefoot wonder.

With a sharp wit and wild exuberance, McDougall takes us from the high-tech science labs at Harvard to the sun-baked valleys and freezing peaks across North America, where ever-growing numbers of ultrarunners are pushing their bodies to the limit, and, finally, to the climactic race in the Copper Canyons. Born to Run is that rare book that will not only engage your mind but inspire your body when you realize that the secret to happiness is right at your feet, and that you, indeed all of us, were born to run.”

GRANT: The author seems like a pretty cool dude too. I visited the publisher’s website and found out he’s got a really interesting writing path. Here’s what they had to say about the author:

“Christopher McDougall is a former war correspondent for the Associated Press and is now a contributing editor for Men’s Health. A three-time National Magazine Award finalist, he has written for Esquire, The New York Times Magazine, Outside, Men’s Journal, and New York. He does his own running among the Amish farms around his home in rural Pennsylvania.”

VICKY: I totally agree. I was on Christopher’s website and there’s some really fascinating information on topics like barefoot running. Didn’t Ryan write a blog about this recently?

GRANT: Yes he did. It’s definitely a hot topic in the running community.  I suggest you also check out Christopher’s You Tube video: Christopher McDougall on why he was BORN TO RUN.

VICKY: Well folks, there’s lots of stuff out there on this book and this author. I find getting to know the author and the idea behind the book makes it a more interesting read so enjoy and let us know what you think! You can leave your comments on the site or email us at irunbookclub@gmail.com.