Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen Paperback – March 29, 2011

I love to get outside and walk, then try my legs at running, but mostly what I do is I trot. I had to read this book, because it is a famous runner's classic by now, and I wanted to learn more about our fabulous human anatomy and how the author, Christopher McDougall assures the reader that we were truly evolved to run.My personal trainer warned me NOT to run, because I am obese.If you were to look at my body, you would not really say I'm obese, but I am overweight or you might say that I am fat. You won't get in trouble for saying that, even though it's sort of mean, because it's the truth and I need to do something about it!So, I need to work out at the gym and I need to run because running burns lots of calories.I happen to love my body, however - and I DO run, because I LOVE the way that it makes my body feel!This book delves into the joy of running, and there is alot of helpful scientific facts that support the notion that all human beings who can walk, can also run.The author assures us that our bodies were designed to run, and in fact, humans have been running to just survive on this planet since the day we appeared on this beautiful earth.Now - I will never be a half-marathoner, and I don't even want to think of being a marathoner; 26 miles is just too much for me to wrap my mind around. But I can do a 5K, and maybe if I try hard and adjust my attitude, I can do a 10K! After reading this book, I know that I can do anything that I set my mind to doing. Running long distances does require some training, dietary support and strategy.McDougall tells a wonderful story about the Tarahumara Indians that run through treacherous trails in the Copper Mountains of Mexico, and the dangers that follow them, which only encourages them to run faster. It is a funny book; full of great scientific insight and suggestions for thought for all of us who dream of running.McDougall's attitude is contagious; the longer I live, the more I realize that it is our attitudes that help us to achieve our goals. Having a positive attitude can push a person to get up and get out and run. Attitude is more important than appearance, than education, than money or circumstances. Attitude can either make you win or lose; it is up to the individual. After reading this book, I realized that life is 10% of what happens to me and 90% on how I react to it. I learned that having the most expensive running shoes is not the best plan...as a matter of fact, McDougall claims that the more expensive the running shoe, the more likely it will cause foot problems or injury!McDougall promotes cheap, beat-up old running shoes or Vibrams; which I always had such a low opinion of because of their extreme ugliness. Nobody wants to see your toes! Feet are somewhat ugly, and Vibrams make them look even uglier; I don't like to show my feet off if I don't have to.But anyhow - - - I loved that McDougall discusses the Mexican diet of pinto beans, tortillas and rice, with some form of protein added to the plate. He gets into Chia, which is a weird plant based grain that I normally never noticed, but now I will go to the health food store and give it a try. You can add it to your cereal, or main dishes or create a drink out of Chia. It's supposed to be a clean and energy packing food. Diet has an enormous impact on one's ability to run and run and run.I can't imagine running for four hours straight, though. I know my limitations. Or are they just self-imposed, imaginary limitations that I should endeavor to smash through like they don't exist? This book has adjusted my attitude about how I view my body.Attitude is what drove this man to overcome his own pain while running, and he achieved a high level of running performance by the end of the book.Get the book, read it - savor it like a hot bowl of delicious soup on a cold, dank and rainy day!There is alot to learn inside of it and I guarantee you will enjoy the process of reading it.

If this book were a runner, it stubs its toes in two areas:1) The author unfortunately writes in a Frat Boy prose style; irritating, but the story is gripping enough that the reader can overlook it. Some may not mind, as style is a matter of taste. It is an athletic story, but the editors should have recognized that there's much more here than just a yarn that interests "jocks". Please don't let this stop you from reading the book. It is a ripping yarn.2) The book reads like a string of articles out of "Men's Health" magazine because that's what the writer does for a living, and it is how the book originated. The author has some awards in this category, so at least he's a "good" article writer. It is a bit choppy. Don't let this dissuade you either.The book flies fleetly in these areas:1) Bravely dispels running myth and flies in the face of tradition. Every *other* running book/magazine out there lionizes the likes of Bill Bowerman (Nike inventor) -- while this book, in nearly overwhelming fashion, exposes the downside of shoes (not all shoes, just super-cushioning raised-heel shoes, such as most running shoes since 1980).This may as well be flat-out heresy in the running world, in which shoe companies rule. The author is not doing this to be cheeky, but rather stumbled upon what the running community is starting to accept as fact (Ask yourself why Nike is now manufacturing a shoe called the "Free" which mimicks barefoot conditions.)2) Answers paradoxical questions that anyone has run for awhile has already asked themeslves, such as: If I keep buying more expensive shoes, why am I getting injured *more*? Why is it some people are able to run (even barefoot?) without injury? Why are old men in Mexican villages hiking 30 miles a day in flimsy sandals, while my dad can't get along without orthotics? Why don't the people I know who wear orthotics ever "get better"?3) Excellent collection of the odd--yet very true--feats in running lore. Much of this book ties in to the running community in Colorado, where I live, and where my wife has been an "almost-elite" (yes she's way faster than I am) runner and marathoner for over a decade. The races, runners, and coaches mentioned throughout the book will be well known to anyone well-versed in the sport. The ultra-runners are a fringe breed of folks to be sure, but there are many trail runners and trail-running groups in mountainous states like CO, WA, NV, UT, etc, and the same coaches that study ultra running are the ones coaching the Deena Kastors and Paula Radcliffes, and even Haile GebreSelassie. Look, running 100 miles at 10,000 feet (Leadville 100 race) is more than even most die-hard trail runners want to tackle. I already live at altitude and even *I* think going to Leadville sucks. The fact that Copper Canyon tribe members can go there and run 100 miles of the trails sight-unseen and WIN in flimsy sandals (beating other champion trail runners with their Nikes and energy gels, mind you) *IS* a story, and a downright compelling one. Some people are accusing the author of exaggerating, but as insane as some of the antics are in this book, there is not a lot of hyperbole. Read about other races like the Pike's Peak race, or Badwater (Runner's World Bart Yasso ran it in melting shoes, and wrote about it), and you'll soon realize how insane these activities are. Sure there are slow runners trotting around on ultra-marathon trails, but running a race like that to WIN is totally different story. Even Lance Armstrong (as is explained in the book w/humorous anecdote) can't succeed at marathon running, despite his uber-conditioned body.On a personal note, I have had running-related injuries in my teens (ankles), 20's (runner's knee), and now in my 30's (achilles). I now realize that the bio-mechanics of heel-striking is what's doing me in, and what has kept me from running more than a few miles at a time without injury. This book is only the *latest* piece of literature I have read that is advocating for barefoot training -- the other EXCELLENT work that comes to the same conclusion, just through a more scientific approach -- is BRAIN TRAINING FOR RUNNERS by Fitzgerald. Those of you dissatisfied with this book's science backing should check out Fitzgerald's approach, as he comes to it with a kinesiology background, but also as a runner himself, he mirrors the conclusions drawn in Born to Run.