Born to Run by Chris McDougall

This book speaks to me as a runner and sparks my interest in things previously unknown as a person.  This book has been collecting dust on my shelf for at least a year, and as I progress farther and farther as a runner, I finally felt intrigued enough to pick it up.

It did not disappoint.

The book follows the linear paths of the runners called the Tarahumara in Mexico, running injuries in the US, a mysterious man called Caballo who is a gringo who somehow incorporated himself in the Tarahumara part of the world, and and ultramarathoners everywhere, culminating in the crescendo that everyone is, in, fact, biologically and evolutionarily born to run.

It starts pretty slow, so much so that at one point, I was going to just put it down.  Luckily I kept going and fell in love with it a little before the halfway point.  Since I do not know much about the Tarahumara, the initial chapters of the book were a bit dull to me.  As the book transitioned from Mexico to Coloroado, I was instantly hooked.  I know people who have done the Leadville 100, which made it very relatable. Ultramarathoners are crazy, but in the best way possible!

As a runner with constant knee problems from running , the controversial statements that running shoes are in general crap and the professional aspect of running now as a money making machine as changed the running world not necessarily for the better really stirred something in me.  Is everything a die-hard fact? No.  But some comments like heel striking isn't a natural running behavior made me smack my forehead in an 'oh duh' moment.

I do believe everyone can run, and believed it long before I had even heard of this book.  Is running barefoot for everyone?  No.  Is it something that should be considered by every runner?  Maybe.  I have gotten caught up in the swirl of running shoes, running magazines, and running advice, some of which I knew was utter crap because of the lack of logic behind it.  Everyone knows their body well, we have just been conditioned to listen to "experts" over our own instincts.

It's a shame that running has come down to the bottom line, instead of focusing on the joy of the sport.  Born to Run really brought some of that joy back to me, especially after a really frustrating 10 mile race I ran yesterday.