From the Publisher
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.
From the Jacket
"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.
"An enthralling story. . . . McDougall's background as a
magazine writer is readily apparent-his prose is light and airy,
informative without being pretentious. Most passages are short and
engaging with extra doses of drama and exclamatory phrases thrown
in to great effect. McDougall wisely grounds the narrative in his
own struggle to engage in the concluding race-he was frustrated
with his tendency to get injured-and he offers insightful sidebars
on a variety of topics, from the development of the modern running
shoe to an evolutionary argument that humans are literally born to
run. . . . A terrific ride, recommended for any
athlete."-Kirkus, starred review
"A wildly fascinating story, perfectly told. Born to Run
is an instant classic." -Daniel Coyle, author of The Talent
Code
"Born to Run is hilariously funny, weird, and nonstop fun
to read. Runners can sink their teeth into it."-Bill Rodgers, Four
time winner of the Boston Marathon
"Driven by an intense yet subtle curiosity, Christopher McDougall
gamely treads across the continent to pierce the soul and science
of long-distance running. McDougall's ambitious search leads him
deep into the ragged folds of Mexico's Copper Canyon, where he
somehow manages the impossible: He plumbs the mystic secrets of the
fleet-footed Tarahumara Indians while never losing his deep
enchantment for the majesty of their culture."-Hampton Sides,
author of Blood and Thunder and Ghost
Soldiers
"Christopher McDougall writes like a world-class ultramarathoner,
with so much ease and heart and gusto that I couldn't stop reading
this thrilling, fascinating book. As soon as I finished, all I
wanted to do was head out for a run."-Benjamin Wallace, author of
The Billionaire's Vinegar
"I love Christopher McDougall's Born To Run! The book is
wonderful. It's funny, insightful, captivating, and a great and
beautiful discovery. There are lessons here that translate to
realms beyond running. The book inspires anyone who those seeks to
live more fully or to run faster."-Lynne Cox, author of
Swimming to Antarctica
"Galloping along through a multi-faceted landscape that is by turns
exhilarating, funny and weirdly absorbing, Born to
Run is a breathless read, but sheer endorphinous
pleasure."-John Gimlette, author of Panther Soup
"Quite simply the best book you'll ever read about running. . . .
Brilliant, and brilliantly life-affirming."-Lloyd Bradley, author
of The Rough Guide to Running
"Born to Run is a fascinating and inspiring true
adventure story, based on humans pushing themselves to the limits.
A brilliantly written account of extraordinary endurance, far from
home-that also explains how anyone can run better-it's destined to
become a classic."-Sir Ranulph Fiennes, author of Mad, Bad and
Dangerous To Know
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.
About the Book
Part adventure story, part extreme sports, "Born to Run" is a riveting story about one journalist's quest to discover the secrets of the world's greatest distance runners--a reclusive Indian tribe living deep in the Copper Canyon of northern Mexico.
