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Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen Audible Audiobook – Unabridged
An epic adventure that began with one simple question: Why does my foot hurt?
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.
- Listening Length11 hours and 6 minutes
- Audible release dateMay 5, 2009
- LanguageEnglish
- ASINB0028TY1D8
- VersionUnabridged
- Program TypeAudiobook
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Product details
Listening Length | 11 hours and 6 minutes |
---|---|
Author | Christopher McDougall |
Narrator | Fred Sanders |
Whispersync for Voice | Ready |
Audible.com Release Date | May 05, 2009 |
Publisher | Random House Audio |
Program Type | Audiobook |
Version | Unabridged |
Language | English |
ASIN | B0028TY1D8 |
Best Sellers Rank | #2,179 in Audible Books & Originals (See Top 100 in Audible Books & Originals) #1 in Running & Jogging (Audible Books & Originals) #2 in Sports Biographies (Audible Books & Originals) #4 in Sports Biographies (Books) |
Customer reviews
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Learn more how customers reviews work on AmazonCustomers say
Customers find the book an engaging read for endurance athletes. They describe the story as fascinating and gripping, with a nice flow. The book provides helpful information and new ideas about running. Readers praise the writing quality as descriptive and easy to understand. They appreciate the interesting characters and their development. Overall, customers find the book has a good pacing and flow.
AI-generated from the text of customer reviews
Customers find the book easy to read and a good resource for endurance athletes. They say it's the best running book they have ever read, with fascinating insights into the sport and a philosophy of exercise. The book motivates readers to train for and run marathons, providing scientific facts and an overall message that everyone is built for running.
"...I have read that is advocating for barefoot training -- the other EXCELLENT work that comes to the same conclusion, just through a more scientific..." Read more
"...; it was what made me aware of: the existence and potential benefits of minimalist footwear; and, the absurdity of the school of thought that would..." Read more
"...The book is a good read for endurance athletes who love the sport and want to explore new horizons as well as anyone who is curious about the type..." Read more
"...Physically, it gave me information that allowed me to improve my performance as a runner and aim higher as an athlete...." Read more
Customers find the story engaging and gripping. They describe the narrative as entertaining and full of action.
"...writes in a Frat Boy prose style; irritating, but the story is gripping enough that the reader can overlook it...." Read more
"...It's an engrossing, entertaining, and well written story about the author's boldly persistent adventures during an unwavering quest for elusive..." Read more
"...their idiosyncrasies, neurosis and fervor in a way that endears them to the reader...." Read more
"...but Christopher McDougall's (completely true) account is full of so much action, it could be made into a Hollywood blockbuster...." Read more
Customers find the book inspiring and informative. They appreciate the evidence-based, experiential, and peer-reviewed research that helps develop an appreciation for running. The book provides new ideas and nutritional tips that support the joy of running. Readers appreciate the author's presentation of new information in an engaging way that answers many questions. Overall, they describe it as an engrossing, entertaining, and well-written story that inserts motivation into every page.
"...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..." Read more
"...It's an engrossing, entertaining, and well written story about the author's boldly persistent adventures during an unwavering quest for elusive..." Read more
"...into a largely counterculture sport and a unique body of research supporting unconventional conclusions...." Read more
"...And spiritually, it reinforced the lessons of unity, compassion, peace, and brotherhood that great men and women have been trying to teach us for..." Read more
Customers appreciate the writing quality of the book. They find it descriptive and engaging, making it an easy read. The narrative is rich in detail and is a three-dimensional work of literature.
"...It's an engrossing, entertaining, and well written story about the author's boldly persistent adventures during an unwavering quest for elusive..." Read more
"...of the running fraternity and the author does a splendid job describing their idiosyncrasies, neurosis and fervor in a way that endears them to the..." Read more
"...To sum it all up, this is a truly three-dimensional work of literature that had a profound effect on me...." Read more
"...All in all, it is an enjoyable read and a real page turner. Author McDougall begins with the common whine of a runner - "my foot hurts when I run!"...." Read more
Customers find the characters interesting and vivid. They empathize with them and sympathize with their struggles. The book explores colorful characters, eccentric people, and exotic places. It's an amazing account of legends and a legendary run.
"...might do it allowed me to feel connected, however remotely, to interesting peoples; and exotic places I probably wouldn't've ever been able to..." Read more
"...Love of life, love of running, love of others, love of self...." Read more
"...Jones style adventure in search of hidden relics, part examination of human characters and part science and medicine of running...." Read more
"...The cast of characters is terrific, the story unfolds at a wonderful pace, and the writing is solid...." Read more
Customers find the book has a nice flow and dynamic pacing. They find the narrative exciting and engaging, keeping them hooked.
"...From his surprisingly dynamic and exciting descriptions of the few footraces he chronicles in the book, to the close-call brushes with death the..." Read more
"...You'll hear "run easy, run light!" in your head. When you finish your run, you'll realize how free you felt...." Read more
"...So you dive in, and McDougall begins to spin his tale. The book reads like a 4-minute miler, and you find yourself engrossed in a story that just..." Read more
"...The writer does a magnificent job of keeping you reeled in and has a way of writing about running, that doesn't make you yawn or make you wish you..." Read more
Customers enjoy the book's history. They find it mixes adventure and travel stories with ultrarunning history and its prominent athletes. The author blends history with anthropology, physiology, biology, autobiography, and storytelling. It offers a great lesson in history and evolution of modern man.
"...an excellent book that provides a thrilling yarn, a history of an ancient group of ultra-runners, an in-depth look into the possibility that modern..." Read more
"...the story, which is loosely based on running, but offers a great lesson in history and evolution of modern man...." Read more
"...Each one of my four marathons has its own unique story and set of memories...." Read more
"...Part history of running, part gripping treasure hunt tale, part sociological research into the cultural phenomenon of running, part critique of the..." Read more
Customers enjoy the book's anthropology. They find the descriptions of the running tribes of Mexico fascinating and admiring. The story of the Tarahumara is described in great detail, including their daily practices of generosity and love.
"...McDougall tells a wonderful story about the Tarahumara Indians that run through treacherous trails in the Copper Mountains of Mexico, and the..." Read more
"...I found the story of the Tarahumara fascinating and even jaw-dropping at times, and McDougall does an excellent job describing their background to..." Read more
"...It is a mystery story about seeking through a lost tribe, our lost heritage as species, and what those losses mean --- and that what we have lost..." Read more
"...McDougall's book gives a great perspective on the Tarahumara Indians, who are natural ultrarunners, but he also highlights several prominent..." Read more
Reviews with images
This book positively helped make my life permanently better!
Top reviews from the United States
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- Reviewed in the United States on August 3, 2009If 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.
- Reviewed in the United States on September 24, 2019Although I'm not an avid runner by any means, nor have I really ever been, I found this book to be a great read. It's an engrossing, entertaining, and well written story about the author's boldly persistent adventures during an unwavering quest for elusive answers to perplexing questions.
And, as any great read might do it allowed me to feel connected, however remotely, to interesting peoples; and exotic places I probably wouldn't've ever been able to imagine existed no matter how many more years I might live.
More importantly, to me personally; it was what made me aware of: the existence and potential benefits of minimalist footwear; and, the absurdity of the school of thought that would have us believe nature's evolutionary design success with the human foot can be vastly improved by a plethora of modern footwear gimmickry. And lastly, how transitioning back to nature's time-tested, time-proven way (barefoot) might actually reset one's ambulatory infrastructure to where it's meant to be in the first place — the place it took a significant long two million years or so to leisurely perfect on its own.
In fact: the wealth of somewhat esoteric information in this book proved to be an unparalleled revelation which provided me with fresh insights fundamental to my particular set of circumstances at that time.
The key reason being; that although I've never actually suffered from plantar fasciitis or related knee injuries; as a teenager I was thrown off a galloping horse that stopped abruptly, and I landed on a fallen tree in a mountain wilderness area; sustaining multiple, grievous internal injuries due to the ensuing trauma. One of the worst, besides being diagnosed with hypogycemia and hypoadrenocorticism [aka secondary adrenal insufficiency], was a herniated lumbar disc which I've painfully had to deal with for most of my adult life. Walking, running, and sometimes even just standing at some kind of work-station or another has at times caused me severe and disabling lumbar spasms.
The point is, after reading about the Tarahumara and the running-shoe industry; I decided to purchase a pair of zero-drop shoes (aka foot-gloves) and soon started the transition period. Walking for an hour or so each day to start with and slowly increasing the time as quickly as I deemed prudent.
After about three months I was up to ten miles a day (on a good day) and felt the physical transition to be mostly complete at that time.
It was then I tossed my expensive running shoes into the trash; along with my very expensive shoe orthotic inserts; and have never looked back. It's been about six years now since my last visit to an Osteopath or Chiropractor (yeah, for real!).
Astonishingly, other than some recent lower back pain from sleeping on a soft, worn-out mattress my bad disc has mostly been behaving its otherwise typically fickle-self for almost every day of those six years.
Nor am I flatfooted by any means either! My arches have remained as healthily high, and every bit as strong (probably much stronger) as they ever were, and this without any arch-support whatsoever thank you very much.
Neither am I otherwise suffering from any other sort of chronic foot/knee pain, even though I frequently walk for miles at a time (love walking now more than ever); and even jog a bit on occasion.
And although I still prefer my bicycle for serious "endorphin hunting" (the only thing I've ever been hopelessly addicted to in my entire life); walking/jogging now feel decidedly better than they did with typical athletic-type shoes before transitioning. Indeed, this totally sordid business of genuinely needing arch-supports in modern shoes seems like an enormously cruel joke to me now. To be clear: the irony here being that apparently, the exact reasons I perceived requiring their dubious benefits in the first place; were primarily due to the fact (lumbar disc issues aside) that the footwear I've been beguiled into enduring most of my life was indeed the biggest, most pernicious joke of all!
To conclude: after delving into Christopher McDougall's Born to Run for the second time this decade, one of my takeaways is that; it's not just a book for runners, elite or otherwise. It's also an entertaining book for the open-minded everyman with an adventurous spirit.
5.0 out of 5 stars This book positively helped make my life permanently better!Although I'm not an avid runner by any means, nor have I really ever been, I found this book to be a great read. It's an engrossing, entertaining, and well written story about the author's boldly persistent adventures during an unwavering quest for elusive answers to perplexing questions.
Reviewed in the United States on September 24, 2019
And, as any great read might do it allowed me to feel connected, however remotely, to interesting peoples; and exotic places I probably wouldn't've ever been able to imagine existed no matter how many more years I might live.
More importantly, to me personally; it was what made me aware of: the existence and potential benefits of minimalist footwear; and, the absurdity of the school of thought that would have us believe nature's evolutionary design success with the human foot can be vastly improved by a plethora of modern footwear gimmickry. And lastly, how transitioning back to nature's time-tested, time-proven way (barefoot) might actually reset one's ambulatory infrastructure to where it's meant to be in the first place — the place it took a significant long two million years or so to leisurely perfect on its own.
In fact: the wealth of somewhat esoteric information in this book proved to be an unparalleled revelation which provided me with fresh insights fundamental to my particular set of circumstances at that time.
The key reason being; that although I've never actually suffered from plantar fasciitis or related knee injuries; as a teenager I was thrown off a galloping horse that stopped abruptly, and I landed on a fallen tree in a mountain wilderness area; sustaining multiple, grievous internal injuries due to the ensuing trauma. One of the worst, besides being diagnosed with hypogycemia and hypoadrenocorticism [aka secondary adrenal insufficiency], was a herniated lumbar disc which I've painfully had to deal with for most of my adult life. Walking, running, and sometimes even just standing at some kind of work-station or another has at times caused me severe and disabling lumbar spasms.
The point is, after reading about the Tarahumara and the running-shoe industry; I decided to purchase a pair of zero-drop shoes (aka foot-gloves) and soon started the transition period. Walking for an hour or so each day to start with and slowly increasing the time as quickly as I deemed prudent.
After about three months I was up to ten miles a day (on a good day) and felt the physical transition to be mostly complete at that time.
It was then I tossed my expensive running shoes into the trash; along with my very expensive shoe orthotic inserts; and have never looked back. It's been about six years now since my last visit to an Osteopath or Chiropractor (yeah, for real!).
Astonishingly, other than some recent lower back pain from sleeping on a soft, worn-out mattress my bad disc has mostly been behaving its otherwise typically fickle-self for almost every day of those six years.
Nor am I flatfooted by any means either! My arches have remained as healthily high, and every bit as strong (probably much stronger) as they ever were, and this without any arch-support whatsoever thank you very much.
Neither am I otherwise suffering from any other sort of chronic foot/knee pain, even though I frequently walk for miles at a time (love walking now more than ever); and even jog a bit on occasion.
And although I still prefer my bicycle for serious "endorphin hunting" (the only thing I've ever been hopelessly addicted to in my entire life); walking/jogging now feel decidedly better than they did with typical athletic-type shoes before transitioning. Indeed, this totally sordid business of genuinely needing arch-supports in modern shoes seems like an enormously cruel joke to me now. To be clear: the irony here being that apparently, the exact reasons I perceived requiring their dubious benefits in the first place; were primarily due to the fact (lumbar disc issues aside) that the footwear I've been beguiled into enduring most of my life was indeed the biggest, most pernicious joke of all!
To conclude: after delving into Christopher McDougall's Born to Run for the second time this decade, one of my takeaways is that; it's not just a book for runners, elite or otherwise. It's also an entertaining book for the open-minded everyman with an adventurous spirit.
Images in this review
Top reviews from other countries
- DReviewed in Canada on April 27, 2024
5.0 out of 5 stars Awesome Read, great information, Highly recommend, Your feet will thank you!
I stumbled upon this and was mesmerized what a great read. I highly recommend and am so grateful for Christopher McDougall's unrelenting journey to uncover why his feet hurt and his witty story telling.
I am not always a runner and ashamed to admit it as it takes a lot of self discipline to get going again. However when l was on my game running 3+ times a week 2-5km and participating in 5km Park Run my feet kept falling asleep ... I tried different Runners more cushion, no luck. I went back to trail running just a flat stiff sole and feet responded. Now that it's Spring no snow I have ordered a pair of Running Barefoot shoes.
- JasonReviewed in the United Kingdom on September 9, 2024
5.0 out of 5 stars Beyond Good
fiendishly well written, amusing and deeply touching. This book can be enjoyed by runners and non-runners alike. It reads like the cracking adventure story that it is but packs in wisdom, intrigue and some hard science to boot. I loved this book. It has inspired me to make pinole to fuel my own ultras.
Essential reading for all pedestrians. 10\10.
- Amazon CustomerReviewed in Belgium on August 1, 2024
5.0 out of 5 stars Nice and interesting book
Super recommend for runners at all levels.
-
XXXReviewed in Germany on June 19, 2024
5.0 out of 5 stars Unbedingt lesen!
Grandiose Reise durch das Geschehen des Ultralaufens und ein vällig neuer Einblick in ein Volk, dass mir bis dato unbekannt war. Der Autor hat einen tollen Schreibfluss und Erzählstil!
-
BenyahiaReviewed in France on June 11, 2024
5.0 out of 5 stars Un livre qui se d’une traite
Histoire captivante pour qui aime la course a pied. Facile a lire, pleine d’informations passionnantes sur la course a pied, et très prenante. Une fois passé les dix premières pages on ne lâche plus le bouquin !