Book #43: Born to Run

Title: Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Super Athletes, and the Greatest Race the World has Never Seen
Author: Christopher McDougall

My friend Blue came over a few weeks ago, bearing this book, with the instructions that I had to read it immediately because it would change my life. It's actually several stories: the story of Christopher McDougall, aging runner, who wants to figure out why he keeps getting hurt every time he laces up his running shoes; the story of the Tarahumara Indians of Mexico, who still manage 50-mile runs in their fifties and sixties in some of the world's most challenging terrain, and do it with smiles on their faces; the story of ultra-runners, who don't find marathons challenging enough and push themselves through hundred-mile races; the story of the running industry (complete with why your running shoes might be hurting you), the story of Caballo Blanco, a gringo from Colorado who met some Tarahumara at an ultra race, followed them to Mexico, and stayed, always dreaming of getting the world's best ultra runners and the Tarahumara together to run the world's greatest race.

A few weeks later, I'm still thinking about this book. When I get up in the morning to do my daily six or seven miles, I think about running light, fast, easy, and being happy while I do it. I'm making lists of books to read with titles like Chi Running. I'm very interested in the idea of running barefoot, although I haven't tried it yet. I'm even thinking about the possiblity of not being capped at 26.2 miles (seriously?). But even if my running never changes, I'm so glad that I read this story.