Book Review - Born to Run

Review of Christopher McDougall's Born to Run

★ ★ ★ ★ ☆ (4/5)

Born to Run was an educational and motivational book about the power of the human body. The author primarily focuses on the story of the reclusive Tarahumara people in the canyons of Mexico, who are somehow able to run ultramarathons each day without injury. He also interweaves the story of several American ultramarathoners and their journey to a culminating race. Finally, he details the life of a specific American who left the United States to live among the Tarahumara and run for weeks on end as a more content existence.

I originally read this book over ten years ago, and my recollection was that it encouraged barefoot / minimalist shoes, which sparked in popularity after its initial publishing. However, in re-reading it, the author somewhat pokes fun at the American character who insists on barefoot running. Instead, he encourages common-sense recommendations, like better nutrition and longer slower mileage. Whether or not you agree with the science (or pseudoscience) component of the book, the stories of the Tarahumara, the American ultramarathoners who raced them, and Caballo Blanco, the American who moves to the canyons of Mexico, were all incredibly inspirational. I’d recommend this for anyone who enjoys running.