Book Review – Born to Run
I have just finished reading the incredible book called Born to Run by Christopher McDougall. This is bound to be Nike's least favorite book of the year. The book begins with Chris' exploration of why he - and so many other people running today are so frequently injured (he claims 80% of all runners experience some injury each year). It's then that he learns about the Tarahumara indians who live in the Copper Canyons of Mexico, some of the harshest terrain on earth and they run 30, 40, 50 miles or more just for fun - in homemade sandals. No orthotics. No high engineered shoes with million dollar research budgets. No physical therapists, podiatrists, or orthopedists. Injuries are for them are extremely rare. So what's up with that Nike?
Okay, so maybe it's not all Nike's fault, but the book does go into a significant exploration of the evidence that running shoes prevent injuries. Guess what - there really isn't any. Say what? In fact, the more expensive your running shoes, the more likely you are to be hurt (See http://www.sportsci.org/jour/0103/mw.htm). All that R&D on protecting and padding the feet and legs, seems to actually protect us from the sensations that tell us we aren't running right. You run barefoot - your form will completely change. Your body will inform you.
I learned this at some level many years ago. In middle school we had a grass track and you could choose to run barefoot or with shoes. One day I took off my shoes and realized that I was a lot faster, in fact I went from being middle of the pack to one of the fastest kids in school. Then I thought - maybe I'm gifted at running, I should join the track team. At track meets you have to wear shoes. For me I was always significantly slower at meets that I was running barefoot on the home track. I also learned I liked running less when running in shoes. I started running barefoot on road and hiking barefoot, but eventually enough people looked at me strangely and telling me I'd get hurt that I started wearing shoes again. Looking back now that's when I actually started getting hurt. Lots of hurt. In fact I haven't stayed healthy as a runner long enough to reach any of my big running goals. I am so invigorated by this new movement to minimal footwear that I intend to begin barefoot running and hiking again - for the sheer fun of it.
The book is written as a great adventure story as he tracks down the history and mythology of the Tarahumara, ultimately culminating in a race in the Copper Canyons between some of America's best Ultramarathoners and the traditional runners. A great story and well told. I had a hard time putting the book down. In between the story Chris masterfully weaves in an exploration of the science of running - and ultimately the evidence that humans were literally born, or evolved to run. I was fascinated by the description of persistent hunting (check name). This is where primitive hunters, our ancestors, would literally hunt by running an animal to death - since humans can out distance any other animal on earth.
In addition to all of the above, I love this book because it challenges accepted wisdom that many have taken for granted for a long long time and challenges the notion of what it means to be human. It will almost surely open up your sense of what is possible for humans and you may not just get the idea that our species is not only built to run long distances, but it can be joyful and fun.
Whether you are a lover of running or just a good story, this book is highly recommended.
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