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Book Review of Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen

lisarichards avatar reviewed on + 9 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 7


"Born to Run" by Christopher McDougall is a book about discovering why some people or tribes are natural long-distance runners while most of us end up with injuries from merely jogging a few miles a week.

The book chronicles Christopher's search for the elusive Tarahumara Indians who can run extreme distances with no apparent ill effects. He also tracks down the mysterious Caballo Blanco, a tall, skinny American who lives among the Tarahumara and has learned some of their endurance secrets.

McDougall investigates the ins and outs of the running industry in America and why technological advances in running shoes doesn't seem to be reducing injuries, while the Tarahumara run barefooted or with primitive hand-made sandals and are injury free.

The climax of the book is a race through the Copper Canyons of Mexico run by a mixture of Americans and Tarahumara, and the camaraderie shared by all as they run a truly amazing race.