I recently recommended a book to a client whose new girlfriend, a runner, has inspired him to take up running. He has set an initial goal of running a half-marathon. The national best seller, “Born To Run” by Christopher McDougall, is an inspiring, entertaining read for anyone who runs, who aspires to run, or who appreciates a well-told story. It’s a true, non-fiction account of the author’s struggles to run beset with common running injuries. He is told by sports medicine specialists to give up running. Instead, he sets out on a quest to learn the secrets of successful distance runners. This eventually leads him to the isolated Copper Canyon of Mexico where he discovers the Tarahumara Indians, a people who are superior runners, regularly running distances of hundreds of miles. The men, women and children run from a young age until well into older adult years. Central to McDougall’s adventure is fascinating science about the human body, the physiology of running, and an indictment of the modern running shoe. This book helped popularize the trend in barefoot –style running. The characters are spellbinding (Caballo Blanco, or White Horse, is the American runner who lives among the Tarahumara), and the adventures so riveting that you may find it difficult to put this book down. The knowledge though that human beings are artfully designed to run in biomechanical efficiency for a long-time and amazingly long-distances, may have you finishing the book and setting out for a trail run.
See you at Flying J open space…
Mary
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