Born to Run [J0478]

2011 PB in Gift-Worthy condition. The astonishing and hugely entertaining story that completely changed the way we run. An epic adventure that began with one simple question: Why does my foot hurt? “Equal parts quest, physiology treatise, and running history.... The climactic race reads like a sprint.... It simply makes you want to run.” —Outside Magazine. Isolated by Mexico's deadly Copper Canyons, the blissful Tarahumara Indians have honed the ability to run hundreds of miles without rest or injury. In a riveting narrative, award-winning journalist and often-injured runner Christopher McDougall sets out to discover their secrets. In the process, he takes his readers from science labs at Harvard to the sun-baked valleys and freezing peaks across North America, where ever-growing numbers of ultra-runners are pushing their bodies to the limit, and, finally, to a climactic race in the Copper Canyons that pits America's best ultra-runners against the tribe. McDougall's incredible story will not only engage your mind but inspire your body when you realize that you, indeed all of us, were born to run.

From recent Amazon/GoodReads reviews: "This book is so, so, so fantastic! I think about it constantly and it brought me so much joy and inspiration."; "I loved how the story of how great the tribesman are at running ultra distances challenges popular belief in the what of what is needed to run such distances. I highly recommend for both runners or non runners interested in the human spirit."; "This was a great read. The author is an experienced columnist and reporter who made everything come alive. There were lots of characters (runners and scientists), stories, races and advice. And everything was wrapped around a mysterious character and a 50 mile race in the Mexican mountains between American ultra runners and a hidden tribe of runners."; "First book I ever read about running. Interesting, revealing, and just fun. Bought my first pair of running shoes while reading the book. But after finishing it, perhaps I should just go back to the simple shoes I wore in grade schools."