Born to Run by Christopher McDougall

2023-10-16 3 min read Sincheenz

My cousin recommended this book to me, and I purchased it without any prior research. I’m thankful I did because reading it with an open mind, free from preconceptions, was a great. I liked it more than I had initially expected, and it felt as though the timing was perfect for me to engage with this book.

In 2019, I rekindled my love for running and was beginning to develop a strong passion for it. This enthusiasm lasted for two years, and my performance kept improving, allowing me to cover longer distances. While I hadn’t yet achieved a marathon distance, it no longer seemed like an unattainable dream. However, my progress hit a setback when I sprained my back while attempting some unconventional stretches. Since my recovery, I’ve been running intermittently, but I’ve struggled to surpass the 10k mark. Gradually, I started to contemplate the idea that perhaps I was too old for this and should consider taking up fast walking instead. This was partly influenced by the negative comments I kept hearing about the downsides of running.

Now, after completing this book, I feel like I’ve once again have the motivation I’ve been searching for all along. The book emphasizes that running is a natural activity for humans, and as long as I pay attention to my body, my breathing, and immerse myself in the flow, I can’t be doing it too wrong.

I love the passionate writing style of this book. How it weaves valuable information into a real narrative, and the lives of these exceptional athletes is inspiring. I had many goose-bump moments.

I opted for the audiobook version, which was very well produced. I could vividly picture myself in Mamacita’s cozy room watching the athletes eat and drink as well as excitement and at the starting line of the great race. I felt a connection with all the characters, including Barefoot Ted. Despite the occasional dismissal of him as a loud and non-intelligent character by the author, I have immense respect for Ted for his incredible feat of running 50 miles barefoot. I suspect the author included him to bring humor and levity into the book, and I’m uncertain whether Ted shares that sentiment. My favorite characters were Scott, Manuel Luna and ofcourse Caballo Blanco

It was a great to learn about the Tarahumara tribe and their way of life. It is disheartening to read about the injustices inflicted upon these fascinating and magnificent people. I hope the publicity the tribe received after this book’s publication has had a positive and not a negative impact on them. I sincerely hope this. Nonetheless, I appreciate that their incredible talent has been brought into the spotlight, allowing them to be seen for who they truly are.

The characters in this book, of whom I had no prior knowledge, evoked strong emotions as I read about their lives, races, and motivations. Especially the women atheletes. Ann Tarson struck me as an extraordinary woman, and Jenn Shelton’s love for running and her carefree spirit made her truly admirable. These remarkable athletes and their motivations have genuinely inspired me. It instills in me the belief that I have the capacity to restart my running journey.

Thank you Christopher McDougall for this wonderful book.