Title: Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen
Author: Christopher McDougall
Publisher: Vintage Books
Year: 2009
# Pages: 282
Category: Required
Genre: Non-fiction, Sports Adventure
My Summary & Critique:
Born to Run is part action adventure, mystery, research study, and sports drama all rolled into one intriguing book. It begins with the author’s search for a mysterious phantom who inhabits the Sierra Madre of Mexico and is known as Caballo Blanco, the white horse. The mystery behind the man underlies the author’s quest to unveil the secrets of the Tarahumara, the Running People, who live deep in the mountains of Mexico and possess an unparalleled skill in running long distances “without rest or injury.” He begins this quest for personal reasons, searching for relief from painful foot injuries he has received from running. Refusing to believe his doctors’ suggestions that running, itself, was to blame for his injuries, McDougall went on a quest to find out just how the world’s most expert runners were able to run such long distances, in unbelievably treacherous terrain, without injury. His efforts lead him to discover startling research into the evolution, the mechanics, and motivations behind running and plunge him into the world of ultrarunning, considered an extreme sport in which participants run for extremely long distances over challenging terrain. Along the way, McDougall finds the mysterious Caballo Blanco, an American living in the land of the Tarahumara, seeking to learn and live their ways, and discovers his interest in setting up an ultra-race between the secretive Tarahumara runners and competitors from the United States.
What he finds is a terrific and colorful cast of characters willing to join together in this “greatest race the world has never seen” out of their love of running and the spirit of competition. They join together, an unlikely conglomeration of crazy people who share a passion for running and an undeniable connection as they compete in a race that will not bring anyone worldwide fame or glory. In the end, the Caballo Blanco shared his story, ending the mystery and opening up about his life to this group with whom he shared this grand, unbelievable adventure.
I must admit that I definitely would not have chosen to read this book on my own—a book about running. However, as is often the case with books, they seldom can be adequately summed up with the description, “a book about _________.” This book is so much more than a book about running and it is more than a book that attempts to persuade the reader to take up running and ditch their high-tech shoes, although it certainly fits both of these descriptions. What I found most compelling was the story of the search, the mystery, the adventure, and the camaraderie that the characters developed through this journey that ended in a phenomenal race. I didn’t mind the occasional soapbox rant supported by mounds of testimony and evidence because I felt like it furthered the author’s cause and was necessary in giving credibility to the passion, especially of Barefoot Ted as well as the author. This book intertwines history, geography, anthropology, physical education, anatomy, and philosophy all inside a great story that kept me turning the page, wanting to figure out what these crazy characters would encounter next. My favorite part was Caballo’s speech before the race, the pep talk, the summation of his view of the racers, and it was quite unexpected. I didn’t think a book about running would be able to solicit tears from me, but it did. Twice. Readers should just forget their expectations about this book and just jump into it with both (bare) feet.
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