Where You Born to Run?
Born to Run is a great book for the seasoned runner, beginner or the person that is just thinking about jogging to the fridge for a beer. McDougall takes us on a short, fun, informative, trip with multiple pit stops along the way. These diversions are in-depth discussions with individuals researching the origin of man to the how and why behind the multi-million dollar running shoe industry.
Tarahumara Indians
A tribe of undisturbed Mexican indians living in the Copper Canyon who are able to perform great running feats all while donning simple home-made sandles with little or no injuries and continuing well into their 50s and 60s. In Born to Run McDougall takes off to find this remote extremely private tribe in an attempt to learn how this is possible and if it could help the average runner. This culminates in and ulta race in the canyons with several world-class runners and a few nuts making for an entertaining story.
Running Shoes
McDougall like many runners was constantly suffering from injuries secondary to his love for running. It was then that he started to look for answers. Why had we not seen these injuries years ago? It was only after the advent of the super soft sole, stabilizing shoes that we began to see shin splints, plantar fascitis and multiple knee injuries. As the shoe industry and our doctors encouraged us to only run in these springy shoes and to change them often did our incidence of injuries increase. McDougall speaks with many experts who have studied these very things, they point out the that these shoes have lead to increased injury due to poor form. The bare-foot craze is presented and it’s increasing in popularity my mom won’t let me run around with my shoes off).
My Experience
I have began to train for my second marathon and have tried some of the techniques but it is early I’ll have to keep you posted ( my first marathon was 20 years ago). I have also shared this book with Dr. Joe (sports medicine) and he agrees with many of the principles. Speaking with the more tried and true marathoners, they are skeptical but they are also all injured, so they are interested and reading Born to Run as you read this.
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