Key Messages
Explore The Secrets Of Endless Running With Christopher Mcdougall: Learn Why Dogs Can’T Run Marathons, What Plants Have To Do With Performance, And Why No Running Shoes Are The Best Running Shoes
Christopher McDougall’s book, Born to Run, is an inspirational and informative look at the human body and its amazing capabilities.
In it he delves into the mysterious Tarahumara people of Mexico – renowned as some of the best distance runners on Earth – in order to discover their secrets, explore our limits, and learn how to reclaim our true calling as humans: running.
Born to Run will challenge your preconceptions of the human body and its limitations.
It reveals that there’s no such thing as ‘marathon dogs’ – explaining why not – as well as unlocking the complex relationship between plants, performance, and running shoes.
Along the way you’ll gain insight that might just spark your own journey towards harnessing your innate ability as a runner.
In short: run toward your body’s true calling by taking inspiration from Christopher McDougall’s Born to Run!
Running Unites Our Primal Instincts Of Fear And Pleasure – But Can We Do It Without The Pain?
Running has consistently become popular during difficult times in the US.
Whether it be during the Great Depression, the early 1970s struggles, or following the tragic 9/11 attacks – Americans seem to turn to running in times of crisis.
This isn’t by chance – there is something primal inside us that connects our fear and pleasure together when we run.
This is backed up by Chris’ story – a forty-something athlete who had experienced multiple injuries trying to become a marathoner.
It was poor luck for him as many medical professionals advise against running due to how high the injury rate is.
But instead of throwing in the towel he went on a quest to find a way to run without pain and really enjoy it.
He looked for answers from runners like Ann Trason and Emil Zátopek – two individuals whose love for running ran deeper than physical activity; for them, it was about an incredible emotional connection with their environment and inner self.
Ultimately he found some surprising answers with a secret Mexican tribe whose members seemed able to run forever smiling every step of the way – illustrating his original point: Running unites our two most primal impulses – fear and pleasure as one unique experience.
The Tarahumara’S Message: Appreciate What You Have And Love To Run
For the Tarahumara, running is an integral part of their identity and beliefs.
They call themselves Rarámuri, which literally translates to “Running People.” And it’s no joke: they’re known for their incredible endurance and speed.
In fact, they’ve been reported to be able to run a staggering 300 miles in one session!
This race-like game called rarájipari is at the heart of Tarahumara culture.
The teams must sprint back and forth over a long trail, advancing a ball like soccer players would do towards a goal.
This athletic ability isn’t simply reserved for individuals either – it’s a communal activity that requires strength, dedication, cooperation, patience, and persistence from all participants in order to endure.
It’s also seen as something that connects them as a people – not just by physical effort but by love of running itself.
The key message however remains the same: members of the Tarahumara tribe see running as part of their identity and way of life.
We Are All Born To Run: How Humans Evolved To Become The Ultimate Long-Distance Athletes
Humans are evolutionarily suited to run long distances – and that’s what separates us from the rest of the animal kingdom.
We have unique biological mechanisms like sweat glands and a collapsible breathing system that allow us to reduce body heat more quickly, so we can go farther faster without dropping due to hyperthermic shock.
Our two-legged gait also gives us an advantage, rather than using four legs like other mammals had to.
Our Achilles tendon provides energy during steady movement, allowing our strides to be maximized for endurance.
In fact, scientific studies have found that from age 19 throughout their lives, humans get better at running marathons until they reach peak performances at 27!
That means even at an older age, people can outperform teenagers in physical activities such as running.
It makes sense why humans are born to run – it was essential for our primitive ancestors’ survival and growth as a species.
Running allowed them access to food sources and protection from predators; it helped them find mates and secure their success in the wild environment.
It is because of this ability that we are able to enjoy the many pleasures of life today!
Love Running To Truly Conquer It And Relish The Benefits Of Exertion
Becoming a better long-distance runner requires you to become comfortable with pain and fatigue.
The Tarahumara people have a deep understanding of this, as they consistently use running to cultivate physical and mental heroism.
Caballo Blanco, a former prizefighter from the US, left his home and moved to remote Tarahumara mountains where he adopted their lifestyle and emulated their runs.
There, he discovered how to truly embrace pain and fatigue in order to master the art of long-distance running.
By making running an enjoyable activity instead of seeing it solely as a means to an end (like becoming skinnier faster or richer), it can help you overcome the mind-body conflict humans experience.
Instead of perceiving running as being incredibly difficult or torturous, approaching it with mindfulness will allow you to be familiar with its loping rhythm, thereby forgetting about its exhaustion or discomfort.
You should also use your breath together with your bodily sensations as signals for when to push harder versus ease off your pace; this way you’ll develop an understanding for listening to yourself on each run regardless of the length or difficulty level.
At long last, Caballo Blanco’s dream came true: he created a 50-mile race between elite ultrarunners from the US and those from his adopted second home among the Tarahumara people—an event geared towards celebrating the joys of lasting endurance through cross-cultural camaraderie.
Truly embodying what it takes to maintain one’s form during such incredible feats without any distraction along the way!
The Meatless Diet: How Vegetarians Outperformed Carnivores In Endurance Races
Scott Jurek and the Tarahumara people were two runners who caught the attention of Chris McDougall, author of Born to Run.
They both shared a love for running and their own specific diets – one that is vegetarian.
Scott stuck to a vegan diet while the Tarahumara’s simple meal plan was mainly based on beans, squash, chilis, greens, pinole, wild geranium and some occasional barbecued mouse!
Although Scott was sponsored by a corporate athlete who had his pick at cutting-edge nutrition for his runs, he ended up relying on homemade snacks like rice burritos and hummus-stuffed pitas as well as wolfsbane and monster portions of garlic & ginger instead of ibuprofen when he sprained his ankle.
The key message here is to run faster and longer – become a vegetarian!
The science behind this theory is actually quite simple; fruits, vegetables, and whole grains provide the highest quality of nutrition from the fewest calories leaving your body to carry and process less bulk.
Furthermore carbohydrates are digested much faster than proteins resulting in more time dedicated to training.
There remains evidence in history providing case studies that back-up this claim showing how certain Japanese monks ran daily ultra-marathons for seven years with just miso soup while still being able to beat Australia’s best; Cliff Young age 63 beat them all with a combination of beans beer and oatmeal…
clearly enough proof that if you want an edge over other runners you should consider going meatless!
The Key To Resilience: The Benefits Of Running Barefoot Over Traditional Shoes
It’s time to rethink running shoes.
Instead of believing the “more cushioning is more” mantra from sports brands like Nike, studies have actually shown that runners wearing expensive shoes are 123% more prone to injury than those in cheap, flat-soled shoes!
And there is overwhelming evidence that a lot of the foot problems we experience are actually caused by wearing running shoes in the first place.
Running shoes limit your foot’s natural movement, preventing it from flexing, splaying and gripping the ground which reduces pronation and distributes pressure evenly throughout your body.
But this also causes muscles and tendons to stiffen over time and leads to injury.
On top of that, cushioned running shoes can mask pain caused by impact , so you won’t be able to feel any shockwaves that reverberate through your body as you’re running – meaning you can’t adjust your form accordingly and get injured even more easily.
The take away is clear: save yourself some money and ditch those expensive shoes; instead, look for a simple pair of kicks (or opt for no shoes at all!) and try running barefoot on grass a few times per week – it will help strengthen the muscles in your feet!
The Key Message Here Is: Running Can Be A Powerful Form Of Meditation
Running can be a powerful form of meditation and contemplation.
Jenn Shelton and Billy Barnett, two young adventurers, found this to be true when they began training for ultras.
After trading in their surfboards from Virginia Beach for trail running shoes, the two became passionate about mastering ultramarathons.
On their training runs, Jack Kerouac and Allen Ginsberg inspired them on with words of sage advice to “fall into a trance as the ground zips by” or shouting “New loves!
Mad generation!
Down on the rocks of Time!”
Jenn soon broke records by completing a 50-mile race in just 17:34 – her time still stands today – then finished a marathon in under three hours while drinking beer in her bikini.
Although she hasn’t become the “Buddha-like” person she’d hoped to be through running, it has given her moments of inner peace.
By spending time outdoors and going off into her own mental space, running has allowed her to tune out the chaos that surrounds us all.
The Power Of Tarahumara-Style Training: How To Transform Your Body And Mind With An Epic Race
Chris was determined to finish the epic race, and he had trained like the Tarahumara in preparation.
He dedicated time each day for strength training that consisted of lunges, jump squats, push-ups, and crunches – followed by hill climbs to not only improve his speed but also his posture.
The results of his Tarahumara-style training were nothing short of transformative.
Not only was Chris 25 pounds lighter than ever before but also injury-free and feeling more relaxed.
He even managed to find a newfound love for running due to an improvement in his overall well being.
Thanks to following the Tarahumara’s unique approach to exercise and nutrition, Chris was able to witness incredible changes in both his body and mind.
He learned how important it is to nourish your body with delicious meals while also making sure you stay active and fit both physically and mentally.
Wrap Up
Born to Run is all about capturing the joy and beauty of running.
The key takeaway is that humans have innate abilities that make them excellent at running long distances, as evidenced by the feats of world-class Kenyan athletes.
To unlock these gifts, we need to nurture our bodies through nutrition, ditch the high-tech shoes, and get back in touch with the pure pleasure of running.
Specifically, you should adopt a relaxed form that emulates how a kindergartener runs.
By doing this, you are more likely to increase your efficiency, use fat stores instead of sugar reserves, and become an endurance runner.
Remember though; since this form is new for many people it may feel awkward initially so just be patient with yourself during the transition period!
