Ep497 - Christopher McDougall | Born to Run

Nov 8, 2024

Christopher McDougall, author of "Born to Run," shares fascinating insights about long-distance running and the Tarahumara tribe's unique practices. He discusses his transformative journey training for a race against these incredible athletes, emphasizing the joy of running. McDougall challenges the misconceptions about biomechanics, revealing that effective running can be learned. He highlights the power of community and joy in endurance sports, and delves into evolutionary advantages of running together, all while drawing lessons from the vibrant Tarahumara culture.

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Intro

00:00 • 4min

Challenging the Misconceptions of Running and Biomechanics

04:24 • 4min

Running with the Tarahumara

08:22 • 10min

The Legend of the White Horse and a Quest for Trust

18:32 • 2min

Running Through Evolution and Performance

20:28 • 10min

The Elastic Power of Human Movement

30:37 • 2min

The Power of Running Together

32:14 • 22min

Christopher McDougall visits Google to discuss his book “Born to Run.”

Full of incredible characters, amazing athletic achievements, and cutting-edge science, Born to Run is an epic adventure that began with one simple question: Why does my foot hurt? In search of an answer, Christopher McDougall sets off to find a tribe of the world's greatest distance runners and learn their secrets, and in the process shows us that everything we thought we knew about running is wrong.

Isolated by the most savage terrain in North America, the reclusive Tarahumara Indians of Mexico's deadly Copper Canyons are custodians of a lost art. For centuries they have practiced techniques that allow them to run hundreds of miles without rest and chase down anything from a deer to an Olympic marathoner while enjoying every mile of it. Their superhuman talent is matched by uncanny health and serenity, leaving the Tarahumara resistant to the diseases and strife that plague modern existence.

With the help of Caballo Blanco, a mysterious loner who lives among the tribe, Christopher was able not only to uncover the secrets of the Tarahumara but also to find his own inner ultra-athlete, as he trained for the challenge of a lifetime: a fifty-mile race through the heart of Tarahumara country pitting the tribe against an odd band of Americans, including a star ultramarathoner, a beautiful young surfer, and a barefoot wonder. With a sharp wit and wild exuberance, McDougall takes us from the high-tech science labs at Harvard to the sun-baked valleys and freezing peaks across North America, where ever-growing numbers of ultrarunners are pushing their bodies to the limit, and, finally, to the climactic race in the Copper Canyons. Born to Run is that rare book that will not only engage your mind but inspire your body when you realize that the secret to happiness is right at your feet, and that you, indeed all of us, were born to run.

Originally published in October of 2009.

Visit http://youtube.com/TalksAtGoogle/ to watch the video.