My kids (age 15 and 20) are avid readers and they would say that me reading a book is more amazing than me running a marathon. I read a lot for work so when I read for pleasure, I am a bit of plodder while my kids glide merrily through books in one or two nights. They get that skill from their mother. So when they gave me the book Born to Run by Chris McDougall for Father's Day and I read through it in 3 days, they were impressed.
The book is a story about a lot of things, but centres on the Tarahumara, an indigeneous group in the Copper Canyons of Mexico who are skilled runners, perhaps the best in the world according to the book. It is a group that runs because it has to for transportation, and who runs because it loves to for pleasure. They are great ultramarathoners. Running is part of their culture. The book tells their story: their resolve, the intrusions of drug gangs and progress on their way of life, and leads up to a race in Tarahumara country between the best of the Tarahumara and a group of American ultramarathoners include Scott Jurek. There are great characters in this story. Around this story, the author talks about running shoes and whether they have created injuries (e.g. why is Plantar fasciitis so common now and unheard of during the first running boom). It talks about the merits of barefoot running (remember Emile Zatopek); nutrition, and the joy of running. It is a book that gives you a bunch of things to think about as a runner including making sure you find pleasure in running.
Personally I am not about to throw away my shoes and run marathon barefoot, but Sunday I made sure that when I was at Sandbanks Provincial Park on Lake Ontario that I ran 5k barefoot on the beach before doing an 18 k later in the day. And I will probably do a couple of sessions of barefoot running on a grass field as a way of toughening my feet, and working on my stride.
So I am happy to report that I read a book and guys like us baby we like Born to Run.
Mark Wigmore
Shorter slower lunch run
19 hours ago
