First published 2010
Christopher McDougall suffers from chronic foot pain that derails his running. His search for answers leads him to Mexico's Copper Canyons, where the reclusive Tarahumara Indians live in brutal terrain. These runners cover hundreds of miles without rest, chase down deer, and remain free from modern diseases. McDougall connects with Caballo Blanco, a mysterious outsider living among the tribe. Caballo helps McDougall learn Tarahumara techniques and discover his own potential as an ultra-athlete. The journey builds toward a fifty-mile race through Tarahumara territory. The tribe faces off against American runners, including an elite ultramarathoner, a young surfer, and a barefoot specialist. McDougall travels from Harvard science labs to remote valleys where ultrarunners test human limits. He uncovers how modern running wisdom fails us. The book reveals that natural running ability lies dormant in all humans, waiting to transform both body and spirit.
Genres: adventure, sports, non-fiction, biography-memoir, health
Vibes: fast-paced, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: fish-out-of-water, personal-journey
Setting: Copper Canyons, Mexico
287 pages · Hardcover · Alfred A. Knopf