---
aliases: ["Born to Run"]
Is A: Note
Author: "Christopher McDougall"
Topics: ["[[topic-running]]"]
URL: "https://example.com/born-to-run"
---
# Born to Run
*Christopher McDougall*

McDougall's investigation into the Tarahumara ultrarunners of Mexico's Copper Canyons is part anthropology, part adventure story, and part argument against the modern running shoe industry. The core thesis is that humans evolved to run long distances and that much of what we consider "running injury" is actually a product of overengineered footwear and poor form. The Tarahumara run extraordinary distances in thin sandals, with joy and without the chronic injuries that plague Western recreational runners. The book makes a compelling case that we have been overthinking movement and that simplicity in training often outperforms complexity.

What resonated most with me was not the barefoot running debate but the deeper point about intrinsic motivation and play. The Tarahumara do not run to hit PRs or post Strava segments -- they run because running is woven into their culture and their sense of community. McDougall contrasts this with the grim, data-obsessed approach many Western athletes take, and the comparison is unflattering. As someone who tracks every cycling metric obsessively, this was a useful corrective. There is a version of endurance sport that is about joy and connection rather than optimization, and finding that balance matters for longevity in any pursuit.

The book also introduced me to the idea that the human body is not fragile but remarkably adaptable when given the right conditions. This principle extends well beyond running. In building a newsletter or a content business, the instinct is often to add more tools, more structure, more process. But sometimes the answer is to strip things back to fundamentals: write clearly, publish consistently, connect with readers directly. The Tarahumara do not have coaches or recovery protocols. They just run, a lot, and they have been doing it for centuries.

## Key takeaways

- Humans evolved as persistence hunters -- long-distance running is not an aberration but a core human capability
- Modern running shoes may cause more injuries than they prevent by encouraging heel striking and weakening foot muscles
- The Tarahumara's longevity in running comes from community, joy, and simplicity rather than technology and optimization
- Intrinsic motivation (running for the love of it) produces better long-term outcomes than extrinsic motivation (PRs, races, metrics)
- Overcomplication is the enemy of consistency -- in running and in most other pursuits
- The best training program is the one you enjoy enough to sustain for decades

## How I apply this

- After reading this, I started incorporating one "unstructured" ride per week into my cycling schedule -- no power targets, no intervals, just riding for enjoyment. It has improved my overall consistency because I actually look forward to those rides.
- I use the Tarahumara principle when I feel the urge to add more tools or systems to my workflow: sometimes the answer is less infrastructure, not more. My best newsletter editions often come from simple prompts, not elaborate content calendars.
- The book reinforced my belief that longevity matters more than peak performance. I would rather publish a solid newsletter every week for ten years than burn out chasing viral growth for six months.

## Related

- [[cycling-teaches-patience]]
- [[training-load-and-knowledge-work]]
- [[on-founder-energy-management]]
- [[on-consistency-in-creative-work]]
- [[note-atomic-habits]]
- [[note-grit]]
- [[note-the-art-of-learning]]
- [[topic-cycling-training]]
- [[topic-sleep-recovery]]
