Born to Run

I read Born to Run by Christopher McDougall last summer. This great book has had a dramatic impact on my life. Growing up I was never much of a runner. We, my siblings, swam, year round. Running was not my thing. It was only just over 2 years ago I really got into it. At first I could not even finish 3 miles. On one of the earliest runs, my wife pushing the stroller with my son smoked me. My wife is an amazing athlete so it was not a surprise but it did hurt to not be able to keep pace. The odd thing was I felt great physically after the run. I kept doing it and within 4 months I finished a half-marathon. I have not stopped since.

A few things did change. I found that minimalist running shoes worked really well. I ran my New Balance MT100s into the ground just as I was reading Born to Run. I am running in the updated MT101’s now. They are great. The book convinced me that I did not need my orthotics. I ditched them and have not looked back. What is even better, the lingering knee pain in my left knee is gone and the callused skin on my feet is incredibly improved. Yesterday, I ran for 90 minutes on road, trail, beach and stairs totaling approximately just over 10 miles. My legs feel great today. Check out this TED talk and then read the book. Amazing stuff. Your body will thank you.