August 23, 2016 NAKED RUNNING--FROM THE ANKLES DOWN

I love clothes and shoes--especially athletic wear. Whenever running gets to be a grind, I treat myself to a new funky-colored outfit--It's a wonderful motivator. A great running bra is a huge plus too--lately I'm loving the bralette because the extra band cuts down on chafe!! Now sneakers are a whole other ball game. A good, quality pair of running sneakers costs  about $120. OUCH-- and I have to buy them every 4-6 months depending on my mileage. They are as necessary as breathing though, so I just bite the bullet and do it. I do, however, envy those runners out there who run barefoot--they must have a lot of money in the bank.  There are a couple of barefoot runners in my area who have been running for years. I don't know how they do it--rocks, glass, sand, pebbles--OUCH! Luckily for them,  though, they don't feel a thing. Their feet must be like worn leather, made to absorb the bumps in the road--or they have to be just numb from the ankles down. I don't know which it is, but they are admirable much like the Tarahumara Indian runners in Christopher McDougall's National Bestseller, Born to Run-- A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen. 
McDougall is an award-winning journalist and  runner-- overburdened with injuries. He  decides-- on a whim-- to go to Mexico to find the Tarahumara tribe-- world-class distance runners-- to learn their "running secrets." He ends up in the Copper Canyons--a frightening, unforgiving place. There, he meets the Tarahumara tribe who literally run hundreds of miles-- without rest or food-- while tracking their next meal or racing an ultra marathoner--THEY LOVE  RUNNING! The Tarahumara tribe is well-known to the ultra marathon community because they are good competition--Hence, Copper Canyons is home to a grueling 50 mile race over savage terrain. While learning about the tribe, McDougall meets several very interesting ultra marathon characters--with unorthodox ways of getting ready for the race. They are fun, quirky people who love a challenge that most would never attempt. MacDougall decides to train and run the 50 miler too and learns some really valuable lessons along the way--including-- runners need to find joy in running--and --it shouldn't  be a--no pain no gain--mentality. He also questions whether our fancy, expensive running sneakers are more harmful than helpful as the Tarahumara do not own running sneakers let alone the latest gear. They simply run.   This book is a great, fun, interesting page-turner of 280 pages--about 4 easy miles--that you won't want to put down. I personally found it an INSPIRING read--hope you do too.