Born to Run: hæ?

[Nyal]

After hearing so much about Born to Run (almost typoed it Born to Rub, wouldn't THAT be a cool book) I got hold of a copy and read it. For those who care here are my impressions.

McDougall is indeed a skilled story teller, weaving interestingly supple supporting segments about such diverse topics as personal narrative, backstory of characters, and popular interpretations of scientific historiography with the greater story arc about Caballo Blanco and the race. He is masterful in drawing the reader into reading dozens more pages than he or she has time and the relatively thick book melts away. I recommend it to every runner.

BUT.......

I am confused, bemused, and lost. I read the book on account of how many thousands of people who have cited McDougall as their intellectual ancestor leading them to run barefoot. In other words, many have said that reading this remarkable work inspired them to run commando.

In Norwegian we have a word. Hæ. Although translated roughly as 'huh' or 'whuh' one really must hear it pronounced to appreciate the sense of being lost in the cognitive sense. So I say 'Hæ?'

Barefooting is barely mentioned in the narrative and the two instances are not generally positive. The first is in relation to a Tarahumara breaking his huarache and being forced to finish a race barefoot resulting in 'torn and bloody' feet. Here the character of the runner is demonstrated by his willingness to overcome and ignore being barefoot.

The second is in connection to Barefoot Ted and here running barefoot is presented as a eccentric practice. Look at this nut, Barefoot Ted who never shuts up, wears funny clothes to be odd and runs barefoot. Barefoot is here presented as non-conformist for the sake of non-conformity. I can't help think of the underground Beat art scene of the 50s in this context. Ted finishes the race with bloody and torn feet, McDougall presenting him hiding the injuries with tape and bandages in a furtive way.

In both cases running barefoot results in injury, both cases are not what you would call good examples of it. So why do so many people credit McDougall with inspiring them to run BF?

Oh?`What's that you say? There is a chapter denouncing the modern running shoe? Sure, I got that. McDougall seems to blame them for many injuries and problems all right. So I guess you could argue that he is in favor of minimal footwear at the most. Except that in the narrative he seems to attribute evil to modern running shoes only in context of someone who doesn't 'get it' Like the New School Tarahumara who cheated in the race. They wore evil running shoes. So did several others who were cast as fools or villains.

But not the Bushmen, Scott Jurek, Billy, either Jenns, or the author himself? No, they 'get it' and apparently can wear shoes without any trouble.

ANYWHO......McDougall will inspire you to run, he may even inspire you to wear a reduced shoe and try to run for the fun of running. He may even get you a little suspicious of running shoes and wear sandals or flats instead. But barefoot or even VFFs? I am just not seeing it. Can someone tell me if my copy was missing some pages or something?

 

[Norm Deplume]

I was already aboard the

I was already aboard the barefoot train when I read Born To Run, so I can't speak to whether it would have encouraged me to take off my shoes. But I do know that MacDougall's arguments against big fluffy supportive shoes solidified my resolve.

When Mr Deplume read it, the book prompted him to stop wearing the fluffy stability shoes that everyone told him he should be wearing, and went back to Nike Frees. For him, it created an ultrarunner. He's running his first 30-miler on Saturday.

I think the biggest thing is that the book exposed people to skepticism about the shoe industry, and started them doing their own research into what works best for them. Some of my friends who have read the book like their shoes, and have made no changes. It's a fun story, regardless.

 

[swedishpimple]

Since I have never read

Since I have never read it... I can't speak to your interpretation of BFR as it is portrayed in "Born to Run".

I have watched several interviews w/ McDougall since writing the book. He seemed to speak highly of BFR. So maybe he changed his tune after the fact? It's also possible he was just adding drama where there wasn't any by including accounts of people who risked everything and ran completely bare?

"Born to Rub" :LOL: . It sounds like one of those movies you have to go into a seedy back room to get.

S. Pimp.

 

[barefoot.zumba.runner]

I think it's more the "oh,

I think it's more the "oh, I'd never thought of that, maybe he's onto something with the shoes not being needed for a good wise run, maybe they DO put us at risk of injury, maybe I'll look into running barefoot. Oh look, there's a whole Society of some really rad people who run barefoot, and look at all of these resources regarding how beneficial barefoot running is, and look! a member map and minimal shoe guide so I can wear shoes when I need to, but need to develop good form first and should do that barefoot then throw some shoes on when I need them, I'm really liking this barefoot stuff, it feels natural, and right and I'm way more connected to my runs than I've ever been and I'm injury free.....

how's that for a run on of thoughts



lmao Born to Rub, now if you need to read a book to figure that out...uzzled: lol

 

[hmduey]

Like so many others (and

Like so many others (and McDougall himself) I started running barefoot due to an injury. I had already started my transition when I read the book, and I actually read the book looking for pointers on how to BFR "correctly".

It does absolutely turn the shoe thing on its ear and make you think, "Wow, if the Tarahumara can run in sandals, maybe I really can run barefoot!" If I recall correctly, McDougall was still trying to transition when he went to Mexico and that was why he was unable to race completely bare. He obviously does his share of BFR now though!

I agree with your assessment though; I've wondered a lot why people ask me whether I've read the book, as it wasn't really about BFR. It definitely does inspire one to just go out and run though, IMHO.

 

[saypay45]

I also read BTR after already

I also read BTR after already going minimalist. I got the same impression as Nyal, that McDougall felt that barefoot runners were crazies. It seemed like more of a 200 page advertisement for VFFs than anything.

More than anything, the book inspired me to try for greater distances. After finishing the book, I really thought that I could complete an ultra. I still do. My immediate reaction was to go out and start training for my first marathon; a goal that I had thought was many years still down the road.

 

[Barefoot Gentile]

Born to Run was never

Born to Run was never intended to be a book about barefoot running.

 

[chickpastor]

 I remember being surprised

I remember being surprised when I saw him doing interviews that he was running barefoot and minimal after the book came out. He sets the stage for it for sure, and it did inspire me to get rid of my boats as a first step, but you are right that all the major players in the book (BFT of course excepted) do not run BF at all.

But there was something about the spirit of it that led me to BF running....don't know if I can describe it any better than that.

ETA: I read it very soon after it came out, July 2009, so the BF thing wasn't in the news yet really.

 

[jschwab]

I think you migt be missing

I think you migt be missing that McDougall has been on the talk show circuit and speaking everywhere he can about the benefits of running barefoot and tying that in with the book. I knew about barefoot running before I read it and had done a bunch of reading, but it was definitely what convinced Capmikee (hubby) to run barefoot.

 

[Ken]

I started running almost two

I started running almost two years ago, but only read the book perhaps 4 months ago. And, do note from my signature, I am not a barefooter. I was already trying VFFs and some limited barefooting on advice from a running coach because my foot cadence when I started (in shoes) was ~ 172-174. That results in heel striking, which we don't need to go into here, but basically is both inefficient (braking effect) and potentially injurous.



After reading McDougall's book twice (yes, twice), here's my biased take away: Running shoes aren't bad per se, but they allow you to run in a manner that can injure you at worst, and at a minimum allow you to run in an extremely inefficient manner. With proper training and technique, one can run quite safely and effectively in a running shoe. However, running minimalist/barefoot forces you to not engange in many of the slow and injurous bad habits.



Thus, I use barefoot and VFFs to work on technique and consider them cross training. Doing so does influence my shod running technique to a more proper and safe form, with my shod cadence averaging now ~179-183, right on the money, and softer foot strikes in the midfoot area. I'm more efficient, less injury prone, and a heck of a lot faster. The one change I'm looking to make is to a more minimal regular shoe so that I can drop some of the carried weight and reduce some of the unnatural arch support. I don't intend to give up my shoes as my main running method, nor do I intend to stop the barefoot cross training.



And lastly, I agree with the original poster that I don't think McDougall was advocating dropping shoes (in his book; talking circuit more recently notwithstanding). The only thing I thought he was advocating was that running can be a joyful and injury-free experience if done correctly (and note that he himself got to that point in the book wearing shoes). His point about shoes seemed to be that they can lead to very bad and injurous habits, and that the interest of the shoe companies is to make money. No surprises there.

 

[SillyC]

I think more people are

I think more people are finding McDougall himself as an inspiration for barefoot running? He runs barefoot. And, while promoting his book, he ran barefoot with members of the press. Really barefoot, too!

The first time I went barefoot running was after seeing a video on the NYTimes website with McDougall running with the Roving Runner. That was October 3rd, 2009. Oh, and BTW - just celebrated my 1 year anniversary as a BFR!

 

[Barefoot TJ]

I was already a barefoot

I was already a barefoot runner when the book came out. I honestly didn't realize others did this. Except for my sister who ran track barefoot in southern California, I was unfamiliar with barefoot running. Even while going through my own horror with shoes and transitioning away from them, she didn't even enter my mind. (It happens with estranged family members.) I thought I was onto something special that first time I shed my shoes on a long run two years ago now. I thought, wow, how awesome it felt, why weren't more people doing it? Then I decided to check the Internet, and there I found all kinds of crazies like me. Yippee. I was not alone.

However you want to look at that book, embrace it for what it is...or not, it has changed running as we know it.

 

[saypay45]

I agree with Kitty and

I agree with Kitty and jschwab. He's become more of a barefoot running icon now that the book has been out for a while. I saw him on his book tour about a month ago and went for a run with him. He has really adopted the barefoot lifestyle and advocates it in the same way we do here. He uses the phrase "I treat shoes like clothes...apply as necessary".

 

[stomper]

Nyal wrote:So I say 'Hæ?'I

So I say 'Hæ?'

I was confused by this too. The book has nothing to do with barefoot running. However that chapter about running shoes pretty much demolishes the argument that they are necessary or do any good. So it's not a big jump from there to "hey I could go barefoot."

But on a sort of spiritual level I think it is a big inspiration similar to BFR. The characters in that book are like no runners I had ever met... they actually enjoy running rather than use it as some sort of penance or hairshirt. That really clicked with me and encouraged me to keep going with BFR. One description, of the chick who was "too wild for rugby parties," makes me laugh whenever I think of it. That's the kind of runner I want to be.

 

[Abide]

Man the only thing I got out

Man the only thing I got out of the book is you will run faster if a female element of your crew flashes you occasionally

 

[DavidP]

BTR was about the joy of

BTR was about the joy of running and how with correct form running can much more injury free for life. BF Ted was the only BF runner and he was portrayed as somewhat of a an odd bird. Ted's VFFs were discussed, but they were very peripheral to the story.

Like many of us McDougal had an evolution in thought. Now, in several interviews he has talked about suffering a broken toe from a household accident which led him to running barefoot because he could not run in shoes. He then says that if had listened to BF Ted 3 years before he would have been so much better off. He repeats this in a video clip from their recent NYC run this summer.

David

 

[Blind Boy]

Abide wrote: Man the only

Man the only thing I got out of the book is you will run faster if a female element of your crew flashes you occasionally

And you needed a book to figure that out? Really?

 

[Abide]

Blind Boy wrote:Abide wrote:

Man the only thing I got out of the book is you will run faster if a female element of your crew flashes you occasionally

And you needed a book to figure that out? Really?

 

[deviantrunner]

A tad OT, but I often wonder

A tad OT, but I often wonder why people tend to qualify when they started BFRing in relation to reading the book BTR. ...just something I noticed.



I didn't find the book very pro-barefoot running either. The book was mentioned in the Parade article which sparked my interest in trying it back in Dec. 2009. I read the book in January I think... right after I went out and injurred my foot running barefoot (within 2 weeks of starting). I enjoyed the book for the most part... there was one chapter I remember thinking was too long and full of jargon about studies and statistics (I was into the story aspect). I was expecting more about barefoot running... and frankly expected the indians to be barefoot too. I am not saying I was disappointed though.

The original poster's take on the book is right on IMO. That being said, I do enjoy listening to Mcdougall and McDonald talk about barefoot running.



Good thread going here.

 

[twinkletoes]

I have read it twice also and

I have read it twice also and what intrigued me most was that it clearly presented an alternative to running suffering: change your form first, and if you want to, change shoes too. Obviously, he believes less is more.

Two things from the book stand out though in my memory in terms of McDougall advocating, or at least illustrating clearly the barefoot form versus the cushy running shoe form:

First, he introduces Barefoot Ted as a character, sure, but for whom running only became painless and enjoyable when the shoes came off. Because my shins hurt like hell at the time I read it, I was captivated.

Secondly, there is a direct contrast of barefoot training v. shod with the anecdote about the Nike-sponsored track team training in bare feet, and the coach telling the Nike guy that his runners got hurt when they put the shoes on.