Run like the Ancients

When we were home in Christiansburg for Labor Day weekend and my grandma's 90th birthday, my dad passed on to me Christopher McDougall's book Born to Run. Inspired by the great distance runners, the Tarahumara Indians of Copper Canyon, Mexico, McDougall explores the ancient art of running, trying to discover out how the Tarahumara manage to run up to 60 miles a day, often several days a week, for 60-70 years of their life, and rarely, if ever, end up hurt. In comparison, 80% of all modern runners is hurt every year.

What he finds is a culture of people who enjoy running and who trust their body (their legs, their feet, their ankles) to carry them wherever they need to go without the need for fancy footwear and expensive orthotics. When he discovers that no medical study has ever proven that the newest and 'best' running foorwear prevents injuries, and in fact they typically cause running injuries, he dives into a training plan that stresses natural stride, minimal support, and a quick footed lightness that protects the body from injury.

The book profiles interesting characters, all runners who come to their passion from different avenues, and culminates in a 50 mile run through the Copper Canyons of Mexico, pitting some of the best ultra runners in the US against the legendary Mexican runners.

I walked away from this book inspired to change my running style.

There are many reasons that people decide to make the change, many of them prompted by nagging, permanent, running injuries. I have been fortunate never to have had any major issues--no plantar fasciitis, no stress fractures, no Achilles injuries--just a few minor muscle tweaks, and currently a nagging hamstring that I just can't seem to heal and that seems to re-injure without warning in a variety of exercises.

My hope in making a change is that this nagging injury goes away as the rest of my legs get stronger. Also, I am searching to embrace the spirit of the Tarahumara and really focus on enjoying my running. In the runs that I have done since finishing the book (including one 5 miles race), I have really tried to zero in on letting my body run and enjoying how it feels. I tried to erase thoughts of distance left and time, and to trust that I do know how to run (even if using my current running style). At the end of each run I felt good--tired in a great way--and I managed a decent, consistent pace throughout the whole run.

The next steps are to change my footwear, forcing me to alter my stride, and then to start training slowing, letting my body adjust to the changes and letting my feet and ankles strengthen over time.

My dad is at least 4 months into his transition and he says he is a completely changed runner. I hope to follow in his footsteps.

Hopefully Heather and I can both embrace our inner runner.

And if you haven't read the book Born to Run yet, I highly, highly recommend it.