{10 questions} for Chris McDougall author of Born to Run

courtesy of www.chrismcdougall.com/blog

Christopher McDougall’s Born to Run has ignited a raucous, ongoing debate in the running (and larger) community about the benefits of barefoot running and the integrity of the running shoe industry.  The book’s influence has extended to our feet; both Monica and I have switched to the lighter Newton’s and I am not automatically replacing mine after 300 miles.

But Born to Run is more than a book about barefoot running.  Christopher McDougall is a storyteller extraordinaire.  The book is a page turner, replete with an adroit portrayal of the Tarahumara of Mexico and incisive characterizations of singular people, such as the awesome Ann Trason and Jenn Shelton.  He brings to life the colorful and robust world of ultra runners, the exhilaration of the Leadville Trail 100 race and the history, lore and physiology of endurance running.

I recently re-read Born to Run via CD.  My husband (a non-runner) and 13 year-old daughter (not particularly interested in adult pursuits) were captivated by the stories.  The Tarahumara and ultra races became dinner table fare. High praise!

What’s more, after reading a few chapters and I felt the urge to get out there—and run long…

10 Questions for Chris McDougall:

1. The Jon Stewart appearance, interviews with major newspapers, the NY Times Best Sellers list, that Jeopardy question…..describe a memorable moment on the best selling author circuit.

Jon Stewart telling me the bottom of my foot felt like a dog’s paw was definitely one for the scrapbooks.  but the wildest had to be when I met Caballo’s old girlfriend after a book signing in seattle.  she gave me a picture of him from 25 years ago that showed him holding a scruffy dog and leaning against an old pickup … and he was doing EXACTLY the same thing last time I saw him.

2. At what moment after the publication of Born to Run did you realize that the book had taken on a life of its own?  Do you think that the book’s release date, in the midst of the economic crisis, contributed to runners’ willingness to embrace the debate about barefoot running?

barefoot running is really just a fraction of what the book is all about. the heart of the story is the message that running can be a total blast, and not just a punishment for pizza. and if people are responding
to the less-is-best revelations about running shoes, that’s probably because we’ve hit critical mass when it comes to injuries and frustration. for decades, we’ve been told that fancy shoes will make running better,
and now it’s clear that we’ve been fooled by a bunch of marketing blather.

3. We both wear Newton’s.  What do you think of them? Are your daughters wearing running shoes?  If so, which type?

i’ve never tried newtons. personally, i feel more comfortable wearing nothing (interpret that any way you like). my kids are just yung’uns, so they crash around in whatever cheapos we can find. during their school’s race for education, we were the only one running barefoot — for about 10 minutes. as soon as the other kids realized they didn’t have to wear shoes, they started chucking them. soon, there was a mountain of discarded sneakers and an army of grinning kids whizzing around the soccer field.

4. Born to Run is about so much more than barefoot running.  What other transferable skills should we take away from the Tarahumara?

my apologies if this sounds unhelpful, but i’d like to avoid trying to distill their culture into self-help tips. Caballo has been down there for 15 years and he’s still getting his arms around things.

5. How has the success of Born to Run shaped your approach to your current project?  Any hint on the subject?  Have you learned anything more about a Born to Run movie?

it’s been a wild week. yesterday, i closed a deal for the next book, and today (literally, four hours ago) i signed the movie contract. i have no clue what happens next with the movie, if anything. as for the book,
believe me — if i tried to describe it, you’d yawn. i still haven’t figured out how to pithily summarize born to run without it sounding weird and nerdy.

6. We are fascinated that women are racing and beating men at the Ultra level.  Are men running these distances slower or are women running them faster?  Does the 100 miler finally level the playing field?  Can you talk about this a little…or write a book about it?

wait, i thought i just did! what i was getting at with the anthropological evidence about ultrarunning is the idea that if humans truly did evolve as persistence hunters (that is, as hunters who ran their quarry to death through heat exhaustion), then it would only make sense that the hunting pack would have to remain a pack — men and women, old and young alike. so it’s not that women get stronger as distances get longer — it’s more that the differences between men and women diminish.

7. What do you think the next big debate in running will be about?

there’s still a lot of life left in this one… Dr. Lieberman, the harvard professor who’s spearheading the best research into barefoot running, is making it clear that we still have a lot to learn about running technique. style had been ignored for too long in favor of sales and marketing, and it’s going to take a while to turn that ship around.

8. It’s been a snowy winter in Pennsylvania…what is the state of your  running?  Are you planning any ultras?  Do you think about writing on the run or is it more of a quieting experience?

i’ve had some great runs. luckily, i live in dairy country, so the roads get plowed pretty snappily so the milk truck can get thru. the second i’ve got a clear path, i’m gone. the best runs of your life are always on a snowy morning when everyone is too afraid to drive. no plans for any races it’s been much more fun being a pacer for friends rather than entering them myself. if you ever want to see a look of pure love on someone’s face, be waiting for them at mile 60 with a bag of M&Ms. you’ll never feel so adored in your life. sure, i think about writing while i run, but i think about everything.

9. What is Jenn Shelton up to these days?  Are runner tourists attempting to visit the Tarahumara?  How do they fare?

Jenn is living in Oregon and tearing up the trails. here’s an update:
http://outside.away.com/outside/culture/200907/jenn-shelton-ultramarathon-1.html
Caballo managed to stage his race again this year, and he had a whopping turnout — over 200 Tarahumara runners, and 60-some Americans and other visitors. Caballo said it was a total party.

10. Who are some of your favorite authors and runners?

i’m old school. Emil Zatopek, Nelson Algren, Patricia Highsmith, Marshall Ulrich.

Extra credit: Did you persuade your family to eat chia?  Do you have a favorite recipe?

just soak it and slip it into pancake batter. my kids don’t mind the chia, but the wheat germ and flax seeds really piss them off.

Tagged as: Born to Run, Christopher McDougall, newtons, running shoe, tarahumara