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Reaching your athletic peak is a laudable goal. But ambition extracts a physical and mental cost.
How do you break free from cycles of burnout and injury and fall in love with running again? Today we cover this topic and more with legends Christopher McDougall + Eric Orton.
Back in 2011, just before the start of this podcast, a hugely influential book was released that greatly inspired me both as a writer and as an athlete. A book so impactful it made the entire running world stop and pay attention. That book was Born To Run—a wildly fascinating and inspiring read about a hidden tribe of super athletes called the Tarahumara and the secrets behind their ability to run insane distances on wafer-thin sandals.
Now over a decade later, I’ve finally had the privilege to sit down with the author of that mega bestseller Christopher McDougall and his running coach Eric Orton, who is also the co-author of the sequel to Born to Run. Yes, you read that right—Born To Run 2 is here.
“Exercise isn’t a punishment. Exercise is a joyful adventure.”
– CHRISTOPHER MCDOUGALL
In this conversation we dive deep into the world and stories of Born to Run, as well as talk with Eric about the practical – naturalistic – running drills, principles, practices and philosophy to become bulletproof to injury – and set you up for a lifelong love affair with running.
The visually inclined can watch it all go down on Youtube. As always, the podcast streams wild and free on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
This conversation is packed with a battery of actionable practices and strategies to help you strengthen and sustain your running practice. I hope you learn as much as I did.
Enjoy!
Peace + Plants,
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- Connect with Chris: Website | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook
- Connect with Eric: Website | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook
- Born To Run: Coach Eric Orton
- Book: Born To Run
- Book: Natural Born Heroes
- Book: Running with Sherman
- Book: Born To Run 2
- Book: The Cool Impossible
- Outside: Articles by Christopher McDougall
- TED: Are we born to run? | Christopher McDougall
- YouTube: Born To Run 2: A Message from Chris McDougall
- New York Times: The Once And Future Way To Run
- New York Times: Born To Trot
- New York Times: Running With The Herd
- Runner’s World: Secrets of the Tarahumara
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Thank The Team: I do not do this alone. Send your love to Jason Camiolo for audio engineering, production, show notes and interstitial music; with additional audio engineering by Cale Curtis and additional music by Moby; Blake Curtis & Dan Drake for video, & editing; graphics by Jessica Miranda & Daniel Solis; portraits by Davy Greenberg, Grayson Wilder & Gizelle Peters; video clips for social media are created by AJ Akpodiete; copywriting by Georgia Whaley; and theme music by Tyler Piatt, Trapper Piatt & Hari Mathis.
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