About
Born to Run World reunites author Christopher McDougall and coach Eric Orton, the duo who first teamed up for the adventure that would become an international sensation. Inspired by their experience with Mexico’s Rarámuri, who turned running into a fine art, Born to Run World aims to remind everyone — old or young, athletic or not so much — that our first true superpower is still within us all.
Chris McDougall
Christopher McDougall is one of America’s most popular adventure-sport writers, with more than 2 million books in print. He began his career as a foreign correspondent for The Associated Press, covering wars in Rwanda, Angola, and Congo. His first book, Born to Run, remains the No. 1 running title of all time, spending four years on the New York Times bestseller list and earning selection as one of Amazon’s 100 Books to Read in a Lifetime. McDougall’s work revolutionized footwear and sports nutrition, sparking the “Barefoot Revolution” of minimalist shoes and popularizing chia seeds and pinole, two superfoods of Mexico’s legendary Rarámuri ultrarunners. His second book, Natural Born Heroes, was an instant bestseller and remains a favorite among Special Forces around the world for its exploration of the Ancient Greek “art of the hero” used by WWII Resistance fighters against overwhelming odds. McDougall’s most recent work, Running with Sherman, tells the true-life story of his attempt to nurse a severely mistreated donkey back to health, ultimately concluding in their attempt to run side-by-side through the Colorado Rockies in the 29-mile World Championship Pack Burro Race.
Eric Orton
Eric Orton has spent a lifetime exploring human potential and the limitless possibilities of the body and mind. As a performance guru and world-renowned running coach, Eric performs online coaching and consulting for both age group and elite runners. His study of ancestral cultures, like Mexico’s legendary Rarámuri ultrarunners, has made him one of America’s foremost authorities on natural movement and evolutionary biomechanics. Eric’s first book, The Cool Impossible, has been published in 7 languages and in 15 countries to date, and teaches strategies for dreaming beyond fear and living beyond limits. Eric was the architect of the training plans which cured Christopher McDougall’s chronic injuries and prepared him for the epic adventures described in McDougall’s books. Together, McDougall and Orton created the “Free Seven,” the unique approach to running at the heart of Born to Run 2: the Ultimate Training Guide.