Are we born to run? | Christopher McDougall 

Damn right. Just three minutes after being born, I looked up at my mother and said “Well don’t just lay there. We’ve got a wildebeest to catch!”

One time i dropped acid and went to a track at 2 am. Procerded to run effortlessly for 2 hours while maintaining the most beautifully consistent running cadence. My mind was inside my hips, it was glorious.

I love this talk! I'm addicted to running. It is an incredible source of joy and happiness and health in my life.

I run because I can. I’m 71 and running keeps me healthier. Plus I can interact and run with my 13 grandkids. Although it’s becoming obvious I’m getting slower and they are getting faster.

Here's where Americans went wrong: we stopped running for fun. We run to lose weight, to get healthier, because we "should"...here's a novel idea: why not run because it is fun? Because it is fun to run around outside in the fresh air, much more fun than, say, sitting at a desk or compulsively checking one's phone for messages. Just a thought--

What a fantastic video! I've really noticed that as I've slowly made the move from weight training and gaining size, to endurance events, my personality has changed in a highly positive way. I'm so much more relaxed now, I feel AMAZING, my memory has improved in leaps and bounds, and my concentration is phenomenal.

I’m on the Sierra Nevada cross country team, and what makes races so cool is how kind everyone is. I had a pretty serious injury part way through a 5k and I wanted to stop, but a group of girls I’ve never met boxed me in and helped me finish. It’s a team sport, even when you’re on different teams

Just started running and within 3 weeks I’ve went from .5 miles To 6 Miles under an hour , And it feels Amazing .

This is the guy who inspired me to start exercising. I'm about 3000 miles/5000 kilometers in so far, and hope to add many thousands more over many years.

This guy lowkey looks like handsome squidward

The question actually isn't about shoes vs no shoes. It's actually about running technique, and barefoot running forces the correct technique to minimize the impact, crucial for long distance running. Learn the correct running technique, then get the right type of running shoe, then go about trying to go faster over longer distances.

I did not plan on watching this entire video, but I certainly did! This speaker managed to keep my attention and interest the entire 15 min video, and I’m not even a runner!

I enjoy running everyday, and I definitely do it for the decompression that it offers. I think the thing that would helps us get back to running more is embracing pain. You have to cherish that feeling of being sore, then if you run for long enough your adrenaline kicks in and heart rate increases and you can keep going. It’s truly awesome.

When there is a big cushion under our foot, we can get away with all kinds of shenanigans that the rest of the lower body may not agree, while feet not hurting at all. When barefoot, one must run with most care in order for feet to not hurt, and that can correct the running technique, and therefore become injury-free.

Eleven years on from this talk and Courtney Dauwalter is killing the Ultra running community with her amazing wins, leaving men gasping for air in her wake as she playfully and with humble joy runs 100 and even 200 mile runs. She doesn't take herself seriously and is full of joy. This talk was so ahead of its time.

In my 40's when job stress got high, I took up long distance lap swimming; the peace of mind and relaxation it gave me worked, others I knew who did not do this literally "cracked-up" under the pressure. Good talk. I think you are entirely correct.

Started running as a child and never stopped. Love it!

I only run because it is fun. No watch, no headphones. Just my thoughts, my body, and the road. I care more about having a "good" run than a PR.

We were made to run on dirt and plants, not concrete. Although beach and grass running barefoot is awesome.

What a great speaker! I like how he effortlessly weaves humor into a logical analysis of humankind. Probably reaches a bit too far at times, but I love the the emphasis on minimalism and humans doing what we're meant to do.

I have been running bare foot on grass since i was a kid with my father in the early mornings, back in India. What an awesome feeling.

The reason we wear shoes, is because although we are meant to run barefoot, We are NOT meant to run barefoot on surfaces as hard as concrete. We may attain some injury from shoes, but it would be much worse with out them, You also have to take into the account, that in the modern world, there are such things as glass and metal, that we can, and will, cut our feet on if we try to run barefoot in a city. The only safe places would be a beach, or nature trail, etc.

Great if you have grass, fields and forests where no idiot has thrown his beer bottle.

'Are we born to run?' Bruce Springsteen says so, don't ever question The Boss.

Great talk, its also worth mentioning that we sit more that we used and have been doing it from an earlier age. From school to the office to the couch most of our time is spent sitting and it causes our hip flexor to shrink and glutes to atrophy which in turn leads to a more heel striking gait. Also the effect of walking on a hard continuous surface contributes to knee and back pain.

Great summary of concepts in McDougall's book, "Born to Run". I've discussed and recommended his book to many of my patients.

Me and my kid tried this philosophy and were amazed how true McDougall is. Skepticism is natural, but you will never cure it without trying it (slowly, and carefully). Thank you

Chris inspires me. I run everyday. It's ridiculous and crazy to think we are not BORN TO RUN. It's part of our evolution. I am living proof. AND I am 69, I had 2 massive heart attacks, and I am still running everyday. I love it, it's my drug of choice and helps relieve my PTSD for sure.

Love love this guy! His book Born To Run just blew my mind .

I’ve been running all my life and the only time I was every hurt was when I ran on pavement. Just run trails and you won’t get hurt. I would be open to trying barefoot running but that’s a non-starter in AZ.

In most of my jobs I always worked on my feet all day every day for over 20 years, now I've taken up running in the last few years I've had no injuries as I believe my body is conditioned to be upright and moving all day long. Many runners I know are really fit but as they have sit down office jobs their bodies find it harder to recover and are more prone to injury.

here's a sport where old people are still amazingly good, Rock climbing.

A lot of focus here in the comments about diet, reasons to run, physical differences, clothing and running gear, etc. I found the team work idea and the success of the Tarahumara to be the takeaway here. There is no "I" in Tarahumara! Thanks CM

I'm 30, almost 31 and this man's book and philosophy "Born to Run" changed my LIFE and HEALTH for the better. I'm so much happier as a runner, I go out almost every other day (working towards daily), and from starting 6 months ago (I puked after 1/2 mile) I'm now running a pretty quick 4-6 miles of trails! I don't go "full barefoot" but I use a very minimal running shoe, zero-drop with only enough padding to protect from sharp rocks and glass. using a minimalist trail shoe is KEY for me, I could never, ever imagine going back to the clunky, padded "running shoes" I once used

Johnny sins now a marathon runner... Amazing...

I started running 6 months ago at 24 after 3 kids. Spent too much on running shoes, have been thinking about barefoot running. Thank you so much for this awesome information!

(mountain and road) cycling, (I only know downhill skiing) skiing, and rock climbing are all sports that can be done at a relatively high level late into life.

Loved the book as well! Changed my life!

Honestly? One of the best books I ever read. I read it in December 2013. I finished the book December 12th. That day I started training for the LA Marathon, (I never ran more than 8 miles my whole life) I completed the LA Marathon 2 days ago with a time of 4 hours 35 minutes. We ARE born to run. Yes I did wear shoes. I'm 40 and although I'm sure no shoes is the best way, after 40 years and training 87 days, there was not enough time. BRAVO TO YOU CHRIS MCDOUGALL! AND I THANK YOU!

This talk has made me want to go out and run an antelope to exhaustion and tear its still warm flesh out and eat it.

This is such controversial subject matter, and I am by no means an expert, but after years of running and chronically injured (IT band primarily), I made 2 small changes that align with Christopher's feedback and have seen 3 years of injury free running including ultra 100km+ distances. I only run in minimalist shoes (ie. Nike Free, Altra Escalante, to Leguanos and Vibrams and Merrel Trail Gloves). The other part is I always do some minimal barefoot training to adjust my stride to align with a barefoot run which most importantly for me was a high cadence. Even with shoes on, focus on a barefoot stride which is high cadence and more of a midsole strike. For me Christopher's approach was the miracle I needed to keep running, which I do almost daily.

I always felt like the problem is pavement. It's too hard and destroys your joints when you run on it.

I'm a running enthusiast. i also come from a backward tribe that still engage in jhum cultivation. while human performance in running has immensely benefited from science and technology, we have also lost out on a lot of things that makes running fun and make our body better suited for running. i used to run barefoot during my early and mid teens and that helped me a lot.it wasn't track or competitive running though. obsessed with my extreme idea of physical fitness and strength, i regularly trekked through hilly and forested areas on rough unpaved roads. having started doing that from a relatively young age, while also doing it consistently for years, i got really good at barefoot running. my feet also developed surprising tolerance to pain, especially the soles of my feet. there are also tons of scientific study that link walking/running barefoot to a range of health benefits. see "earthing".i definitely noticed a lot of benefits after i decided to go natural and minimize the use of shoes. it got to a point where i was more comfortable in almost every situation without shoes and there was an acute feeling that shoes weighed me down while running or during any physical activity.for a long time flip flops were my footwear of choice for morning runs or any kind of running activity, since the roads in my village are paved;i was simply more used to them, naturally.i still am, though the ruggedness from those days have considerably weakened.the point here is: embrace our roots by going natural as much as we can, tap into the natural side of our potential, and also practice a healthy lifestyle. that also majorly includes food and environment.

"I'm not chasing that guy's antelope" ahahahah 😂 you sir made my day

Hello, people! I run only barefoot almost everyday, 4 seasons, but I have to admit that when the winter comes I'm starting to have problems with the footwear. I've used Vibram Five Fingers(with sock and without), Merrel Glove, New Balance Minimus, Aqua-shoes with wool sock, only wool sock(it's perfect on dry snow, in my opinion) and the last winter I've been running with a neoprene 0.5 mm sock (I've tried to run with bare feet too,but it's a slow process). I have to tell you that for me the neoprene sock works exceptionally well. I'm running only trails, not hard surface (asphalt, concrete...) , soil only. Even when sprinting the sock is pretty stable, but with 0.5 is little chilly when the snow melts. It starts to absorb water(because I wear another sock underneath), so I have a plan for this year. I will buy 1 mm neoprene sock, put a wool sock underneath and for the slippery ice-I will use spray glue+sand on the bottom(which method I saw in another video, but for shoes) and let you know what happened. In conclusion I think that barefoot runners face hard times when the wet winter comes. So...that's my plan to defeat it. I will be glad to hear more ideas for snow and wet cold weather from you. Have a great day!

I do recommend wearing something thin and strong to protect from the chemicals and debris on the modern running course. Get some close-toed Vibram-soled shoes WITHOUT any cushioning.

I too am in my early 40's and recently got rid of "normal" shoes, going to absolutely minimalist shoes all the time. I'm now free of chronic running injuries, have full used of my toes which were mashed together and had limited range of motion/function as well as less low back pain now. We need to get back to a more natural way of living.

Amazing! This speech is fantastic. Thank you so much.

Christopher McDougall is the real deal. Born to Run is essential reading.

Excellent talk. I've read the book "Born to Run" and it was great!!

Brilliant. Loved the story and I loved the delivery!

Not sure why he's not on the big TED stage. This story really is incredible and really impacted a lot of people positively. Perhaps the only questionable thing here is regarding the shoes, but whatever. If you're going to go super minimal or barefoot, do a lot of research, ease into it very slowly and stop if things hurt. For me, I run in Kinvaras which are neutral, responsive and low drop...it's a perfect middle ground. He actually forgot to mention one thing, though he started to touch on it, is that humans are literally the best animal on the planet at running long distances. It's pretty cool to think about and is something to be proud of. The happiness factor is something I think about all the time when running and I think it's profound. Focusing on running as being something you do for fun and passion makes the whole process so much easier than merely a grueling exercise to burn calories off. I think that's part of the magic of Born to Run - that it helps people find a reason to run for passion. I always recommend to people two things when they say they have trouble running for fun: sign up for a race and read Born to Run.

COMpete and COMpassion. The word COM means together. Which is our true power. Together we combine to complete the task. Well done, sir!

I've gotten rid of my orthotics, knee pain, and foot pain since I've started barefoot funning.

The is the first good ted talk I’ve seen, I’ll pay attention to more now

I’m impressed with the way he just rattles off names that are so alien to me I would have a hard time pronouncing them and remembering them

There would definitely be an adjustment period as I guess the strains on the muscles and ligaments would bring on the injuries more, therefore I would say going from typical running shoes to low profile running shoes and maybe start taking them off for 10mins a day at 1st and gradually increase that 10mins week by week over the next year and you'll be on the way to more functional movement in your feet ankles and calves there for making you a more efficient and less injury prone athlete. Best of luck if you give it a go but just like long distance running training goes, the same for getting used to running barefoot it will take time or just like over training to much barefoot running to quickly will bring on or carry on injury. Be careful and safe running Everyone 🇮🇪🏅🏅🇮🇪

So guys everytime you go out to run, just imagine you're hunting an antelope and you need to eat, so run because your life depends on it.

I run 8 miles a day. It literally saved my life. Trauma destroyed my mental health but running allowed me to find my center.

I had chronic IT Band pain and knee pain after a couple iron man events. I spent a year doing yoga a few times a week, which helped a little but didn't resolve the issue. I was wearing minimalist shoes during this recovery period. My runs were all hard anaerobic 185 beats/min 6 min/mile pace. This wasn't working. I did two weeks of MAF (maximum aerobic function) Heart Rate training per Phil Maffetone Method w/o any stretching, and IT Band and knee pain are gone. No one ever recommended running more to resolve IT Band issues, but slow aerobic running (9 min/mile, 148 beats/min) seemed to do the trick for me (with 15 min linear warm up / cool down). Now I think I have a stress fracture in my foot... but at least the IT band is resolved.

Make sure you listen to James O'Keefe's ted talk on running, I think his research contradicts a lot of Christopher's ideas.

love how most " experts" say peak endurance and performance is 25-27 ....... but the world record marathong breakers are over 30 years old... ELIUD KIPCHOGE was 33 when he broke 2:03:00 marathon record.......

Brilliant video! I've just started wearing minimalist shoes and forefront running because of ITBS in my knee from years of heel striking. There is a lot of confusion out there but I'm sticking with this theory because i NEED to keep running. Hopefully I'll have the confidence to try barefoot soon.....

despite the physiological aspect that is a bit mislead (we are not designed for long periods of running or stress, and it is not healthy at all) it is a very nice message (marketing, consumerism, packing, and so on) and something we should consider in many ways in our society.

Fun theory. The reasoning is too exclusive though: "we're good at distance running, therefore we evolved to chase down animals." Maybe long distance running is just a trait we've acquired by default due to other pressures (tropical climate = sweating; bipedalism = carrying slow-developing babies, etc.).

I searched up “born to run” hoping to listen to my favorite Springsteen song, but clicked on this video and now I’m educated

That's why I mountain bike. Its far easier on the joints but it gives you the similar benefits when it comes to cardio and de-stressing that running does. Plus its just way more fun.

No, we are not born to run, we are born to live -- and live well -- and running is a great way of achieving this !!!. Cheers.

I liked this talk. However, I have superb running shoes and love my shoes!

The presented hypothesis is thought provoking and the speaker ties the concepts very well, but comments about Derartu are not accurate. Athlete Derartu Tulu (or according to the speaker, the under under dog/the poor Ethiopian woman) is a two time 10k Olympic Gold medalist and a renowned philanthropist. She was Africa's first black female athlete to win an Olympic gold medal in 1992. Her legacy spans over 2 decades and she's still going strong! Just last week, she became the recipient of Africa Impact award from the Mayor of Washington DC. I understand the speaker is trying to make a point and that the scope of his TED talk is far beyond Derartu, but I found his assumptions about her quiet misleading.

I have done track this year and have gotta far, but I learned that when I'm not having fun and I'm mad while running I always hurt myself. The weird part is when in happy and run with friends I can go fast and dont hurt.

How come Allan Savory is not in the selection of 'The Absolute Best TED talks'??? Shocking! Or did I miss him scrolling down? I hope so!!

Really interesting. My only criticim is that I think it is rather arbitrary that you don't think corn and beans are worth recommending too. All healthy traditional cultures eat a grain and a legume as a large part of their staple diet. High bean consumption is a common factor in all of the blue zones.

i would love to just sit for hours with this dude & talk about running and its history & culture

Not even a runner just stumbled across this. This guy makes crazy points i never even thought of about human evolution loved it

I took this guy's advice and cut my foot on a piece of glass on the sidewalk. Thanks a lot Christopher!

For those of you hung up on the idea of running on a hard surface (asphalt, concrete, etc.) barefoot, there are other ways to achieve a natural running experience using shoes; personally, I have found that zero-drop (stack height is equal in heel and forefoot) shoes promote a healthy running form and provides all of the benefits of literal-barefoot running with added cushioning to protect you from man-made surfaces. Try Altra or Newton running shoes if this interests you. Fortunately I have discovered the wonders of natural running early enough in my life to have had a smooth and injury-free transition into the healthy forefoot and high cadence form imperative of injury-proof running, but in the years I had run before this transition, I suffered from crippling shin splints and stress fractures.

Simple, get outside, enjoy the outdoors, and don't be stuck in front of a screen. Running is such a great way to get away from it all and allows you to just be free for 15-60 minutes at a time without worrying about anything else. Kind of what humans have always done and what relates us to the world the most. Along with the added benefits of physical illness reduction, generally being healthy and it's ability to help with mental health (by releasing endorphin's such as serotonin etc.) it's such a simple but amazing thing. i think as long as people don't feel pressure to do this or hit that target, feel that you have to push yourself to the limit or look the coolest and just went out and did it for the fun of it and to get some fresh air people would do it more. Just got to drop the two things that almost make modern day society difficult to live in (image and consumerism) and it truly is something beneficial and enjoyable

Just finished Born to Run, pretty cool hearing the guy talk about it too.

This is great and all, but what about foot injuries?

I came here because of Vibram Fivefingers, was not disappointed.

My favourite kind of running is orienteering. You run out in the woods, mostly off-road, and see the places that you wouldn't see otherwise. It is also a very inclusive sport. Happy running!

Great video. Let's get running.

People missed one key fact, We developed clothes based on the environment. If its cold you skinned animals to use their skin/fur to survive and effectively operate. On concrete you need shoes. In a super jagged rock area, you need a shoe. Shoes arnt meant for Natural running. Thats why the military wears a boot, you are in a situation where you cant risk stubbing your toe, cutting your foot or breaking your foot down under the situations present. If you got a decent surface and want to run for your life, By all means run till your heart stops. But you also have to remember we also live where each person is different, Some may need the shoe more for even basic simple areas, vs someone genetically who has the right make up for barefoot running.

great presentation!

Wow this makes so much sense, I currently live in Canada but when I played football in my home country I used my bare feet and I could play for hours without feeling tired whatsoever, I could run for a very long time and it didn't feel like torture. Now I just hate running and it's probably cos of this (or age ).

I liked this speach, since I have trying to find an excersice for my daily routine. I live in the most urban part of my country, so there are ver few places where I can go to run, that are near to my house with out using any public transportation.

The Taraumara also have Peyote.

Is it truly bare foot running he’s talking about or are we talking vibram 5-finger shoes?

Phenomenally explained

5:56 I gotta think a few heads exploded when you said that.

I'm quite a good 1500m athlete from Manchester, one of the best in England and I always have worn shoes and. Trainers yet never been injured, look at little kids. They never get injured..... Why because they are running around all the time which prevents muscles getting weak and there for allowing you to get hurt. So if you sit in an office all day then go running its a shock to your body pluss the muscles will weaken if you do not do exercise for the legs

Watch the award winning documentary featuring Christopher McDougall and the Tarahumara titled Goshen: Places of Refuge for the Running People. vimeo.com/ondemand/goshen

Starting to run, and overweight, I bought the stabilized shoes that were recommended through a running magazine. And ended up with stress fractures in my feet and my knees and hips weren't in such good shape. When I started running barefoot, all of that went away. No problem at all. I Started wearing five finger shoes on trails through the woods. There's enough sensory input to the bottom of my feet I stopped tripping over roots and rocks. The extra sensory input gives my brain a little bit more time to adapt to the terrain. Amazing.

I think there's a bigger message here about community and greed. I can't imagine that will go over well for the people who say, "Keep your hands off of my money" and don't appreciate all the ways that collaboration and cooperation makes their lives possible today.

I just watched another Ted Talks video featuring a cardiologist, he is saying the opposite. Moderate cardio is safer and mentioned Micah True, an American runner that was staying and running with same tribe. Micah unfortunately died while running there, autopsy found that he had a damaged heart consistent with ultra marathon runners. It appears that what is suggested is a moderate jogging pace at 6 mph for 30 minutes no more than 3 times per week. Most regular runners will disagree with this and it is hard to argue with a very fit community but for most of us that do not fall within this elite class of athletes, we may be better off with moderation.

I am born to lay on the couch watching netflix

As kids we used to play a lot of football (soccer) barefooted and the only injuries we had was from occasional impacts and scrapes/bruises but never from running around on bare feet from any of the kids. Not sure it was because we were young , may be that's just how we truly are meant to run.

I've done some barefoot running, after reading "Born to Run," and taking a clinic with Barefoot Ted. But I've gone back to shoes due to the convenience. And I can count on one hand the number of times I've suffered an injury from running in shoes (all of them from doing sprint intervals/speed work). The key is to listen to your body, and don't push things too much. You're not actually hunting gazelles, so there's no need to (there's food waiting for you at home).

Not gonna press play... Bruce Springsteen has already told me that we were born to run :D