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Born to Run features in Amazon.com’s ‘100 Books to Read in a Lifetime’

McDougall’s Born to Run featured amongst ‘A bucket list of books to create a well-read life’

Who would have ever thought that a book about running would be regarded as a classic, and feature amongst other literary classics such as Orwell’s 1984, Nabokov’s Lolita, and Austen’s Pride and Prejudice (not to mention Eric Carle’s The Very Hungry Caterpillar)?

Well, the international bestseller took the word by storm in 2010, and has made Amazon.com’s cut! Incredible.

Amazon.com’s 100 Books to Read in a Lifetime:

Title Author
1984 George Orwell
A Brief History of Time Stephen Hawking
A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius Dave Eggers
A Long Way Gone Ishmael Beah
A Series of Unfortunate Events #1: The Bad Beginning: The Short-Lived Edition Lemony Snicket
A Wrinkle in Time Madeleine L’Engle
Alice Munro: Selected Stories Alice Munro
Alice in Wonderland Lewis Carroll
All the President’s Men Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein
Angela’s Ashes: A Memoir Frank McCourt
Are You There, God? It’s me, Margaret Judy Blume
Bel Canto Ann Patchett
Beloved Toni Morrison
Born To Run – A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen Christopher McDougall
Breath, Eyes, Memory Edwidge Danticat
Catch-22 Joseph Heller
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory Roald Dahl
Charlotte’s Web E.B. White
Cutting For Stone Abraham Verghese
Daring Greatly: How the Courage to Be Vulnerable Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent, and Lead Brene Brown
Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Book 1 Jeff Kinney
Dune Frank Herbert
Fahrenheit 451 Ray Bradbury
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas: A Savage Journey to the Heart of the American Dream Hunter S. Thompson
Gone Girl Gillian Flynn
Goodnight Moon Margaret Wise Brown
Great Expectations Charles Dickens
Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies Jared M. Diamond
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone J.K. Rowling
In Cold Blood Truman Capote
Interpreter of Maladies Jhumpa Lahiri
Invisible Man Ralph Ellison
Jimmy Corrigan: Smartest Kid on Earth Chris Ware
Kitchen Confidential Anthony Bourdain
Life After Life Kate Atkinson
Little House on the Prairie Laura Ingalls Wilder
Lolita Vladimir Nabokov
Love in the Time of Cholera Gabriel Garcia Marquez
Love Medicine Louise Erdrich
Man’s Search for Meaning Viktor Frankl
Me Talk Pretty One Day David Sedaris
Middlesex Jeffrey Eugenides
Midnight’s Children Salman Rushdie
Moneyball Michael Lewis
Of Human Bondage W. Somerset Maugham
On the Road Jack Kerouac
Out of Africa Isak Dinesen
Persepolis Marjane Satrapi
Portnoy’s Complaint Philip Roth
Pride & Prejudice Jane Austen
Silent Spring Rachel Carson
Slaughterhouse-Five Kurt Vonnegut
Team of Rivals Doris Kearns Goodwin
The Age of Innocence Edith Wharton
The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay Michael Chabon
The Autobiography of Malcolm X Malcolm X and Alex Haley
The Book Thief Markus Zusak
The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao Junot Diaz
The Catcher in the Rye J.D. Salinger
The Color of Water James McBride
The Corrections Jonathan Franzen
The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair that Changed America Erik Larson
The Diary of Anne Frank Anne Frank
The Fault in Our Stars John Green
The Giver Lois Lowry
The Golden Compass: His Dark Materials Philip Pullman
The Great Gatsby F. Scott Fitzgerald
The Handmaid’s Tale Margaret Atwood
The House At Pooh Corner A. A. Milne
The Hunger Games Suzanne Collins
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks Rebecca Skloot
The Liars’ Club: A Memoir Mary Karr
The Lightning Thief (Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Book 1) Rick Riordan
The Little Prince Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
The Long Goodbye Raymond Chandler
The Looming Tower: Al-Qaeda and the Road to 9/11 Lawrence Wright
The Lord of the Rings J.R.R. Tolkien
The Man Who Mistook His Wife For A Hat: And Other Clinical Tales Oliver Sacks
The Omnivore’s Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals Michael Pollan
The Phantom Tollbooth Norton Juster
The Poisonwood Bible: A Novel Barbara Kingsolver
The Power Broker: Robert Moses and the Fall of New York Robert A. Caro
The Right Stuff Tom Wolfe
The Road Cormac McCarthy
The Secret History Donna Tartt
The Shining Stephen King
The Stranger Albert Camus
The Sun Also Rises Ernest Hemingway
The Things They Carried Tim O’Brien
The Very Hungry Caterpillar Eric Carle
The Wind in the Willows Kenneth Grahame
The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle: A Novel Haruki Murakami
The World According to Garp John Irving
The Year of Magical Thinking Joan Didion
Things Fall Apart Chinua Achebe
To Kill a Mockingbird Harper Lee
Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption Laura Hillenbrand
Valley of the Dolls Jacqueline Susann
Where the Sidewalk Ends Shel Silverstein
Where the Wild Things Are Maurice Sendak
CategoriesBarefoot Running, Barefoot Ted, Born to Run, Christopher McDougall, Launch, Luna Sandals, New Shoes by

Feetus.co.uk Bring Luna Sandals to the UK

Luna Sandals: Now Available in the UK

We’ve got some great news. You no longer need to order your Luna Sandals from America (and subsequently pay over-the-odds on shipping fees, then customs and duty charges). That’s right. Luna Sandals are now available from your favourite barefoot and minimalist running specialists, Feetus.co.uk.

“Have You Read Born to Run?”

If you’re reading this, the odds are that you’ve probably read Christopher McDougall’s Born to Run. And if you have, you will definitely recognise the name Barefoot Ted.

Well, that crazy guy from Born to Run was inspired by the Tarahumara Indians to create his own version of the huarache ‘barefoot’ sandal, and called it the Luna Sandal.

Here’s the Luna Sandals story:

Once upon a time, Ted McDonald took off his shoes and started running. After a lifetime of being shoed and cast with modern footwear, it took him years to rehabilitate his feet and legs and establish himself as one of the forerunners (get it?) in the field of barefoot running.

Manuel Luna making Ted his first pair of huaraches at the 2006 Copper Canyon Ultra Marathon in Urique, Mexico
Manuel Luna making Ted his first pair of huaraches at the 2006 Copper Canyon Ultra Marathon in Urique, Mexico

In the spring of 2006, Barefoot Ted visited the Copper Canyons of Northern Mexico with a group of elite ultra marathon runners. It was there in the rugged Sierra Madre mountains that Ted met Manuel Luna, a local Tarahumaran, who helped him make a pair of traditional huarache sandals out of an old tire. The seed for Luna Sandals had been planted.

Fast-forward to today, and Luna Sandals now operate from Seattle in North America.

I Love Them… But Aren’t They A Little Expensive?

Yes, they are expensive. But let me tell you a thing or two.

I picked up a pair of Venado Luna Sandals three months ago. I was very sceptical: “Will people really pay £65 for a pair of flip-flops?” Initially, I was impressed by the quality, the fit, and the look. The look was definitely the biggest plus at first – but I still could not understand the price tag, despite knowing that the sandals had been hand-made in Seattle, and were equipped with the best-quality Vibram soles.

Comfort

It wasn’t until at least a month later, I found I was wearing my Luna Sandals every day. I like to work in different locations, and often cycle to-and-from, and my Luna Sandals would travel with me in my bag. They became my most indispensible item of footwear.

Versatile

True, if I’m hitting the trails I will always opt for my Vibram FiveFingers TrekSport Sandals, or if I’m on the road I’ll don a pair of Seeya – but my Luna Sandals have been great because they travel with me. If I fancy going for a run and I don’t have my Vibrams with me, I just have to reach in to my bag and pull out my Lunas. Bingo.

Barefoot-Ted-Running
Barefoot Ted showing us how its done!

No Smell. No Odours

Another big selling point for me is that they don’t smell. I am always conscious of giving my Vibrams a good air out. I learned the hard way and left my first pair of KSOs damp. That was it, I could never get the smell out. I am much more careful now though, and I always get them dried as soon as possible – but with Luna Sandals, this is never an issue.

ATS (All Terrain Strapping) Lacing

And the laces. You don’t realise how functional the ATS lacing system is until you use it. Having used Xero Shoes extensively over the last 12-months, it can sometimes be a fiddle getting the laces right. If you wear Xero Shoes – you will know exactly what I mean. Can you ever get them to stay right where you want them? With Luna Sandals, you’re safe. The laces are comfortable, and stay put!

So, in summary.

Luna Sandals are expensive, I agree – but this is what you get for your money:

  • A durable, top-quality sole made by Vibram
  • A hand-made sandal (not from China. These are from America!)
  • A unique ATS lacing system (that works very well!)
  • Fresh-smelling
  • Comfort like no other sandal
  • Versatility. The Luna’s do-it-all.
  • Suitable for Vegans
  • The novelty: You loved Born to Run. You loved Barefoot Ted. And now you have his shoes.

OK, So What Styles Are Available?

The Venado (Deer en Español)

Lightweight and minimal: 7mm sole weighing just 3.9oz. The Venado was ‘The Original Luna’ and comes with ATS lacing, MGT (Monkey Grip Technology) non-slip footbed, and 6mm of Vibram sole.

Luna Sandals 'Venado' at Feetus.co.uk
Luna Sandals ‘Venado’. Notice the minimal sole thickness.

The Venado will serve you well if:

  • You’re road running
  • You want a casual, day-to-day sandal
  • You are looking for a lightweight travel companion

The Mono (Monkey en Español)

Billed by Luna as the ‘do everything, go everywhere sandal’, and it’s easy to see why. The 12mm sole provides cushioning and stability. The grip on the bottom will keep you on your feet. The Mono also comes with ATS lacing and MGT footbed.

Luna Sandals Mono
Luna Sandals ‘Mono’. Take them outside.

The Mono is for you if:

  • You’re looking for a sandal that is tough and durable
  • You run on road and trails
  • You like to run, walk, and trek long distances
The Mono Sole: A Closer Look
The Mono Sole: A Closer Look

Free Delivery Too

That’s right. Buy your Luna Sandals from us and don’t worry about shipping costs. Delivery is diddly-squat. Free of charge.

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CategoriesBarefoot Running, Born to Run, Christopher McDougall, Launch by

Will ‘Born to Run’ bestseller get film adaptation?

Will there be a film adaptation of Christopher McDougall’s bestseller Born to Run? There has been talk of it for years, with rumours that Jake Gyllenhaal was going to play a lead role, and that his step-brother Peter Sarsgaard (An Education, Garden State) would be in the directors chair.

If you’ve never read the book, here is an overview:

“Isolated by the most savage terrain in North America, the reclusive Tarahumara Indians of Mexico’s deadly Copper Canyons are custodians of a lost art. For centuries they have practiced techniques that allow them to run hundreds of miles without rest and chase down anything from a deer to an Olympic marathoner while enjoying every mile of it. Their superhuman talent is matched by uncanny health and serenity, leaving the Tarahumara immune to the diseases and strife that plague modern existence. With the help of Caballo Blanco, a mysterious loner who lives among the tribe, the author was able not only to uncover the secrets of the Tarahumara but also to find his own inner ultra-athlete, as he trained for the challenge of a lifetime: a fifty-mile race through the heart of Tarahumara country pitting the tribe against an odd band of Americans, including a star ultramarathoner, a beautiful young surfer, and a barefoot wonder.”

Have we been waiting in vain?

A simple Google search can yield thousands of results covering the possible adaptation, some dating as far back as July 2010. After years of waiting (in vain it seemed) there has been dwindling talk of the film, but this week, several online resources released information that McDougall had taken the reins instead of Sarsgaard:

McDougall told Relaxnews that the film adaptation negotiations have recently been “on the griddle,” with him taking on the project after finding Sarsgaard’s screenplay to be misguided. Sarsgaard also was hoping to make this project his directorial debut, but McDougall, who was excited about working with the “Jake/Peter combo,” said the working relationship with Sarsgaard has become acrimonious.

I would interpret this that it may be many, many years before we see anything come of this. Perhaps this story has been reignited in the media lately to help boost interest in McDougall’s new book.

Another adventure story

McDougall adds that he is also working on a book project, “another adventure story.” While he won’t give away too many details, he said he is looking at how “natural movement played a pivotal role in resistance fighting in World War II.”