Born to Run 2: The Ultimate Training Guide

In Born to Run 2, Christopher McDougall describes the Born to Run Ultramarathon Extravaganza that Luis Escobar has set up, in the spirit of Caballo Blanco’s Copper Canyon Ultramarathon and the Raràmuri’s ball race. It’s a mix of partying, dancing, storytelling and running. The Extravaganza is all about creating a community united in the joy of running. And BTR2 achieves just that. It’s a celebration of running with all the extravaganza that Caballo Blanco would have loved. It’s got the partying (I started with that chapter when I first opened the book, and what a delight to learn that there were clubs out there whose practice sessions are all about running to a local pub). It’s got the storytelling: it’s got lots of anecdotes about Born To Run 2’s amazing athletes, and oh, joy, the first thing that’s said about them is that they too do things wrong!! So often while reading I felt as if all Chris’s anecdotes could have been told around a campfire, with listeners just enjoying his gift of the gab! It’s also got the dancing: “quick feet with partner”, and “deep squats solo or with partner”. That’s dancing, isn’t it?! It’s also got so many pictures that you can start at any page and get completely absorbed, as you would with good music at a party. The book also smells lovely (must be the ink for all the pictures!) BTR2 is spot on balance, right in the middle between Born to Run and the Cool Impossible. It’s a sequel to BTR, peppered with lots of anecdotes about what’s happened to the original BTR Copper Canyon cast in the 12-odd years since the book came out. And I, for one, was very happy to hear what had become of them. And it’s a prequel to the Cool Impossible for, in particular, garden-variety runners like me, who have no Cool Impossible ambition (yet?) and who still need basic guidance about shoes, food, how to solve aches and pains, music or no music, and really easy simple exercises to build up good running form. In particular, I must admit that although in the Cool Impossible, Coach Eric repeats that athleticism is awareness, I’d always felt guilty that I was not a real athlete because I find running on my own just simply boring. What a relief to read that it’s running as part of a group that has allowed us to evolve as a species and that we are made to run as part of a group! What I also loved in the book is that it’s not just 2 pros giving their advice on how to run better. They have made plenty room for other athletes. See Angel and Tavasolian’s Movement Snacks. See all the recipes that so many athletes have provided. See all the pictures provided by the runners themselves. BTR2 is in itself a community, but it’s an open-arms community. It does so much more than give you advice about how to be a better runner. It makes you feel you are part of a community, and with this, Coach Eric is so much closer to his own Cool Impossible of having 1 runner in every household around the world. So it’s a warm-hearted book, and for that reason it’s the perfect gift for Xmas, that time of year when we all yearn for that sense of belonging. It’s a run-to book, and now that I’ve written this, I’ve no excuse: it’s high time I got going again!

I wanted to get into barefoot running having read Born to Run, and was delighted when I discovered a training manual was being released. This is a great book - but it is written for those who ultimately intend to run 5 or 6 days out of the week. I weight train 3 days a week and wanted something to mix in with that so that I could enjoy running again and spend more time in nature rather than always indoors. This book doesn’t allow for a part-time or mix-in schedule unfortunately, but I think I can modify it to suit me. It is written with the already-dedicated-to-running type in mind, and less suited to beginners, in my opinion. Beautiful pictures btw!

Both inspirational and educational. Gives a solid programme to build up strength and skills to avoid most, if not all, sources of injury when starting to take up running.

Having been a dedicated runner for 30 years I picked up the Born to run books. Really quite glad I did as they have helped me immensely. After reading these I’ve incorporated quite a number of the ideas/theories into my running routine with good effect. These books are easy to read and entertaining, really enjoyed them and use them as references should I need.

Born to Run is a brilliant book. I would put it up there with the likes of Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance - a sort of quest, binding together a mixture of facts, references, theories and lots of interesting people. Well written, it certainly motivated me to improve my running. This book is a completely different beast, I thought it might add detail on running techniques, but really it is simply a collection of diets, recipes, exercises, and random tips, very loosely bound together by references to the original story line. I may be wrong but It doesn’t feel like the original author was really much involved with this other than appearing in some of the photos. The section on injuries seemed the most useful section but really this isn’t much different from the all the other diet/exercise guides you see in book shops.

Great follow up to born to run but more of a practical guide with interesting pictures and a training programme.

Every runner (beginner or expert) needs this book! Trust me.

Bought as a present

This book sold me on running. And when I did my first run after the 5 minute fix I am now hooked for life

Practical book with a lot of exercises and a plan to help you get from where you are, to running with better form. I'm currently dealing with knee issues and using the exercises the book prescribes in hopes that they will help. Not just in healing the knee, but also in preventing the injury from coming back. I am very much a fan of the barefoot movement, having walked and exercised in barefoot shoes consistently for a year now (and on and off before that). I'm sure that helped prevent my ankles from hurting after a week of serious hiking, but apparently the knees need more than just general fitness and barefoot shoes. That makes sense, actually - it's just disappointing. Anyhow, this book is by the author of 'born to run', which made the barefoot movement more mainstream. I think the exercise part of this book makes sense. The training protocol is way too much for me personally, but I think I'll still get enough out of it to improve my hiking game. On the other hand, the diet advice doesn't make sense to me. That said, some of the recipes for trail food look very good and I'm sure I'll use them (or use them as inspiration).

It’s the “Bible” for runners! I loved it! Not only the perfect storytelling as McDougall usually is, but a step by step guide to pain free and lifelong running. Really recommend.

Whether you're lacing up your first pair of running shoes or you're a seasoned marathoner, "Born to Run 2" is a game-changer. For new runners, it demystifies the process and offers a clear, encouraging path to getting started right and avoiding common injuries. For those of us who have been running for years, it offers a brilliant opportunity to unlearn bad habits and fine-tune our natural mechanics for better performance and longevity in the sport. The real gem is the integrated "90-Day Born to Run 2" training plan on Training Peaks. It's more than just a schedule; it's a daily guide that syncs effortlessly with my smartwatch, keeping me accountable and allowing me to log my training with ease. Seeing my progress laid out so clearly has been a huge motivator. This book doesn't just tell you how to run; it empowers you to run better. Highly recommended!

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