The author
Christopher McDougall
Also the author of Natural Born Heroes and Running with Sherman, and co-author of Born to Run 2.
Profile →chrismcdougall.comSince 2009 · A running re-evolution is afoot
A hidden tribe. Superathletes. The greatest race the world has never seen.
The people, races and ideas behind Christopher McDougall’s Born to Run — gathered by fans, for anyone curious about the human art of running.
The Book
Published in 2009, it introduced readers around the world to the Copper Canyons — and to a different way to think about running.
An injured runner asks a simple question — why does running hurt? — and follows it to the Barrancas del Cobre of Chihuahua, Mexico, home of the Rarámuri, the “Running People.” There he meets a reclusive American known as Caballo Blanco, who is planning a race between the Rarámuri and some of the best ultrarunners in the world.
The book became a bestseller and a starting point for conversations about footwear, form, evolution and the joy of running.
Search the Book“For now, Caballo was content to just sit alone under a tree, smiling and sipping a beer, watching his dream play out before his eyes.”
The People
Where to find the characters you read about — in their own words. See all profiles and the ranked who’s who →
The White Horse
Caballo Blanco (Micah True)
1953–2012. Created the Copper Canyon race, first run in 2003, as a bridge between the Rarámuri and runners everywhere.
norawas.org
The champion
Scott Jurek
Western States 100 and Badwater champion; author of Eat and Run and North.
Profile →scottjurek.com
The coach
Eric Orton
The coach who rebuilt McDougall’s running; author of The Cool Impossible and co-author of Born to Run 2.
Profile →ericorton.com
The young guns
Jenn Shelton & Billy Barnett
The two young ultrarunners whose road trip to the Copper Canyon race is one of the book’s great threads.
Jenn →Billy →Billy Bonehead’s Frog Blog
The Mas Loco
Luis Escobar
Director of the Born to Run Ultra Marathons in Los Olivos, California, held since 2011.
Profile →allwedoisrun.com
The barefoot one
Barefoot Ted
Ted McDonald — barefoot adventurer, founder of LUNA Sandals, and the steward of this site.
Profile →barefootted.com
The Running People
The Rarámuri
The Tarahumara of the Copper Canyons, whose running culture is at the heart of the book — among them Arnulfo Quimare and Manuel Luna.
Friends of the Running PeoplePencil drawings, each after a Copper Canyon 2006 photo. Photo: Luis Escobar.
Special feature · Road Dog Podcast ep. 396 · April 6, 2026
The 20-year reunion: back together, in their own words.
Host Luis Escobar brings back the people who went to the Copper Canyons in 2006: Christopher McDougall, Eric Orton, Barefoot Ted, Billy Barnett and Jenn Shelton. They talk about how the trip came together, how the cover photo was chosen, Caballo Blanco, a near fist fight at Badwater, and where life has taken them since.
Listen · ep. 396
- Luis EscobarHost
- Christopher McDougallAuthor
- Eric OrtonCoach
- Barefoot TedRunner · LUNA
- Billy BarnettRunner
- Jenn SheltonRunner
“One of the real pleasures for me is I feel that Born to Run has stood up over time.”
Christopher McDougall ·
“… meeting Barefoot Ted on that trip was the thing that affected my life the most. I was like, this man knows how to travel.”
Jenn Shelton ·
“I wouldn’t say life changing, it was life accelerating and life amplifying in a very, very rapid way.”
Eric Orton ·
“Micah really did tell me that the best, … the greatest gift that we have to share with others is a gift of opportunity. Give somebody a chance, … create opportunities for the people around you.”
Luis Escobar ·
The Canyons
The race in the book is real — and you can run it.
Urique, Chihuahua, Mexico
Ultra Maratón Caballo Blanco
Known around the world as the Copper Canyon Ultramarathon, the race returned to its canyon name in honor of Micah True. Rarámuri runners receive vouchers for corn and food staples — an act of korima, sharing without expecting anything in return.
The 23rd edition ran February 27 – March 1, 2026. Check the official site for the next one.
2003first run
23editions to 2026
14K–100 midistances
Los Olivos, California
Born to Run Ultra Marathons
Luis Escobar’s ranch gathering, held since 2011 — 10 to 100 miles plus multi-day runs, music and camping. The next edition is listed for May 2027.
allwedoisrun.com →Friends of the Running People
Norawas de Rarámuri
The volunteer nonprofit started by Micah True and the Mas Locos to support Rarámuri communities.
norawas.org →Race registration
True Messages
The US nonprofit that coordinates international registration and support for Ultra Caballo Blanco.
truemessages.org →The Shelf
What to read and watch next, from many viewpoints.
Book · 2022
Born to Run 2: The Ultimate Training Guide
McDougall and Orton’s practical follow-up, built around a 90-day Run Free program.
borntorun.worldDocumentary · 2015
Run Free: The True Story of Caballo Blanco
Sterling Noren’s film about Micah True, the Rarámuri and the race he created.
runfreemovie.com · Trailer & stream on VimeoScience · 2004
Endurance running and the evolution of Homo
Bramble and Lieberman’s paper in Nature on how endurance running may have shaped the human body.
Read the abstractBook · 2013
The Cool Impossible
Eric Orton’s guide to running form, foot strength and endurance.
ericorton.comBook · 1974
The Zen of Running
Fred Rohé’s short, illustrated Random House/Bookworks book on running as a joyful, meditative practice.
Borrow at the Internet Archive