#26 - Ian Maher - Humans are Born to Run, The Tarahumara & Christopher McDougal

Ian Maher is a Marathon Runner and Media Producer & the man who sat down with me to discuss the book Born To Run by Christopher McDougall, the book is written around the Hidden Tribe called the Tarahumara that live in the Copper Canyons of Mexico, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen, In this episode, we delve into the transformative power of running, inspired by insights from Born To Run by Christopher McDougall. We start by exploring why humans are the greatest runners on the planet along with shared experiences from the Tarahumara otherwise known as the Rarámuri [those who run fast]. We discuss essential preparation tips for tackling a full marathon and the idea that humans are inherently built to run. Are modern running shoes causing more harm than good? We weigh in on this and the relentless nature of running. We take a deep dive into the culture of the Tarahumara tribe, renowned for their endurance running, and reflect on the sheer exhilaration and freedom that running brings. We talk about the stories we tell ourselves as runners and why running is considered mankind’s first fine art. We touch on the mental health benefits, examining how running can alleviate depression and change emotional states through movement. The episode also highlights legendary ultra-runner Caballo Blanco, also known as Micah True and common running injuries like plantar fasciitis. Lastly, we consider the differences between running alone versus in a group, and how each approach impacts the running experience.--------------------------------------------00:00 - Intro 00:35 - Born To Run by Christopher McDougall01:20 - How to get into Running 03:00 - Clontarf Half Marathon 04:03 - Preparation for a Full Marathon 06:50 - Humans are Built to Run11:20 - Are running shoes causing more injuries?15:01 - Running is relentless 16:50 - The Tarahumara Tribe 20:21 - Exhilaration of Running 28:40 - The Story you Tell Yourself 33:00 - Running was Mankind’s 1st fine Art34:30 - You’ve been running through my mind all day35:50 - Alleviating depression through running [Study]38:40 - Move the Body to Change your Emotion41:30 - Caballo Blanco aka Micah True 45:00 - Plantar fasciitis446:45 - Running in a Pack vs Solo------------------------------------------------Lets Connect: Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/jameshempton_/Twitter - https://x.com/JamesHemptonYoutube - https://www.youtube.com/@jameshemptonNewsletter - https://mailchi.mp/7732fab885a5/helios