Running with Sherman
Summary:
A heartwarming story about training a rescue donkey to run one of the most challenging races in America.
When Chris McDougall agreed to take in a donkey from an animal hoarder, he thought it would be no harder than the rest of the adjustments he and his family had made after moving from Philadelphia to the heart of Pennsylvania Amish country. But when he arrived, Sherman was in such bad shape he could barely move, and his hair was coming out in clumps. Chris decided to undertake a radical rehabilitation program designed not only to heal Sherman's body but to heal his mind as well. It turns out the best way to soothe a donkey is to give it a job, and so Chris decided to teach Sherman how to run. He'd heard about burro racing--a unique type of race where humans and donkeys run together in a call-back to mining days--and decided he and Sherman would enter the World Championship in Colorado.
Easier said than done. In the course of Sherman's training, Chris would have to recruit several other runners, both human and equine, and call upon the wisdom of burro racers, goat farmers, Amish running club members, and a group of irrepressible female long-haul truckers. Along the way, he shows us the life-changing power of animals, nature, and community. (Summary and cover courtesy of goodreads.com)
Review:
When I heard the Outside Podcast on Christopher McDougall’s latest project of running with a donkey, I had to give it a read. I’d actually recommend not listening to the podcast to keep the book as much of a surprise as possible, but I’m posting it for reference nonetheless. I stayed up late and woke up early to continue this book in between time between Christmas and New Year’s. Despite fighting with a ligament issue that kept me from running, I found the book therapeutic to read about running while I was out of my shoes for the foreseeable future.
This isn’t just a story about a crazy idea, it’s a fantastic story interwoven with history, the science of animal interactions and challenges that workout addicts may face. Having lived in Colorado and done a few races in Leadville, I loved “revisiting” one of my favorite places in the world though the eyes of McDougall. The book is one that runners will absolutely adore, and I think that non-runners will still appreciate. Maybe it’ll even help me negotiate to get a dog in the near future!
Warning: You are likely to compulsively read this book in just a few sittings.
Rating: 5 stars!
Who should read it? Everyone who remotely the premise sounds intriguing.