Natural Born Heroes

Mehr zum Buch

The best-selling author of Born to Run embarks on a journey to the Mediterranean, uncovering the enduring secrets of ancient Greek heroes on Crete, ready to inspire casual athletes and aspiring heroes alike. After an ultramarathon in Mexico, Christopher McDougall's next adventure leads him to the sharp mountains of Crete, where WWII Resistance fighters executed a daring plan to abduct a German general amid Nazi occupation. How did a penniless artist, a young shepherd, and a playboy poet manage such a feat, evading thousands of pursuers with only their wits and courage? McDougall travels to the island to retrace their steps, facing the extreme physical challenges these heroes encountered. In Crete, the birthplace of classical Greek heroism, he discovers essential skills of the hero—natural movement, extraordinary endurance, and efficient nutrition—still practiced in remote corners of the world today. This exploration is more than a tale of remarkable individuals; it delves into the lost art of heroism, spanning from London’s streets to Brazil’s beaches, and Colorado’s mountains to McDougall’s backyard in Pennsylvania. Just as Born to Run encouraged readers to embrace the natural world, this narrative motivates them to leave the gym and engage in nature, climbing, swimming, and jumping toward their own heroic achievements.