This being the first of these posts I wanted to briefly describe what I hope to accomplish. The purpose of these posts is to present what I am currently reading and why. I want to give my initial impressions after I have read the first few chapters and then will follow up after completing the book with my overall thoughts.

Initial thoughts and why I’m reading it: Recently, I read Christopher McDougall’s bestselling book Born to Run. I had never previously read a book that was purely about exercise and did not expect to enjoy it but because of its great reviews gave it a try. The story was not so much about the act of running but more centered around great stories of runners and athletes in general. Learning about the Tarahumara and the unique place they hold in the birth of ultra running is an extremely fascinating story that most people are probably not familiar with. I would highly recommend that book to both history buffs and athletes alike.

My initial impression of Natural Born Heroes is that it is similar to Born to Run. The story centers around the kidnapping of a German General during World War II on the Greek Island of Crete. The mystery surrounding this kidnapping includes tales of extraordinary endurance but like his previous work, the technical aspects of running serve to add an extra layer to an already intriguing story. To be continued.