--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I read Christopher McDougall's book 'Born…" description: "\"I read Christopher McDougall's book 'Born to Run.' If running were a religion, this would be its bible. I actually scribbled my favorite passages on my..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9dd/jennifer-carpenter-14910_arms_i-read-christopher-mcdougall-s-book-born_3163941.png" --- # I read Christopher McDougall's book 'Born to Run.' If… ![“I read Christopher McDougall's book 'Born to Run.' If running were a religion, this would be its bible. I actually scribbled my favorite passages on my arm to read during the race.” quote by Jennifer Carpenter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9dd/jennifer-carpenter-14910_arms_i-read-christopher-mcdougall-s-book-born_3163941.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9dd/jennifer-carpenter-14910_arms_i-read-christopher-mcdougall-s-book-born_3163941.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9dd/jennifer-carpenter-14910_arms_i-read-christopher-mcdougall-s-book-born_3163941.png) > “I read Christopher McDougall's book 'Born to Run.' If running were a religion, this would be its bible. I actually scribbled my favorite passages on my arm to read during the race.” [Jennifer Carpenter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-carpenter/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Running is portrayed as a spiritual practice, offering deep purpose and devotion akin to religion, inspiring personal rituals. **In simple terms:** Running feels like a faith; Key Takeaway Treat running as a sacred habit. Themes passion spirituality dedication Mood inspirational reflective Type motivational philosophical When to use this quote - training runs - marathon preparation - mental focus - personal empowerment Key Concepts rituals identity motivation Questions to Reflect On - How does treating sport as religion affect performance? - What rituals enhance your training? A Different Perspective May overlook practical health considerations. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bible/) [Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Born to run](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/born-to-run/) [Race](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/race/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Running](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/running/) ## Related quotes > [We were born to run; we were born because we run.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-mcdougall/we-were-born-to-run-we-were-born-because-we-run/) [Christopher McDougall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-mcdougall/) > [“It used to seem to me that my life ran on too fast, and I had to take it slowly just to make the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-zevon/it-used-to-seem-to-me-that-my-life-ran-on-too-fast-and-i-had-to-take/) [Warren Zevon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-zevon/) > [“Just move your legs. Because if you don’t think you were born to run, you’re not only denying history. You’re denying who you are.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-mcdougall/just-move-your-legs-because-if-you-don-t-think-you-were-born-to-run/) [Christopher McDougall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-mcdougall/) > [Well I was born to run, to get ahead of the rest. And all that I wanted was to be the best Just to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmylou-harris/well-i-was-born-to-run-to-get-ahead-of-the-rest-and-all-that-i-wanted/) [Emmylou Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmylou-harris/) > [We gotta get out while we're young, 'cause tramps like us, baby we were born to run.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/we-gotta-get-out-while-we-re-young-cause-tramps-like-us-baby-we-were/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [“We were born to run; we were born because we run. We're all Running People, as the Tarahumara have always known”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-mcdougall/we-were-born-to-run-we-were-born-because-we-run-we-re-all-running/) [Christopher McDougall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-mcdougall/) > [Somewhere between that setting sun, I'm on fire and born to run, you looked at me and I was done, we were just getting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-church/somewhere-between-that-setting-sun-i-m-on-fire-and-born-to-run-you/) [Eric Church](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-church/) > [“You ran to eat and to avoid being eaten; you ran to find a mate and impress her, and with her you ran off…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-mcdougall/you-ran-to-eat-and-to-avoid-being-eaten-you-ran-to-find-a-mate-and/) [Christopher McDougall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-mcdougall/) > [You were born to run. Maybe not that fast, maybe not that far, maybe not as efficiently as others. But to get up and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/florence-griffith-joyner/you-were-born-to-run-maybe-not-that-fast-maybe-not-that-far-maybe-not/) [Florence Griffith Joyner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/florence-griffith-joyner/) > [If you don't think you were born to run you're not only denying history. You're denying who you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-mcdougall/if-you-don-t-think-you-were-born-to-run-you-re-not-only-denying/) [Christopher McDougall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-mcdougall/) > ["Born To Run," that expands every time we go out. It just seems to you - more of your life fills it in, fills…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/born-to-run-that-expands-every-time-we-go-out-it-just-seems-to-you/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [After 'Born to Run,' I had a reaction to my good fortune. With success, it felt like a lot of people who'd come before…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/after-born-to-run-i-had-a-reaction-to-my-good-fortune-with-success-it/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [Someday girl, I don't know when, were gonna get to the place where we really want to go, and we'll walk in the sun.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/someday-girl-i-don-t-know-when-were-gonna-get-to-the-place-where-we/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [Anytime you spend six months on a song (Born to Run), there's something not exactly going right. A song should take about three hours.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-van-zandt/anytime-you-spend-six-months-on-a-song-born-to-run-there-s-something/) [Steven Van Zandt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-van-zandt/) > [“Because if you don’t think you were born to run, you’re not only denying history. You’re denying who you are.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-mcdougall/because-if-you-don-t-think-you-were-born-to-run-you-re-not-only/) [Christopher McDougall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-mcdougall/) ## More by Jennifer Carpenter > [I never thought that I would be so attracted to television, but I don't think gigs like 'Dexter' come along too often.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-carpenter/i-never-thought-that-i-would-be-so-attracted-to-television-but-i-don/) [Jennifer Carpenter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-carpenter/) > [I wanted to play this role because I thought the story was so incredible and so fascinating that it's almost unbelievable, which is exactly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-carpenter/i-wanted-to-play-this-role-because-i-thought-the-story-was-so/) [Jennifer Carpenter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-carpenter/) > [I went out with the mayor. I'm adult, and that was my decision.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-carpenter/i-went-out-with-the-mayor-i-m-adult-and-that-was-my-decision/) [Jennifer Carpenter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-carpenter/) > [At a very young age I was predicting outcomes, trying to take all the information and find the best route to wherever I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-carpenter/at-a-very-young-age-i-was-predicting-outcomes-trying-to-take-all-the/) [Jennifer Carpenter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-carpenter/) > [Oh my god! I just heard myself say, 'I don't know of I should tweet that.' I've become THAT guy!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-carpenter/oh-my-god-i-just-heard-myself-say-i-don-t-know-of-i-should-tweet-that/) [Jennifer Carpenter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-carpenter/) > [My laundry list of wants in a partner is basically kindness. I want someone who is kind, and that's kind of where it begins…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-carpenter/my-laundry-list-of-wants-in-a-partner-is-basically-kindness-i-want/) [Jennifer Carpenter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-carpenter/) > [When I first got to L.A., I was stretching $20 a week, waiting tables, and I did that for about six months. I didn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-carpenter/when-i-first-got-to-l-a-i-was-stretching-20-a-week-waiting-tables-and/) [Jennifer Carpenter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-carpenter/) > [You know what, I'm happy to say that everything outside of 'Dexter' feels like a vacation, and I don't mean to say anything negative…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-carpenter/you-know-what-i-m-happy-to-say-that-everything-outside-of-dexter/) [Jennifer Carpenter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-carpenter/) > [In school I was always being cast as the clown. And then I did 'The Exorcism of Emily Rose,' and once people hear you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-carpenter/in-school-i-was-always-being-cast-as-the-clown-and-then-i-did-the/) [Jennifer Carpenter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-carpenter/) > [They had made a dummy and would put it in the position they needed...I would look at it and see how well I could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-carpenter/they-had-made-a-dummy-and-would-put-it-in-the-position-they-needed-i/) [Jennifer Carpenter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-carpenter/) > [I believe in possibility, but I'm not sure I believe in demons.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-carpenter/i-believe-in-possibility-but-i-m-not-sure-i-believe-in-demons/) [Jennifer Carpenter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-carpenter/) > [My DAMN Rosetta Stone got lost in the mail! Ay dios mio!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-carpenter/my-damn-rosetta-stone-got-lost-in-the-mail-ay-dios-mio/) [Jennifer Carpenter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-carpenter/) > [Sometimes when I pick up a book off the shelf, when I'm buying a new book to read, I'll look at all of them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-carpenter/sometimes-when-i-pick-up-a-book-off-the-shelf-when-i-m-buying-a-new/) [Jennifer Carpenter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-carpenter/) > [At a young age I always had an entrepreneurial spirit. So I'm trying to develop things on my own, too, and there are a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-carpenter/at-a-young-age-i-always-had-an-entrepreneurial-spirit-so-i-m-trying/) [Jennifer Carpenter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-carpenter/) > [It's not that there are 4 guys on the corner of Melrose wearing cowboy boots and high-waisted wranglers, it's that they are comparing boots.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-carpenter/it-s-not-that-there-are-4-guys-on-the-corner-of-melrose-wearing/) [Jennifer Carpenter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-carpenter/) [Explore all 45 Jennifer Carpenter quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-carpenter/) ## More Arms quotes > [I genuinely did not expect more than half our nation to choose to walk away from our long-term allies into the arms of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-reade/i-genuinely-did-not-expect-more-than-half-our-nation-to-choose-to/) Brian Reade > [I don't wear a watch because I want my arms to weigh the same. So if somebody asks me what time it is, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-hedberg/i-don-t-wear-a-watch-because-i-want-my-arms-to-weigh-the-same-so-if/) [Mitch Hedberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-hedberg/) > [Preaching to the choir actually arms the choir with arguments and elevates the choir's discourse. There's a reason the right does it and does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-savage/preaching-to-the-choir-actually-arms-the-choir-with-arguments-and/) [Dan Savage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-savage/) > [He caught her, she fell, he caught her in his arms, he held her tightly unconscious of what he was doing. He held her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/he-caught-her-she-fell-he-caught-her-in-his-arms-he-held-her-tightly/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [Are we fighting?" I asked Morelli. "No. Were discussing." "Are you sure?" "Am I yelling?" Morelli asked. "Is my face purple? Are the cords…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-evanovich/are-we-fighting-i-asked-morelli-no-were-discussing-are-you-sure-am-i/) [Janet Evanovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-evanovich/) > [A home isn't just a roof over our heads. A home is a place where we feel loved and where we love others. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/a-home-isn-t-just-a-roof-over-our-heads-a-home-is-a-place-where-we/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [Comerado, this is no book,Who touches this, touches a man,(Is it night? Are we here alone?)It is I you hold, and who holds you,I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-whitman/comerado-this-is-no-book-who-touches-this-touches-a-man-is-it-night/) [Walt Whitman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-whitman/) > [Even the stove and the refrigerator looked human, I mean good human - they seemed to have arms and voices and they said, hang…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/even-the-stove-and-the-refrigerator-looked-human-i-mean-good-human/) [Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/) > [I separated the joints, the arm joints, the leg joints, and had to do two boilings. I think I used four boxes of Soilex…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-dahmer/i-separated-the-joints-the-arm-joints-the-leg-joints-and-had-to-do/) [Jeffrey Dahmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-dahmer/) > [More courage is required to forgive than is required to take up arms.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-ramos-horta/more-courage-is-required-to-forgive-than-is-required-to-take-up-arms/) [Jose Ramos-Horta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-ramos-horta/) > [It's been a long time since I asked anything of heaven, and my arms still haven't come down.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonio-porchia/it-s-been-a-long-time-since-i-asked-anything-of-heaven-and-my-arms/) [Antonio Porchia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonio-porchia/) > [With those who are willing to join, let us cooperate to reduce the burden of arms, to strengthen the structure of peace, to lift…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-nixon/with-those-who-are-willing-to-join-let-us-cooperate-to-reduce-the/) [Richard M. Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-nixon/) > [How shall freedom be defended? By arms when it is attacked by arms, by truth when it is attacked by lies, by faith when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/archibald-macleish/how-shall-freedom-be-defended-by-arms-when-it-is-attacked-by-arms-by/) [Archibald MacLeish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/archibald-macleish/) > [You don't have to say it out loud. I already know why you like me.' 'You do, huh?' 'Yep.' He wrapped his arms around…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/you-don-t-have-to-say-it-out-loud-i-already-know-why-you-like-me-you/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [Another step had her backed up against the wall, and he braced his arms on both sides of her. "I'm beginning to look forward…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johanna-lindsey/another-step-had-her-backed-up-against-the-wall-and-he-braced-his/) [Johanna Lindsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johanna-lindsey/) Browse all 4,470 Arms quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I read Christopher McDougall's book 'Born to Run.' If running were a religion, this would be its bible. 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