Oscar-winning actor Matthew McConaughey will finally get to put his triathlon-racing experience to good use.
According to Deadline.com, McConaughey will star in the film adaptation of the 2009 book Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen by Christopher McDougall. The book spent 178 weeks on The New York Times Best Sellers list.
The story follows McDougall, plagued with foot pain, on a journey to Mexico to find the Tarahumara Indians, a tribe known for running long distances as part of daily life. With the help of Caballo Blanco, an outsider who lives and runs with the Tarahumara, McDougall discovers the tribe’s secrets. Born to Run is also credited with spurring the barefoot running movement.
McConaughey has been known to slim down – he dropped 9.5 kilos for his role in Dallas Buyers Club – or bulk up his physique to play his characters.
To play this role, he’ll have to get back into running form, which shouldn’t be too hard for the actor, because he reportedly likes to lace up to stay fit, writes Men’s Health magazine. In 2008, he finished the Nautica Malibu Triathlon in 1:43:48 where he finished the 6.5 kilometre run portion in 27:25.
