Long Distance Running Secrets From A Mysterious Mexican Tribe

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

You don't need expensive high-tech running shoes to enjoy running and improve your physical and mental health.

For Homo sapiens, running is valuable in itself. It is necessary due to our physiology, and at the same time it can be an excellent meditative activity. How to start leading a more active lifestyle? What is the real benefit of running? And what secrets will help you learn to run better and farther? Christopher McDougle talks about this in the book "Born to Run".

The author believes that the ability for this sport is inherent in each of us. Our ancestors managed to survive precisely because they could run for days on the savannah and hunt wild animals. In addition to natural addiction, McDougle is interested in many other questions: why do people run 100-kilometer marathons, what makes some of us train, overcome ourselves and go out for another run in the rain and snow, and most importantly, how to reduce the risk of injury.

In search of answers, the author turned to the mysterious Mexican Tarahumara tribe that lives in the Copper Canyon. For these people the fame of hardy athletes, able to run in the mountains for several days, was entrenched. The American journalist wanted to find out why members of the tribe do not receive any injuries while walking over the stones, and even without special equipment. Maybe this ancient people know what the Western world does not know?

Here are some important ideas to take from the book.

Idea # 1. Our body is well adapted for long-distance running

McDougle discusses how our ancestors managed to hunt wild animals before weapons were invented. It is obvious that man is weak and slow in comparison with animals. But what then became decisive in the struggle for survival?

Evolutionary biology professor Dennis Bramble and his student David Carrier concluded that humans survived by their ability to run. Researchers began to look for evidence that we evolved as a running creature. This was an innovative idea, since, from the point of view of traditional science, a person is perceived as a walking creature. Bramble argued that the presence of the Achilles tendon and large gluteal muscles suggests that we were born to run, since these parts of the body seem to be specially designed for running and are actively used during it.

Bramble realized that it was a mistake to consider the ability to run, focusing only on speed - according to this indicator, a person will lose significantly to other animals. Then the scientist began to investigate the other side - endurance. He drew attention to the Achilles tendons that run through our feet and legs. To simplify the process of running, then this is a kind of jumping from one leg to the other. And it is the tendons that ensure the effectiveness of these jumps - the more they stretch, the more energy the leg generates. This gave Bramble the idea that each of us has the ability to run long distances.

But even if a person is naturally born a marathon runner, there must be an explanation for this not only from a physiological point of view, but also from an anthropological one. What did this ability give and what good is endurance if any predator could catch up with our ancestor in no time?

Then the research was joined by evolutionary anthropologist Daniel Lieberman, who began to study cooling systems in mammals. It soon became clear that everyone, except the person, cooled with the help of breathing. Animals need time to stop and catch their breath. The person is cooled by perspiration. Therefore, we can continue to run, despite the fact that we begin to puff and gasp.

It was this ability that was used by primitive hunters, for whom it was common to drive an antelope. Antelope surpasses us in speed, but not in endurance. Sooner or later, the animal will stop to cool down, and at that moment the hunter will overtake it. So, with the help of running and endurance, mankind managed not only to survive, but also to conquer the animal world.

Idea number 2. There is a tribe in the northwest of Mexico whose members are able to run for several days in a row at a distance of more than 100 kilometers

Accidentally hitting Mexico for work, Christopher Magdugle came across an article about the mysterious Tarahumara tribe. It said that its representatives live in one of the most dangerous and sparsely populated places on Earth - the Copper Canyon. For centuries, legends have been passed about the extraordinary endurance and equanimity of these mountain dwellers. One researcher wrote that it took him 10 hours of mule riding to climb the mountain, while the Tarahumara climbed it in an hour and a half.

At the same time, members of the tribe led a modest lifestyle - they were engaged in agriculture and did not leave their homes.

Running was a part of their life - it was a means of entertainment, movement between mountain paths and a kind of protection from intrusive visitors.

At the same time, the Tarahumara ran along steep slopes and sheer cliffs, where an ordinary person is afraid to even stand. The members of this tribe are unusually hardy.

McDougle wondered why these Mexican savages do not get injured, while Western runners, with all the modern equipment, are crippled over and over again. But the secret of their mastery was kept secret by the tarahumara. First, they were not in contact with the outside world. And secondly, in order to get to their habitats, not only physical strength was needed, but also courage. The secluded places of the Copper Canyon are fraught with many dangers, ranging from jaguars to local drug dealers who guard their plantations. Among other things, it's easy to get lost in the canyon's repetitive trails. All this led to the fact that not many people saw the Tarahumara live.

Idea # 3. The typical Western lifestyle prevents him from developing natural human tendencies, including the ability to run

There are only a few known cases when the Tarahumara agreed to participate in the competition. One of them is the 100 km ultramarathon in Landville. The difficulty of the race was that the route passed along the paths of the Rocky Mountains in Colorado - the movement was complicated by the five thousandth elevation difference.

Particularly exciting was the 1994 race, when only one American, Ann Trayson, took second place, intervened in the championship of the Mexican tribe.

Only Joe Vigil came to watch the race from the first-class trainers. He studied long-distance running and tried to learn everything possible about the secrets and tricks of runners, especially if they were from distant tribes and settlements. In addition, he was attracted by the unpredictability of the results. Athletes had to gain and drop heights, cross fords and run over rough terrain. As practice has shown, in this race no calculations and rules were in effect - women more often reached the finish line than men, and old men overtook young guys.

Vigil wanted to see this race with his own eyes, but he was interested not so much in the running technique as in the psychological attitude of the marathon participants. Obviously they were obsessed with running. After all, the competition in Landville promised them neither fame, nor medals, nor wealth. The only prize was a belt buckle presented to the first and last competitor in the race. Therefore, Vigil understood that by solving the riddle of the marathon runners, he would be able to come closer to understanding what running means for all of humanity.

Vigil has long tried to understand what lies behind human endurance. Looking at the smiling faces of the Tarahumara after the 100-kilometer race, the coach understood what was the matter. The Tarahumara honored running as an ability and enjoyed it in spite of pain and fatigue. The coach concluded that the main thing in long-distance running is the love of life and the work you do.

The Tarahumara are respectful of running and consider it not just fun, but a part of their life.

Western people generally perceive it as a means to an end. For us, this is at best a sport, at worst - a way of gaining benefits from medals to firm buttocks. Running is no longer an art, but it wasn't always that way.

McDougle describes how the 70s marathon runners were a lot like the Tarahumara - they trained all night long, most often in groups, cheering each other up and competing in a friendly way. They wore lightweight sneakers without special lotions, vaguely reminiscent of homemade Tarahumara sandals. Those athletes did not think about injuries and practically did not receive them. Their lifestyle and primitive training were the western counterparts of tribal life. But over time, everything changed.

The author explains this change with the arrival of money in the world of sports. At one time, Vigil felt this and warned his students that the main thing is not to demand anything from running and just to run. Then results and accomplishments await you. He believed precisely in those who ran for the sake of the process itself, receiving true pleasure from it, like an artist at a moment of inspiration.

Idea # 4. The art of tarahumara can be learned

With the support of his publishing house, McDougle decides to conduct his own investigation. He had heard that the Tarahumara were secretive and did not like strangers, especially when they burst into their personal space. Then the author learned about a certain American who, many years ago, settled in the mountains of the Copper Canyon in order to comprehend the skill of running. No one knew who he was or how to find him. Only his nickname was known - Caballo Blanco.

Caballo first learned about the Tarahumara at a competition in Landville. He volunteered to help the runners on the stages of the distance, in order to observe them and get to know them better.

Caballo felt sympathy for these strong athletes, who were not much different from ordinary people - they were also guided by fears, doubts, and an inner voice whispered to leave the race.

After the Landville marathon, Blanco left for Mexico to track down the Tarahumara and learn their running technique. Like many runners, Caballo suffered from pain, and no remedies helped. Then, seeing how these tanned and strong men ran dashingly, he decided that this was what he needed. But he did not try to comprehend their secrets, he simply began to live like them.

His lifestyle became similarly primitive - he wore homemade sandals, and his diet consisted of meals of corn, legumes and chia seeds. There are few animals in the mountains, so the Tarahumara eat them only on holidays. Also, the tribe has several secret recipes that they use during mountain races - quill and ischiate. Quills are corn powder that runners carry around in their belt pouches. And ischiate is a drink made from chia seeds and lime juice, which has great nutritional value. These easy recipes keep the tarahumara on their feet for long hours of running without stopping for long periods of time to refresh themselves.

A similar vegetarian diet, according to McDougle, was followed by our running ancestors, which was very different from the predatory Neanderthals. Vegetable food was quickly assimilated without taking much time and without burdening the stomach, which is important for hunting.

Caballo built himself a shack in the mountains, where he rested after exhausting races on slippery and steep slopes. In the third year of his voluntary training, he still continued to master the winding paths that are invisible to the eyes of ordinary people. He said that he risked getting a sprain and tendon rupture at any time, but this never happened. He only became healthier and stronger. Experimenting with himself, Caballo realized that he overcomes mountain distances even faster than a horse.

The story of this exile intrigued McDougle, and he asked for a run with him, where he was once again convinced that Caballo had adopted the Tarahumara running technique. It consisted in the fact that he moved with a straight back, making small jumps. Caballo was well versed in the reliability of the surface on which he ran, and by eye could determine which stone would roll under load, and which would be a reliable support. He advised Magdugla not to strain and do everything at ease. The key to success is smoothness, and then speed. The secret of the tarahumara is that their movements are accurate and as efficient as possible. They don't waste energy on unnecessary actions.

If the Tarahumara were able to run so well without any special knowledge or equipment, why not learn from them and run a race on their territory to see who wins - the runners of the new wave of the Western world or traditional athletes. So Caballo began to implement his crazy idea - to arrange a race in the Copper Canyon. And it was McDougle who helped carry out this audacious plan. The experiment showed that the Tarahumara and their traditional running methods won.

Idea # 5. Modern sports shoes can be very harmful when running

Sneakers seem to be an integral part of running, which also raises a lot of questions. After all, the Tarahumara ran an ultramarathon in sandals made from car tires, and modern African tribes use thin shoes made of giraffe skin. McDougle tried to figure out which shoes are the most suitable for running and how to avoid becoming a victim of modern marketing.

Our foot is a vault that only performs its function under load. Therefore, reducing the load on the leg, which occurs in soft sneakers, leads to muscle atrophy.

Running shoes that are too soft will weaken the foot, leading to injury.

If you observe the natural behavior of the foot without shoes, you will see that the foot first lands on the outer edge, then slowly rolls from the little toe to the big toe. This movement provides natural cushioning. And the sneaker blocks this movement.

For running, a person does not need springy sneakers, which weaken the feet and become the culprit of injuries. McDougle mentions an interesting fact - until 1972 Nike produced sports shoes that looked like slippers with thin soles. And at that time people were getting much less injuries.

In 2001, Nike also followed a group of Stanford track and field athletes. Soon, marketers discovered that athletes prefer to run barefoot rather than in the sneakers they send them. The authoritative coach of the team, Vina Lananna, explained this by the fact that without sneakers his athletes get less injuries. People have not used shoes for thousands of years, and now shoe companies are trying to fix the foot in the shoe tightly, which is fundamentally wrong.

In 2008, Dr. Craig Richards of the University of Australia took up sneaker research. He wondered if the shoe companies offered the slightest guarantee that their products would reduce the risk of injury. It turned out not. The question then becomes what are we paying for when we buy expensive sneakers with air cushions, double cushioning and other unnecessary details. It also surprised McDougle that another study was carried out in 1989, which found that runners in expensive running shoes suffered more injuries than those who used cheaper options.

Another way to avoid injury is not only to use cheaper sneakers, but also not to throw out your old ones. Scientists have found that there is less risk of injury in worn-out sneakers. The fact is that over time, the springy sole wears out and the athlete feels the surface better. This makes him run more carefully and carefully. The psychological aspect becomes decisive - the less confidence and stability we have, the more intelligently we perform the action and the more attentive we become.

In today's world, it is difficult not to use shoes, especially in colder regions, but armed with knowledge of the athletic shoe industry can save money and reduce the risk of injury. McDougle recommends choosing lightweight, cheap running shoes that act as a kind of tarahumara sandals.

Idea # 6. Many people dislike running because our brains are misleading us

Why is running so painful for many, despite its usefulness and naturalness for the human body? Research shows that regardless of age, people can run and even compete with each other. A 19-year-old boy has the same potential as an older man. It's just a myth that we lose this ability with age. On the contrary, we get old when we stop running. Moreover, men and women have equal abilities. This is because running is a collective activity that united our primitive ancestors.

But if our body is created for movement, in particular for running, then there is also a brain that constantly thinks about the efficient use of energy. Of course, each person has their own level of endurance, but we are all united by what the brain tells us about how hardy and strong we are. He assures us of this, as he is responsible for maintaining energy and performance. This subjectivity of the mind can explain the fact that some love running, while others do not. The fact is that the consciousness of people who are sure that they do not like this sport plays a cruel joke with them and assures them that running is an extra expenditure of valuable energy.

A person always needed unspent energy that he could use in an unforeseen situation. For example, when a predator appears and you need to quickly run for cover. For the same reason, the brain tries to minimize energy expenditure. And since for a modern person, running is not a means of survival, the mind gives the command that this activity is unnecessary. You can fall in love with such activity only when you understand why it is needed. It is also necessary to develop the habit of running, but as soon as it weakened, the instinct to conserve energy takes over.

If in the past passive rest was a small part of the time, now it prevails. Mostly in our free time, we sit back, lying on the couch. And our brain justifies this behavior by saying that we are saving valuable energy, but in fact, we are doing our body a disservice.

Our bodies were created for movement and physical activity, so when we place them in an environment that is not intended for them, they react differently - physical and mental illness appears. Many people dislike running and find it excruciating. But if you delve into the evolution of running and its history, it becomes clear that this is a natural thing for us to do. Thanks to this ability, humanity has passed to a new stage of development.

The combination of gripping storytelling, investigative journalism and non-obvious practical advice make Christopher McDougle's book a must-read for athletes and anyone interested in healthy living.

By learning to enjoy the very process of running, we can significantly improve our mental and physical health, bringing harmony to life. At the same time, we do not need to splurge on expensive sneakers and other "gadgets" that are considered necessary for modern runners. Indeed, studies have shown that simple shoes, such as those used by the Tarahumara, fit our feet much better than expensive sneakers.