What if a hidden tribe in Mexico holds the secret to health, happiness, and long-distance running?
A tribe of super-athletes lives hidden in caves along the cliffs of northern Mexico. Men, women, and even young children often run the cliff ledges for sport. Sometimes they run for days, covering hundreds of miles without more than a snack break.
They are called the Tarahumara which means “The Running People”, but they prefer the name Rarámuri which means light footed. When the Rarámuri learn to walk, they also learn to run. Fifty-year-olds often outrun teenagers.
Throughout history, this tribe literally ran from invaders. They hid in nearly inaccessible caves where they successfully avoided conquest.
Not only have they survived, the Rarámuri have thrived. Without technology or modern medicine, they report living longer and happier lives than the average Joe. The tribe of around 130,000 is cancer-free, heart disease-free, and their communities experience little to no crime.
In fact, a Rarámuri runner who won Colorado’s 100-mile ultramarathon was 55 years old. He beat several of the United States’ best runners wearing only sandals he made himself.
So what’s their secret? How are they so healthy, happy, and running so far regardless of age?
There are many clues. For starters, the Rarámuri see work as important, but ‘matters of the soul,’ or spiritual practices, come first. Instead of a monetary system, they barter or use a kind of universal sharing called kórima. With values like these, it makes sense that their communities are healthy.
But how are they able to run longer than the best professional athletes on earth and without injury?
According to physiology expert Ken Mierke, because the Rarámuri run wearing only thin sandals, the muscles and tendons in their feet are long and strong. Modern athletic shoes often cause muscle tissue to atrophy and tendons to shorten due to too much support.
Their stride is also out of the ordinary. The Rarámuri land first on the ball of the foot rather than the heel. One observer remarked that they look like they are riding invisible unicycles. They do not lean forward, instead running with their hips and shoulders and head in vertical alignment. This helps them to avoid injury and conserve energy.
But some suggest the secret goes deeper. One anthropologist remarked that the Rarámuri accomplish extraordinary things because they believe they can. Their special techniques are top notch, but confidence and optimism are also key.
References:
https://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-17600061
https://www.menshealth.com/fitness/a19535900/the-men-who-live-forever/
A tribe in Mexico holds the secret to health, happiness, and long-distance running. They are super-athletes who live hidden in caves in northern Mexico. Men, women, and even young children often run for sport. They can run for days, covering hundreds of miles without more than a snack break.
They are called the Tarahumara. This means “The Running People”, but they use the name Rarámuri which means light footed. When the Rarámuri learn to walk, they also learn to run. Fifty-year-olds often outrun teenagers.
Throughout history, this tribe ran from enemies and hid in caves.
Not only have they survived, the Rarámuri have thrived. Without technology or modern medicine, they are healthy. They live longer and happier lives than the average Joe. They are cancer-free, heart disease-free, and they experience little to no crime.
In fact, a Rarámuri runner who won Colorado’s 100-mile ultramarathon was 55 years old. He beat several of the United States’ best runners wearing only sandals he made himself.
So what’s their secret? How are they so healthy, happy, and running so far even into middle age?
There are many clues. For starters, the Rarámuri see work as important, but spiritual practices, come first. Instead of using money, they barter or share. It makes sense that they are healthy.
But how are they able to run longer than the best professional athletes on earth and without injury?
One expert says it’s their shoes. Because they wear only thin sandals, the muscles and tendons in their feet are long and strong. Modern athletic shoes often cause problems because of too much support.
Their stride is also out of the ordinary. The Rarámuri land first on the ball of the foot rather than the heel. They look like they are riding invisible unicycles. They do not lean forward. Instead, they run with their hips and shoulders and head in vertical alignment. This helps them to avoid injury and save energy.
But some think the secret goes deeper. One person said that they can do extraordinary things because they believe they can. Their special techniques are top notch, but confidence and optimism are also key.
References:
https://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-17600061
https://www.menshealth.com/fitness/a19535900/the-men-who-live-forever/
Thank you for supporting us!