The Tarahumara - A Hidden Tribe of Superathletes Born to Run

Nestled in northern Mexico and the canyons of the Sierra Madre Occidental is a small tribe of indigenous people known as the Tarahumara. They call themselves Rarámuri, loosely translated as "running people," "foot-runner," "swift of foot," or "he who walks well." They are known for evading the Spanish conquerors in the sixteenth century and keeping their cave-dwelling culture alive and secluded. They are also known for their long distance running and their superior health, not displaying the common health issues of "modern" societies.

A recent National Geographic study (Nov. 2008) states: "When it comes to the top 10 health risks facing American men, the Tarahumara are practically immortal: Their incidence rate is at or near zero in just about every category, including diabetes, vascular disease, and colorectal cancer...Plus, their supernatural invulnerability isn't just limited to their bodies; the Tarahumara have mastered the secret of happiness as well, living as benignly as bodhisattvas in a world free of theft, murder, suicide, and cruelty."

So what is the Tarahumara story and what can we learn from them? How can we use their history as an example for our own primal living? For some they may not be an example of what is considered primal, but they are one of the closest we can find in today's world.

http://liveprimal.com/2009/07/tarahumara-the-running-people/

Category:

Education

Tags:

• Tarahumara
• barefoot running
• chi running
• Born to Run
• Christopher McDougall
• racing
• running
• Superathletes
• hidden tribe

[JimWMHart]

4:21 who the f**k is John McDougal?

[macroorchidism]

Lance Armstrong watched this video 9 times

[MeetJCHernandez]

@JimWMHart LoL and right after he calls them the Taramuhara instead of Tarahumara. So funny but good, informative video.

[Louistogies]

These guys could use some new balance minimus!

[magnapillow]

i'm sorry but I'm sceptical....yes i believe they have great endurance, but their longest run record is apparently 435 miles in a little over 48 hours(let's call it 48), that means they have to average 9 miles an hour continuously for 48 hours. That works out at about 6:30 a mile pace and without shoes continuously for 48 hours - NO WAY is that possible for a human.

[D1joel]

by my own experience of the last 12 years I have been 5 going back to manimal and way more fun o the run and actually its a good form of being human

[harbar3000]

Do the drug cartels use them to bring drugs across the border?

[90pokeman]

having read the book, i would have to say the the tarahumara (pronounced ta-roo-mahr-ah) arent super-human. WE are SUB-human.

@JimWMHart its Christopoher McDougall, the author of the book (Born to Run) about this

[givmigraad]

modern pro marathon runners come from kenya and ethiopa, and they use barefoot running style

[MonTopModel]

mexico isn't like this, just so you know

[gymjustin1]

@tardonamoto9 haha i sypose they make a pause to ..."waste"

[eminem0142001]

@gymjustin1 Thanks for the info mr. Captain Obvious