Run Like a Tarahumara?

"In order to catch such wild animals as deer, wild turkeys, and rabbits, the Tarahumara simply chase after the animal until the animal drops from exhaustion... ranchers have been known to hire the Indians to chase down wild horses."

With the cold, wintry weather here (a common theme on this blog of late, I know), I am becoming aware of just how much comfort I am finding in eating... especially those things which I would normally eat, though in increasingly larger quantities. Each Winter I tend to "pack on" a few more pounds as my training diminishes, though it doesn't feel like my "down time" is increasing.

While the concept of diet/nutrition is never far from my mind, the fervor with which I address the inadequacies of both is usually more intense prior to a marathon as I am doing my best at that moment to prepare myself for the trauma of running 26.2 miles. While there is no marathon anywhere near the horizon (and if anything it is moving even farther away in the rear view mirror), I have been giving the thought of improving my nutrition or even detoxifying my body, perhaps via a targeted fast or some other adjustment in diet.

While researching online about dietary strategies, I found my ongoing curiosity about primitive cultures also satiating when I took the proverbial "right turn at Albuquerque" and came across the article What Can the Tarahumara Indians Tell Us About the Importance of Running Long Distances? on ModernForager.com. (FYI--The Tarahumaras' word for themselves, Raramuri, means "runners on foot" in their native tongue!)

Among the positive points of personal interest: the Tarahumara have a diet of predominantly corn, beans, and squash, and (as inferred in the quote at the top of the post), they are keen on running animals to death. (A picture of the Tamahura "running gear," aka a huarache sandal, is pictured to the right.) Perhaps most salient to the topic of nutrition is the fact that their diet, "while very high carb (to the tune of 80% carbs, 10% protein, and 10% fat) is made of real foods. They aren’t gnoshing on low-fat pseudo-foods and processed garbage."

Of course, the severe downside is that the Tarahumara have a life expectancy of only about 44 years old. Of course, this is likely due more to their lack of access to modern medicine than there running lifestyle... one that based on this quickie research (other than reminding myself of the health benefits of reducing or eliminating processed foods and sticking to real-er ones) I will not be adopting anytime soon!

Thus I will continue to while my Winter (and let's be honest--Summer, too) months as "runner on foot with slight winter paunch" which has no cool, esoteric translation my barely native tongue...