Kenyans and Ethiopians are not the only great runners of the world, there exists a tribe called 'Tarahumara' in Mexico who ace the long distance running like no body else in the world.
I picked this book up from Ted's recommendation. A Journalist of a Men's Health magazine sets off his investigation after his repeated foot injuries and back ache, he hears about the Tarahumaras. He manages to find a guy called 'Caballo' and then the story goes on from finding him to learning about the Tarahumaras, their lifestyle and ends in putting together a group of ultra distance runners to race off against the Tarahumara runners.
Why are the Tarahumaras great runners?
The can run up to 400 miles without stopping. No fancy shoes and apparels, they just run with strappy sandals on.
Their lifestyle.
They have the ability to break into a run anytime.
Their love for running is phenomenal.
When you say that you 'run', at least one person would tell you that we 'humans' are not designed for running and it's too much stress on the feet. You might also have friends who got up from bed and decided to run like crazy and then had injuries and advised by doctors not to run anymore.
This book has a very interesting finding for you!
Are humans not born to run? Actually 'No'.
Let's go back to the evolution. We all know that Neanderthals and Homo sapiens (modern humans) were parallel species. Neanderthals were much stronger, had bigger brains and were skilled at hunting than Homo sapiens, but how come they became extinct while the weaker Homo sapiens thrived?
The answer is 'running'. During the drought and climate changes, Homo sapiens had an edge over hunting because they were not bulkier as Neanderthals which helped them to run longer in hunting the animals and they also needed lesser calories.
Let's also look at the evolution of human body - A scientist found that humans developed a few extensions unlike any other walking animals in the world. They have 'Achilles tendon' in the legs and 'Nuchal ligament' beside the head that help in fast movements. These are the proof that human body is designed for running.
The book says, "If you don't think you are born to run, you are not only denying history but denying who you are. Running was the super power that made us human".
Why most of us are not good at it then? About 8 out of 10 runners get hurt every year.
1. We forgot the art of running. For example, running shoes may be the destructive force to ever hit the human foot. Human beings are designed to run without shoes. The suspension, shock absorption and cushion in the running shoes, all prevent our legs to function as it was designed to. Leonardo Da Vinci considered the human foot with its fantastic weight suspension system comprising one quarter of all bones in the human body. Corns bunions, flat feet, fallen arches are non existent in countries where people go barefoot.
2. Lifestyle: We forgot to eat like a poor person and our body is built for performance.The more you use it, the longer it runs.
There are two types of running- Sprinting and Long distance running. We might not be the best in the world in sprinting (for example, a horse will outpace an average human in a short distance running) but we are designed for endurance running.
Do you know which animal run the longest? Humans. We are the only ones that can shed heat fast by sweating to continually run for many miles. No other animal on earth could run a marathon. It’s not physically possible.
There is nothing like a good run that combines breath, muscles and mind!!
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