Tarahumara Indians - Best Long Distance Runners In The World?

The Tarahumara Indians come from a region of Mexico with spectacular scenery, the Tarahumara people are no less astounding.  It seems they are significantly healthier than most races of people throughout the world.  They have a very low rate of disease and have made a name for themselves as the best long distance runners in the world.  Actually I find it amazing that I hadn't heard of them until recently.

The Tarahumara do very well in long distance running events, to be clear we're talking about extremely long events.  Even a marathon is too short to showcase the special abilities of the Tarahumara.   The events they excel at are ultramarathons of 80km or more which are often held over rugged mountainous terrain.  Some of them just run barefoot but their favourite foot wear is a sort of lace up sandal. 

The running feats of the Tarahumara and many African runners are causing quite a stir in the running and footwear industry.  It seems that all of the technical "advances" in running shoes over recent years may not actually help people to run well.  They may encourage people to run with poor style because the extra padding and support let's people get away with it for longer.  Some people are finding that a move to shoes that allow more freedom of movement can help prevent injuries by promoting better running technique.  Nike now produces a shoe like this called the Nike Free.  Another option in the freedom footwear range is the Vibram Five Finger.  Both of these shoes come with recommendations or warnings to build up your volume very slowly because your feet are used to having a lot of cushioning and support and it will take time to develop your muscles and technique to cope.

For futher reading there is a great Mens Health article about a man's attempt to replicate the training and techniques of the Tarahumara people.  Reading this article will surely make you keen to go for a run.