Comments on: What Can The Tarahumara Indians Tell Us About The Importance Of Running Long Distances? http://www.realfooduniversity.com/what-can-the-tarahumara-indians-tell-us-about-the-importance-of-running-long-distances/ Master Your Kitchen. Eat Real Food. Fri, 03 Feb 2012 11:00:58 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Annika http://www.realfooduniversity.com/what-can-the-tarahumara-indians-tell-us-about-the-importance-of-running-long-distances/comment-page-1/#comment-1275 Annika Thu, 11 Feb 2010 11:10:43 +0000 http://www.fitnessspotlight.com/?p=981#comment-1275 I have had this book: http://www.amazon.com/Born-Run-Hidden-Superathletes-Greatest/dp/0307266303/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1265886503&sr=1-1 as an audio book on my mp3 player during a couple of long runs. It's about the tarahumara as well, and in that book their excessive alcohol consumption is not ignored. The book is the best inspiration ever on long runs, I would really recommend it. I have had this book: http://www.amazon.com/Born-Run-Hidden-Superathletes-Greatest/dp/0307266303/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1265886503&sr=1-1 as an audio book on my mp3 player during a couple of long runs. It’s about the tarahumara as well, and in that book their excessive alcohol consumption is not ignored. The book is the best inspiration ever on long runs, I would really recommend it.

]]> By: Jeanmarie http://www.realfooduniversity.com/what-can-the-tarahumara-indians-tell-us-about-the-importance-of-running-long-distances/comment-page-1/#comment-1274 Jeanmarie Mon, 31 Aug 2009 19:06:30 +0000 http://www.fitnessspotlight.com/?p=981#comment-1274 Way back when I was temporarily under the influence of Nathan Pritikin, I remember him citing the Tarahumara Indians as good examples of health because they ate 80/10/10 diets... and predictably, that wasn't exactly the whole story. Thanks for putting the tales of the Tarahumara in context. Way back when I was temporarily under the influence of Nathan Pritikin, I remember him citing the Tarahumara Indians as good examples of health because they ate 80/10/10 diets… and predictably, that wasn’t exactly the whole story. Thanks for putting the tales of the Tarahumara in context.

]]> By: Caballo BLanco http://www.realfooduniversity.com/what-can-the-tarahumara-indians-tell-us-about-the-importance-of-running-long-distances/comment-page-1/#comment-1273 Caballo BLanco Wed, 22 Apr 2009 14:58:40 +0000 http://www.fitnessspotlight.com/?p=981#comment-1273 Hola...Pretty good article and picture of Arnulfo--Wonder where ya got it--:] Sorry to disappoint ya'all, but, the truth is the tarahumara hardly run; that is, they do NOT train and only run when there is a tribal ball race and something to be gained, or when they are in a hurry to get somewhere. They walk quite a bit over rugged terrain, and that is changing with all of the road building going on for various reasons--probably the biggest intrusion into the lifestyle and culture of the Raramuri people. I encourage you to come see for yourself, and consider running with us.....Paz, Caballo Blanco Hola…Pretty good article and picture of Arnulfo–Wonder where ya got it–:]
Sorry to disappoint ya’all, but, the truth is the tarahumara hardly run; that is, they do NOT train and only run when there is a tribal ball race and something to be gained, or when they are in a hurry to get somewhere. They walk quite a bit over rugged terrain, and that is changing with all of the road building going on for various reasons–probably the biggest intrusion into the lifestyle and culture of the Raramuri people. I encourage you to come see for yourself, and consider running with us…..Paz,

Caballo Blanco

]]> By: Distance Running - The Tarahumara Indians http://www.realfooduniversity.com/what-can-the-tarahumara-indians-tell-us-about-the-importance-of-running-long-distances/comment-page-1/#comment-1272 Distance Running - The Tarahumara Indians Fri, 04 Jul 2008 21:31:05 +0000 http://www.fitnessspotlight.com/?p=981#comment-1272 [...] Running - The Tarahumara Indians Just saw a cool article about the Tarahumara Indians. Apparently they are extremely good at running ultramarathons ... these events are usually over [...] [...] Running – The Tarahumara Indians Just saw a cool article about the Tarahumara Indians. Apparently they are extremely good at running ultramarathons … these events are usually over [...]

]]> By: Stephan http://www.realfooduniversity.com/what-can-the-tarahumara-indians-tell-us-about-the-importance-of-running-long-distances/comment-page-1/#comment-1271 Stephan Mon, 30 Jun 2008 20:13:35 +0000 http://www.fitnessspotlight.com/?p=981#comment-1271 Scott, My current thinking is this: paleo carbs are fine, as long as you have a buff pancreas and insulin-sensitive tissues. The problem is, there's something about the American diet that kills our ability to handle glucose! That's why low-carb diets are so effective and why I still think they work for weight loss and general health. I don't know whether a person can fully recover his or her ability to handle carbs; it probably depends on the extent of damage they're starting with. I suspect grains and/or a deficiency of fat-soluble vitamins are the main factors that make us intolerant of carbohydrate. The two may actually be linked, as I'll be posting about soon. I'm still working on trying to understand it. Scott,

My current thinking is this: paleo carbs are fine, as long as you have a buff pancreas and insulin-sensitive tissues. The problem is, there’s something about the American diet that kills our ability to handle glucose! That’s why low-carb diets are so effective and why I still think they work for weight loss and general health. I don’t know whether a person can fully recover his or her ability to handle carbs; it probably depends on the extent of damage they’re starting with.

I suspect grains and/or a deficiency of fat-soluble vitamins are the main factors that make us intolerant of carbohydrate. The two may actually be linked, as I’ll be posting about soon. I’m still working on trying to understand it.

]]> By: Scott Kustes http://www.realfooduniversity.com/what-can-the-tarahumara-indians-tell-us-about-the-importance-of-running-long-distances/comment-page-1/#comment-1270 Scott Kustes Fri, 27 Jun 2008 15:31:22 +0000 http://www.fitnessspotlight.com/?p=981#comment-1270 Sasquatch, I concur. From what I've read on your site Hyperlipid, high carb diets tend to be doable so long as gluten is avoided. That's probably an overly general statement, but gluten seems to be quite the bastard. The corn they eat is treated with limestone (nixtamalization) in the traditional manner to liberate more of the nutrients...that's certainly something too. Steve C, definitely. My endurance is all built from CrossFit-style workouts or my anaerobic track workouts. But I also lack the endurance to go out and run a marathon. Depending on the level of endurance one seeks, I think you definitely have to lean more towards true road work to achieve the longer distances. That becomes specialization of course. Walter, the Men's Health article posted above actually makes mention several times of their love of the drink. In the first couple paragraphs there's a mention that they drink like a rap star's roadies. But yeah, the studies aren't showing us the whole picture. Cheers Scott Sasquatch, I concur. From what I’ve read on your site Hyperlipid, high carb diets tend to be doable so long as gluten is avoided. That’s probably an overly general statement, but gluten seems to be quite the bastard. The corn they eat is treated with limestone (nixtamalization) in the traditional manner to liberate more of the nutrients…that’s certainly something too.

Steve C, definitely. My endurance is all built from CrossFit-style workouts or my anaerobic track workouts. But I also lack the endurance to go out and run a marathon. Depending on the level of endurance one seeks, I think you definitely have to lean more towards true road work to achieve the longer distances. That becomes specialization of course.

Walter, the Men’s Health article posted above actually makes mention several times of their love of the drink. In the first couple paragraphs there’s a mention that they drink like a rap star’s roadies. But yeah, the studies aren’t showing us the whole picture.

Cheers
Scott

]]> By: Walter Pittman http://www.realfooduniversity.com/what-can-the-tarahumara-indians-tell-us-about-the-importance-of-running-long-distances/comment-page-1/#comment-1269 Walter Pittman Fri, 27 Jun 2008 06:10:35 +0000 http://www.fitnessspotlight.com/?p=981#comment-1269 What you won't read about the Tarahumara in the scientific journals is that they are all heavy binge drinkers of corn beer. In fact, the scientific journals are lying, because a significant percentage of their diet must be alcohol, rather than merely carbs, protein and fat. The scientists writing their articles must have known this, if they had visited the Tarahumara--every else visiting them comments on their prodigious drinking. This is probably a result of PC BS. Their drinking may be a cause of their unusually high triglyceride levels. Whether it helps or hinders their long distance running abilities is an interesting question. In any case, it seems likely that modern society has now disturbed their traditional food supply, since I saw on a recent television show that several of the Tarahumara are now fat. The young men still run, but I doubt that the fat middle-aged ones now do much running. What you won’t read about the Tarahumara in the scientific journals is that they are all heavy binge drinkers of corn beer. In fact, the scientific journals are lying, because a significant percentage of their diet must be alcohol, rather than merely carbs, protein and fat. The scientists writing their articles must have known this, if they had visited the Tarahumara–every else visiting them comments on their prodigious drinking. This is probably a result of PC BS. Their drinking may be a cause of their unusually high triglyceride levels. Whether it helps or hinders their long distance running abilities is an interesting question. In any case, it seems likely that modern society has now disturbed their traditional food supply, since I saw on a recent television show that several of the Tarahumara are now fat. The young men still run, but I doubt that the fat middle-aged ones now do much running.

]]> By: Steve C http://www.realfooduniversity.com/what-can-the-tarahumara-indians-tell-us-about-the-importance-of-running-long-distances/comment-page-1/#comment-1268 Steve C Fri, 27 Jun 2008 02:09:35 +0000 http://www.fitnessspotlight.com/?p=981#comment-1268 <blockquote>Notice the first one: “cardiorespiratory endurance”. That to me says that there is a place in a training program for distance training.</blockquote> Good post. It's also worth pointing out that distance work isn't the only (or necessarily even the primary) driver of cardiorespiratory endurance. <a href="http://crossfitendurance.com/" rel="nofollow">CrossFit Endurance</a> has had some impressive success training people to run/bike/swim/row endurance events with very little distance work.

Notice the first one: “cardiorespiratory endurance”. That to me says that there is a place in a training program for distance training.

Good post. It’s also worth pointing out that distance work isn’t the only (or necessarily even the primary) driver of cardiorespiratory endurance. CrossFit Endurance has had some impressive success training people to run/bike/swim/row endurance events with very little distance work.

]]> By: Sasquatch http://www.realfooduniversity.com/what-can-the-tarahumara-indians-tell-us-about-the-importance-of-running-long-distances/comment-page-1/#comment-1267 Sasquatch Fri, 27 Jun 2008 01:19:44 +0000 http://www.fitnessspotlight.com/?p=981#comment-1267 Chris R, Those studies really irritate me when they place more emphasis on macronutrients than on specific foods. The most important figure they could have given us is a list of foods eaten, ranked by calories, and a description of how their foods are prepared. Cooked? Raw? Fermented? Soaked? That's critical information. A macronutrient table is fine, as a bonus, but it's nothing more than icing on the cake. There are hunter-gatherer and non-industrial groups throughout the world (past and present) that were extremely healthy eating high-fat diets, low-fat diets, high-protein diets and everything in between! The focus on macronutrients is misleading, because it implies that they are the factors that influence health, when the data really don't support that. I'm probably preaching to the choir here; thanks for letting me rant. Chris R,

Those studies really irritate me when they place more emphasis on macronutrients than on specific foods. The most important figure they could have given us is a list of foods eaten, ranked by calories, and a description of how their foods are prepared. Cooked? Raw? Fermented? Soaked? That’s critical information.

A macronutrient table is fine, as a bonus, but it’s nothing more than icing on the cake. There are hunter-gatherer and non-industrial groups throughout the world (past and present) that were extremely healthy eating high-fat diets, low-fat diets, high-protein diets and everything in between! The focus on macronutrients is misleading, because it implies that they are the factors that influence health, when the data really don’t support that.

I’m probably preaching to the choir here; thanks for letting me rant.

]]> By: Scott Kustes http://www.realfooduniversity.com/what-can-the-tarahumara-indians-tell-us-about-the-importance-of-running-long-distances/comment-page-1/#comment-1266 Scott Kustes Thu, 26 Jun 2008 17:45:47 +0000 http://www.fitnessspotlight.com/?p=981#comment-1266 Great stuff Chris R! Thanks for those articles. I'm going to review them a bit more in-depth and do a follow-up from them. Heather, you're right about balance. When running marathons, there's obviously some specific endurance training needed, but probably less than most people devote to it. I have a friend that runs half marathons at a 6:30/mile pace while doing little of endurance training anymore. Most of his workouts are CrossFit workouts...strength and metcon basically. Granted, he built up a strong aerobic base over the years and is now just maintaining it. Cheers Scott Great stuff Chris R! Thanks for those articles. I’m going to review them a bit more in-depth and do a follow-up from them.

Heather, you’re right about balance. When running marathons, there’s obviously some specific endurance training needed, but probably less than most people devote to it. I have a friend that runs half marathons at a 6:30/mile pace while doing little of endurance training anymore. Most of his workouts are CrossFit workouts…strength and metcon basically. Granted, he built up a strong aerobic base over the years and is now just maintaining it.

Cheers
Scott

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