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Would you believe me if I told you that are some real Forrest Gumps out there who manage to run more than 26 miles a day? And do you know what? They have no running shoes, no Ipod, no brand mark high quality equipment. They wear just a breech cloth to cover their extremities (men) or a dress (women). They run either barefoot or wearing sandals called huaraches made out of old tyre tread and leather straps. These people are the Tarahumara or 'the running Indians'.

But what makes them able to run distances like those covered by only the most advanced ultra-marathon runners today? This relates to the age-old question scientists all over the world have argued about since the evolution of sports science. Is it environment (training) or genetics? How does nutrition affect performance?

Tarahumara are normally small and lean. Running so far daily they have a huge amount of red muscle fibres. These muscles deliver performance for a very long time. They have a very low body fat ratio which is the result of their adaptation to daily cardio-training.

If you work out four times a week on a treadmill here a few physiological adaptations you can expect:

• A lowering of your heart rate
  
  

• A lowering of the risk of cardiac diseases (high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol, etc.)
  
  

• An increase of your breath per minute ratio
  
  

• Higher blood quantity and higher haemoglobin count
  
  

• Improved endurance
  
  

• Improved regeneration skills
  
  

• Strengthening of your immune system
  
  

• Production of anti oxidants
  
  

Now can you imagine if you work out seven days a week for several hours the adaptations your body will make?

So what makes the Tarahumaras able to perform to that level on a daily basis? They are traditionally farmers and eat lots of corn, beans, squash and chilli. They collect all kind of vegetables and fruits.

A field study from 1973 tells us more about their nutritional habits. Their carbohydrate intake makes up the majority of their diet at 75-80 per cent, mostly complex carbs, (corn, beans and vegetables), only six per cent came from simple sugars. Protein amounts to 10-15 per cent of their diet, mostly from fish and plants and their total fat intake is 12 per cent, two per cent saturated, and the remaining split equally between unsaturated and polyunsaturated.

What can we learn from them?

These people are not professional sportsmen and women. Their performance is built up on two pillars – daily workout and precision nutrition. In real terms their 'workout' is their life and their nutrition fits their needs perfectly. They eat fresh food, a lot of greens, eat in almost equal amounts unsaturated, saturated and polyunsaturated fats. Their protein intake is mostly lean and carbs are predominantly complex and delivered by corn, squash or beans. If you are a runner these nutritional habits would help you to increase your performance. But be careful: if you are overweight, want to lose weight or if you are a sprinter, football player or weightlifter your nutritional needs are very different.

These ‘running Indians’ are a living example that you can perform at a top level as you adapt your training and your nutrition to your personal needs. Never forget, your body is an adaptation-machine. It will adapt to all conditions, positive (with training, muscles grow) or negative (lazy habits, muscles shrink). So think positively and get the body and the performance you always wanted.

If you want to become fit, call us on 676 243102 or send an email to info@bfit.es

 


This article appears in the print edition 624 of Island Connections