|
|
| Running
Tradition of the Tarahumara By Bob Goings |
|
The indigenous Tarahumara of northern Mexico’s Sierra Madre call themselves Rarámuri (rara means ‘foot’), which is loosely translated as ‘foot-runners’ or ‘swift of foot’. While all native peoples who live in mountainous regions are strong runners, to the Tarahumara it is more than tradition or the convenience of getting quickly from one place to another—it is literally who they are.
For countless generations they have used their long-distance running endurance to chase deer until they trap them or wear them down. There are reports of men running well over a hundred miles at a time, taking nothing but water and pinole (a mixture of water and corn powder). But it is competition amongst themselves that they love, along with the enthusiastic gambling that goes with it!
A popular contest is the rarahipari kickball race, in which teams from two or more communities each kick a small wooden ball along a set trail winding through the canyons or along a looping, pre-set course. The baseball-sized, carved wooden ball is kicked forward and passed back and forth between teammates in a manner similar to soccer; and so it goes until the winning team reaches the end of the pre-set course or all have dropped out from exhaustion save one, whose team is declared the winner.
Races can last up to two days. People from the communities support the runners by providing water and pinole, lighting their way at night with lit wood sticks, and generally chasing after them and cheering them on. (Women have a similar competition, but they move the ball along using a forked stick instead of kicking it forward.)
These fiesta breaks in the lives of the Tarahumara provide much needed relief from the arduous toil necessary in the rugged, primitive conditions of the Sierra Madre—through socializing, gaming and drinking copious amounts their home-brewed beer, tesgüino.
Background of the Copper Canyon Ultra Marathon
The genesis of the Copper Canyon Ultra Marathon was in Leadville, Colorado in the early ‘90s.
Long-time Sierra Madre explorer, author and advocate for the Tarahumaras, Richard Fischer, brought three runners from the Batopilas/Urique area to compete in the Leadville 100, one of the premier U.S. ultra marathons. The year was 1993 and the great Sierra Madre of Mexico had been in the midst of years of drought, resulting in malnutrition and starvation among the Tarahumara. Leadville was seen as a venue of bringing attention to their plight, as well as literally bringing home food to put on the table through prize winnings.
And it accomplished both. The three took first, second and fifth places.
Victoriano Churro, the winner, was 55 years old at the time and currently displays his continuing physical prowess by doing traditional dances at Cabañas San Isidro.
One of the American runners, Micah True, a native Coloradan with many years of exploring Latin America under his belt, was intrigued by the vibrancy, modesty and effortless quality of these indigenous runners.
However, before race time for the next year’s marathon, because of intense interest that was generated by news accounts in major media outlets throughout the United States, the Leadville 100’s quota of entrants filled before Micah True could return to the U.S. from one of his adventures. But he was not to be left out entirely. As luck would have it, Richard Fischer was looking for a pacer for one of the seven Tarahumara runners entered in the 1994 race, and True, who knew the route well, was his choice.
So Micah True, who carries the handle Caballo Blanco (given him by Mayans while trail running in the highlands of Guatemala), had an opportunity to really get to know the Tarahumara runners. The runner he paced for the final 50 miles came in third, while other Tarahumaras came in first, fourth, and fifth; the other three finished in the top 11. And the man they called “White Horse”, Caballo Blanco, knew that these ‘fleet of foot’ people would be part of his destiny.
The Tarahumara were never invited back to Colorado, so Micah True went to them. Eventually he settled down to live part-time in Batopilas, “running free” with the Tarahumara in their own country. It was only a matter of time, in the spring of 2003, before he asked runners to join him in a race between Batopilas Canyon and Urique Canyon, the deepest in North America. They walked between the towns of Batopilas and Urique to get to know the route (none of the local Tarahumara had ever been the 29 miles to Urique!). The race began in Urique the following day and traversed the route back to Batopilas, and the seeds of future marathons were sown.
Over time it became tradition to make a gift of corn to the runners, a literal and symbolic gesture to honor this cornerstone of Tarahumara life. And True gathered a cadre of helpers—composed mostly of crazy gringos who had shared the experience of grueling cross-country runs in the Sierra Madre—and Club Mas Loco (Most Crazy Club) was born. By 2006 the race had settled into the current route around Urique, the gifts of corn and prize money were increasing in size, and world-class runners from the U.S. and elsewhere were beginning to show up in friendly competition and kinship in the homeland of the Tarahumara.
The Course
The race begins and ends at the bottom of Urique Canyon, in the village of Urique, to the accompaniment of norteño music. The course is comprised of two major loops, one upriver and the other downriver, each climbing and descending about 1500 feet along dirt roads and trails. In addition, the final leg returns upriver to the village of Guadalupe and back, for a total of 75 kilometers. The upriver sections of the race cross a long, graceful suspension bridge, while the runners must ford the river to the west. Food and refreshment stations are well-spaced along the route, and medical personnel are on hand for the inevitable cuts and scrapes resulting from runners falling down steep portions of the trails.
Miscellaneous Info to Help You Enjoy the Race
All competitors in the Copper Canyon Ultra Marathon show up a few days in advance to familiarize themselves with the route. For many, especially foreign runners and local Tarahumara, it has become tradition to get to Urique by hiking the route out of Batopilas Canyon up to the rim of Urique Canyon, then down to the village. It is a time to live the spirit of korima (sharing) while getting to know one another.
In 2008 there were 138 participants, of which about 100 chose to race the entire course (some choose to run just the first loop). Of the 100, 38 finished and 15 were foreign (U.S., Italy, France). Over $6,000 in prize money and 30,000 pounds of corn were distributed; prize money is also given to the top women runners. Most of the prize money and all the corn won by foreigners were donated back to the Tarahumara in one way or another.
The foreign runners are all given animal nicknames by the Tarahumara; the 2008 winner, from France, is called La Tortuga Lluvia, or Rain Turtle. The race was called Caballo Blanco Ultra Marathon in 2008 to honor the founder, Micah True.
For vantage points from which to watch the race, and to take photos, it is easy to hike along the road upstream to the suspension bridge (the most popular spot) or downstream toward the village of Huapalaina. There are also nice swimming holes in both directions for a cool dip and a break in the action!
Notice the footwear of the Tarahumara runners. These huaraches (Spanish for sandals) are called Akaka, with leather thongs that connect into a used tire strip, cut to the size of the foot, and then wind around and tie off above the ankle. (Imagine kicking a hard ball along rocky terrain with this footwear!) There is a great anecdote to the 1993 Leadville 100: Victoriano was given fancy running shoes, the thought being that this would be a great treat for him, but he discarded them in favor of his Akaka after about 13 miles!
(Subsequent research has shown that the simplest shoe is best—that feet become stronger when they flex, splay, spread and grip. Tarahumara runners land on the front part of their feet and use their legs to cushion their joints; it’s more efficient and less tiring, and fewer injuries result.)
Note: For in-depth information about the Copper Canyon Ultra Marathon, including results and photos from previous races, visit caballoblanco.com.
|
