Bruce Tulloh at the Tarahumaras

Excerpt from Spiridon's International Review - June 1973

This article—we can be certain of it—will not be read by any of the Tarahumara Indians. The handful of those who can read and write know no language other than Spanish. They live in the western part of the Sierra Madre, a very mountainous region in northern Mexico, west of Chihuahua. It is this mountain range that the railway line that connects Chihuahua to the Pacific crosses; tourists who travel along it enjoy hearty meals in the special panoramic carriages. A few miles away, on the edge of the habitable world, live some of the world's best long-distance runners.

I had heard about the Tarahumara Indians from my friend Tim Johnson, who had trained for a year in Mexico. I then read an anthropological description of this tribe, an untouched enclave of pre-Columbian Mexico. They were considered a branch of the Apache nation (which itself included renowned long-distance runners), with the running of a ball, or "rarajupari," at the center of their cultural life. I read some accounts of these races given by American physiologists. There was no doubt about it: these Indians ran extremely long distances. I was interested to know what their athletic ability actually was. Previously, no athlete had been there, and therefore none had run with them.

In the summer of 1971, a few days after the start of the school holidays, I flew on a charter to Los Angeles. From there, with an American friend, I took a bus to El Paso, Texas, then a Mexican bus to Chihuahua, and finally a train that wound its way through the mountains. I got off in a village called Creel, over 2,000 meters above sea level, deep in the sierra. A few words of Spanish, and we managed to board a jeep that was going to Sisoguichic, the headquarters of the Jesuit mission. But it broke down after a few miles. We then walked to the next village; from there, a truck took us to our destination just as night fell.

Sisoguichic is the most important village in the region where the Tarahumaras live. The Jesuits run a hospital there, the mission itself, and the radio-telephone school that broadcasts lessons in this region. It should be noted from the outset that only a very small number of Tarahumaras live there, as they jealously preserve their independence. The majority of the population is, moreover, made up of mestizos. For centuries, the Spanish and Mexicans have repelled the Indians; some of them, such as the Vaquis, fought. The Tarahumaras, however, have survived thanks to the retreats they have created for themselves in the mountains and in their minds. These men speak very little. Small and dark-skinned, they have impressive ribcages and the thin, muscular legs of runners; all have black eyes, slanted like those of the Mongols.
With the help of the mission, we discovered the home of one of their best runners, a man who had won a race lasting over 48 hours. We drove to him in the mountains by jeep.

So, while waiting for Ramon the runner, I found myself in the Saghuarachic meadow, the "valley of the great deer." Between the walls of bare rocks fringed with pine, stretched a green meadow dotted with yellow flowers. A true paradise... On the edges, right up against the trees, isolated from each other, were the wooden huts of the Indians, with small fields of corn and herds of grazing goats. The sun warmed the mountain air, and we could hear the chirping of the lark.

Ramon the runner was very small, about 155 cm: he was surely over forty, and his whole person was imbued with great dignity. Yes, he was going to run with me: we agreed to three laps of the valley, about 15 km in total. He wore the traditional costume of the Tarahumaras: straw hat, loose colored jersey, white loincloth, sandals with soles made from old tires, laced around the ankle. We placed three stones (one per lap) at the edge of the track and then we set off under the gaze of several women who were working among the corn. Ramon deployed the short, skimming stride of a long-distance runner. In the thin air of this altitude (2300m), I had trouble at first not losing my breath; then, I soon got used to it. We covered the first 5 kilometers stride by stride. As we climbed back up into the valley for the second time, I accelerated the train and pulled away a little. I let him catch up, but on the last lap I dropped him again. The train wasn't fast—about 15 km per hour—but do you know many middle-aged European peasants who could run at that pace for an hour without too much trouble? Ramon certainly wasn't fast enough to worry a well-trained athlete, since, let's not forget, she was an ultra-long-distance specialist. In the race I mentioned, he had run non-stop for more than two days and two nights, covering a total of 200 miles (320 km) of rough tracks.

We returned to Sisoguichic, where another challenge was thrown at me, by a young Indian named Madril. Although a little sore, I couldn't refuse. The course would go around this valley, about 11 km. Young Madril, taller and stronger than Ramon, and only 20 years old, started like a 400m runner. The first 200m, up in the village streets, took him no more than 30 seconds, and the first mile was run in less than 5 minutes. I gradually managed to keep up with him, then I took the lead. As we returned to the village—I was sweating—he took off his hat. During the descent of the valley, he had constantly stayed right behind me, running with ease. As we climbed toward the finish, I tried to speed up, but he remained glued to my heels. With 200 meters to go, mobilizing all my energy and experience, I managed to gain a few meters on him. But in the end, the more exhausted of the two was me. I took our heart rates: 180 for Tulloch, 160 for Madril.
It was while watching them run after a ball that I truly realized the Tarahumaras' abilities. One evening, I saw Madril and one of his friends take part in a small bet in a race that lasted six hours: they covered more than 60 km. However, the pace of this type of race varies constantly since the small wooden ball has to be moved forward. To do this, the runner slides his toes under the ball and, throwing his right leg forward, sends the ball 20 to 30 m further along the course. This course is uneven, stony, and winding. The ball sometimes rolls into a bush: it can only be retrieved with the help of a small stick (it is forbidden to use one's hands directly).

The longest race we witnessed was completed by two teams of three runners over a 10 km course to be repeated 15 times. The race was conducted by "leapfrogging," with the runner who threw the ball immediately running ahead of the other two. The pace was that of a team cross-country race, with occasional breaks to retrieve the ball. This lasted all night and most of the following day. At night, the runners lit their way with burning pine branches. The small group of luminous points could then be clearly seen winding along the side of the hill plunged into darkness. As they approached, the rattle of the ball on the stones, the flapping of sandals, and the breathing of the runners could be heard. And then they disappeared again into the darkness.

This ball game is central to Tarahumara life, bringing renown and respect. From what I've seen, their fitness levels are higher than those of the Kenyans I've just spent over 18 months with.
So far, although a Tarahumara has beaten Juan Martinez* in a cross-country race, all attempts to have them participate in official competitions have failed. The Tarahumaras consider our races too short and too boring for a man worthy of the name. I am certain, however, that when a patient trainer takes the time to get to know them, to understand their problems and to familiarize them little by little with the outside world, this small tribe of Mexican Indians will leave its mark on running as well as the Ethiopians and the Kenyans have done in recent years.

Bruce Tulloh

* Mexican Juan Martinez finished 4th in the 5000m (in 14:10:8) and the 10,000m (in 29:35) at the Mexico Games.

Notes :

The Tarahumara, also known as the Rarámuri, are a people who live primarily in the Sierra Madre Occidental mountains of northern Mexico. They have a population of approximately 50,000 people and are renowned for their rich culture and history, as well as their ability to run long distances.

The Tarahumara have a history that goes back thousands of years, and they have preserved many traditions and beliefs unique to their culture. They hold great importance to spirituality and religion, and they celebrate many rituals and festivals throughout the year.

The Tarahumara have also faced significant challenges in recent decades. Their ancestral land has been threatened by mining and logging activities, and they have also suffered discrimination and marginalization. However, they have continued to fight to preserve their culture and way of life, and have achieved significant progress in the recognition of their rights and their land.