95 Year Old Man Running More Than 30 miles
Living proof that age does not matter
There’s a tribe in Mexico called the Tarahumara of about 50,000 people that live in the most remote parts of Mexico. These are men and women who can run for 24 hours at a time and distances reaching up 300 kilometers. It’s not just the young people either. Christopher McDougall, author of Born to Run, has researched the tribe and they feature in this book. McDougall says: ‘I saw Tarahumara men in their seventies springing around like teenagers. … a 95-year-old man cruise more than 30 miles up and down the canyon face.’
Apart from their lifestyle, these people are absolutely no different from us. They are human beings. So next time you’re complaining about your age and that you cant run, think of the Tarahumara. Now, I’m not saying you should go out and run marathons and these mega runs, but I am trying to put things into perspective.
McDougall also gave a Ted talk, entitled: Are we born to run? The talk basically answered the question with some ideas of his own and some well known facts. Watch the video and I think you’ll agree that we are born to run and we’re not born to stop because we’re ‘too old.’ We have the ability to push ourselves to limits we don’t even know about. If you tell someone that 95 year old men can run more than 30 miles at a time, they’d probably laugh at you, but it’s true. They can.
I hear the phrase these days, in the typical Irish, relaxed tone: ‘Sure I’m too auld for that!’ People as young as 50 are developing lifestyles which do not prioritize their health as much as they should. Diet is another huge factor, but that’s another aspect of health. Attitude is the first step. Hearing about these stories, such as the Tarahumara can alter attitudes and inspire.
The idea for writing this piece jumped into my head today after watching Britain’s Got Talent. Have a look for yourself. This really reinforces my point…and it’s kinda funny…
