Without Permission from The Denver Post, August 26,1993.
Tarahumara [Raramuri] Indians' Feats Inspire Awe
By Brad Smith - Special to The Denver Post
Ken Chlouber was laboring up a dusty dirt road about 25 miles
into the Leadville Trail 100 ultramarathon last weekend when he was
passed by two other runners.
Chlouber looked over at the pair and then down at their feet,
which were bare except for sandals made out of used tires, leather
thongs and nails.
"Maybe I'm spending too much on shoes," Chlouber half-joked as
the runners passed him.
Just after midnight Sunday, those sandal-clad feet were the
first to cross the finish line of America's highest and perhaps
most rugged ultramarathon, carrying with them new-found respect for
their owners - two Tarahumara [Raramuri] Indians from the Copper
Canyon area of northwestern Mexico's Sierra Madre Occidental.
Not only did Victoriano Churro and Cerrildo Chacarito finish
one-two after 20 hours, another Tarahumara [Raramuri] - Manuel Luna
- was fifth. And they did it their way, on sandals they pieced together
a few days earlier from tires picked up at the Leadville junkyard.
"I think this will set the ultramarathon community on its ear,"
smiled Kitty Williams, who, with Rick Fisher of Tucson, was
primarily responsible for bringing the Tarahumaras [Raramuris] to
Leadville.
The Leadville Trail 100 is considered one of the most grueling
in the country because nearly all of the race is run at elevations
higher than 10,000 feet and twice goes over 12,600-foot Hope Pass.
Only 138 of the 294 runners who started the 11th annual race at
4 a.m. Saturday finished the course.
The Tarahumara tribe numbers about 40,000 scattered in small
villages over 35,000 square miles of rugged and remote mountains
and canyons. Their name for themselves is "Raramuri," which, in
their language means 'foot runners."
Running always has been a central part of the Tarahumara
[Raramuri] culture because it has been the only way for them
to get around. Games that involve running for long periods of time
are a focus of their leisure time, but they seldom run what Americans
consider a competitive road race.
Tales of tremendous running feats are attributed to the
Tarahumaras [Raramuri], including running 70 miles a day, going 170
miles without stopping and running 500 miles carrying 40 pounds of
mail.
Fisher guides tours of Copper Canyon, has written several books
about the area, and has known the Tarahumaras [Raramuri] more than
eight years. Recently, he has become more concerned that their
culture is being threatened by increasing development.
Williams said the Tarahumaras [Raramuri] are running less
because of the development which has brought roads closer to the
tribe. Still, Luna lives in an area so remote it is a three-day
trip to the nearest road.
Fisher and Williams brought six Tarahumaras [Raramuri] to
run in the Leadville race partly to draw attention to their
situation. They hope to stop the Copper Canyon logging because they
fear it will destroy the Tarahumaras' [Raramuris] agriculture-based
culture, and, along with it, their running.
"Their running has been declining because there are more
roads," said Williams.
Last year, Fisher put together Team Raramuri, recruiting
runners from various villages. He brought five of them to the
Leadville race in 1992, but, inexperienced in competitive racing,
all of them dropped out after about 30 miles. Although there are
frequent aid stations on the race course, the Indians didn't take
the food and drink offered because they didn't think it was for
them. [You would have thought that Fisher could have explained the
race procedures to them.....-Michele]
This years winner, Victoriano Churro, wanted to be on the team
badly enough that he apparently lied about is age, fearing they
would think he was too old.
He had told them he was 38, the same age as his running mate,
Chacarito.
"When he finished the race, he came to the medical tent and I
heard the doctor asking him his age," race director Merilee O'Neal
said.
"I heard him tell the doctor he was 55." Churro then admitted
his lie to Williams and Fisher.
Churro and Chacarito, who ran in tandem nearly all the race,
started out wearing running shoes they had been given.
They discarded the shoes at the May Queen aid station 13 1/2
miles into the race, opting for their sandals instead. They
declined offers of rain ponchos despite periodic showers.
Their Leadville achievement has added to the Tarahumara
[Raramuri] legend, with ultramarathoners talking in wonder about
seeing them pass.
"When you leave the Twin Lakes aid station (at 60 1/2 miles),
you have to climb a steep ridge. No one runs up the trail there; no
one. says Chlouber, a state representative and one of the race
organizers. "Well, they (Churro and Chacarito) just took off and
ran right up it like a couple of deer. It was amazing."
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Michele Lord + If you have come here to help me,
+ you are wasting your time.....
+ But if you have come because
+ your liberation is bound up with mine,
milo@scicom.alphacdc.com + then let us work together.
Aboriginal Woman
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