Last week, Sherif and I started reading Born to Run together while lying on the beach soaking up some sun. We are still on Chapter 12 so I can’t give you a complete review of the book yet, but so far, it is very intriguing! Chris McDougall is a journalist who writes about his lifelong battle with running. As a guy with a bigger build, he was often told by doctors that his size was the reason running was less than ideal for his knees and feet. On a quest to find a natural cure to replace the pricey running shoes and uncomfortable cortisone shots to the soles of his feet which didn’t seem to be working all that well, McDougall travels to the elusive Copper Canyons deep in the Mexican wilderness after he reads an article about the Running People – a native Mexican tribe called the Tarahumara.

The Tarahumara are a primitive people who run very long distances throughout their lives, mainly to escape persecution but also for recreation. For them, running is a way of life. The impressive part is that they run for distances as long as 100 miles at a time in sandals and without suffering from any running injuries. Some of them keep running for these distances until they are 95 years old (yes, probably the world’s fittest grandparents!) A lot of this comfort with running for long distances comes from habit and practice – they were literally born to run! But also, McDoughall attributes their endurance in part to their consumption of a simple diet of soaked cornmeal and home-brewed energy drinks, such as iskiate, a water-based drink made with chia seeds, lemon/lime juice and honey. The benefits of these chia seeds are numerous; they are filled with antioxidants, omega-3 fatty acids, calcium, phosphorous, manganese, and a host of essential vitamins and minerals. The Tarahumara use it as an energy drink before a long day of physical exertion…

Even though I don’t run long distances (a mile or two to warm up is the most I feel comfortable running without putting pressure on my joints), I still drink iskiate (chia drink) after long hikes or other strenuous workouts to replenish my body with good vitamins.  Since I’ve been increasing the duration and pace of my workouts lately, I decided to try making this chia fresca drink before my workout today.

Directions: In a glass of water (about 1 cup = 8 oz.), add 1/2 a teaspoon of raw honey and the juice of a fresh lemon or lime. Stir 2 teaspoons chia seeds into the cup. Stir well, and leave in fridge to cool for 15-30 minutes. Take out and stir well again before drinking. The chia seeds form a gel, so the drink thickens a little. Here’s what it looks like:

After gulping down the drink (which tastes slightly woody/nutty and has quite an interesting texture because of the chia seeds), I went out for my workout. I ran some sprints interlaced with slow jogs or walks  for 3.5 miles by Lake Michigan. The first 3 miles were a breeze: I was enjoying the clear blue lake, light breeze and warming sun on my face, and did not feel at all out of breath or tired. At the very end of the 3 miles, I started getting a minor stomach cramp and my thighs were stiff with soreness, but I pushed on until I reached my goal. By the end, I couldn’t believe that I had completed about the distance for a 5K!

The sprints wore me out but I did feel generally more energetic than I usually do after a tiring workout! Did I go from only being able to run for a fourth of  a mile to 3.5 miles of sprinting/jogging/walking because of this chia energy drink? Of course not. This change did not happen overnight – I built up to it. But did I feel energetic and capable to push on because the iskiate was fueling my body’s cells? Probably. I definitely felt a surge of energy as a result of this drink. The best thing about it? Not only is it completely natural, but it  has some awesome, rejuvenating effects as well!

Have you ever heard of iskiate and/or tried making it? What are some of your favorite pre-workout drinks/snacks that you feel have  energized your workouts?

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