Running Lessons From the Fittest People on the Planet
When Fabia Bausch, founder and co-owner of Chem Chem Safari Lodge in the Tanzanian plains of East Africa, first suggested to the nearby Maasai tribe that the elite athletes could instruct visiting travelers on the finer points of long-distance running, she had some explaining to do.
The concept of merely running for recreation, competition or personal achievement sounded ridiculous to a veteran guide like Raposh, who killed his first lion at the age of 14. The Maasai people run to hunt, to round up their herds of cattle, to chase down predators preying on those cows or to get messages between far-flung Maasai villages. And that’s all while carrying the iron spear a warrior is duty-bound to keep in his fist as long as he’s upright and in the bush. The concept of running when one doesn’t have to strikes him as silly.
Now, the running program is just one option for travelers who come to Chem Chem Lodge for the slow safari experience. We spoke with Raposh about how his people’s lifestyle improves their overall running ability — and the importance of starting to train early in life.
| 
