Ch-ch-ch-CHIA!

In preparation for my first half-marathon (it's not until June, but you know. . . ), I've been reading Born to Run by Christopher McDougall.  It's about the author's quest to find the secrets to eternal running.  He is fascinated by the Tarahumara people of the Copper Canyon of Mexico because of their endless ability to run far and long distances.  He sets out to find the Tarahumara to learn more about their culture and what it takes to be such amazing runners.  One day, while in the Copper Canyon, McDougall begins to tire from a long day of foot travel in the heat, even with more trekking to go.  A native notices his exhaustion and offers him a drink that they call iskiate to boost his energy.  McDougall describes this drink as "home-brewed Red Bull."  He later learns that it's also known as chia fresca, or "chilly chia."  It's a drink made of chia seeds, water, sugar, and lime.  And after downing the iskiate, he felt completely rejuvenated with enough energy to go much further.  Sounds like a magic potion, right? I was inspired to go on my own little quest to finding these chia seeds.

Apparently chia seeds are packed with lots of nutrients to help energize the body.  McDougall writes that "a tablespoon of chia is like a smoothie made from salmon, spinach, and human growth hormone."  He goes on to describe all the different nutrients that are in chia seeds.  As I continued to read, I just kept thinking, "I gotta get a hold of these chia seeds!" Now this is all new to me, but of course these little seeds have been around forever.  They sell them by the package on Amazon, you can buy packs at certain grocery stores, and, yes, they're also used to grow "pets."

I was at the Thriftway down the street from my school in West Seattle, and I walked over to the refrigerated shelf to grab a Perrier, and I caught a glimpse of these bottles labeled Mamma Chia.  I looked closer and I could see little seeds floating in the bottle.  I thought, "No way!  Did I just find the magic potion?!  Can I, too, be a Tarahumara?!"  I forgot about the Perrier, and reached for the Mamma Chia instead.  I turned the bottle around and read the label.  Eureka! I cashed out, brought it home, and saved it for the next day.  Morning came, and rather than stopping at Starbucks on the way to work, I popped open the Mamma Chia bottle.  I drank half the bottle during breakfast, and saved the last half for lunch.  I must admit, I was feeling good!  My energy level was up, my mind was clear, I wasn't shaky, and I didn't crash.  Nor did I get a caffeine withdrawal headache, which I was really afraid of, so I was really glad to not get one.  Did I mention that they taste great?!  Before taking a sip, I didn't really know what to expect.  Was it going to taste like medicine, or have more of an earthy taste?  Will they be crunchy, or hard to swallow, or what?  It turns out that the drink is totally delicious (especially the raspberry passion flavor) and the seeds go down really easily, kind of like strawberry seeds when eating strawberries.  They just add a little bit of texture.

I've been drinking Mamma Chia for the last 2 days and have felt really good both days.  As a matter of fact, I've got a bottle right next to me right now.  I'm fueling up before I go to the gym (22 weeks before the big run!).  For any runners out there, be a Tarahumara and get a hold of the iskiate.  It's all about the Mamma Chia.