To believe is essencial, but to have Atitude is what will make the Difference

I left the water feeling pretty good, and with not being ehxausthed, I finally made the first pack . . .

After a couple laps on that huge bike pack, I didn`t want to be lazy and pushed up to the front. It wasn`t that hard to make the move, and I was leading among the top ranked triathletes in the world. I remind looking at them seriously, while I was laughing on my thoughts… “This race is mine!”

Suddenly something was wrong in the course and we all had to stop. The marshals blocked the way. Meanwhile I notice that my rear wheel was flat! Damn! I started to change it as fast as I could, hoping I would make in time to the re-start. I had a tube and a Co2 cartridge on my pocket.

For some reason, I started to inflate the tube while it was half out of the tire. Oh no! I knew it wouldn`t work, but I tried to force it in the tire. Still having time, I finally deinflate it and then adjusted it properly inside. Luckily I had enough air compressed in the cartridge to inflate a good pressure.

Back into the race, already on the initial sprint to get speed, the bike wasn`t working well, something would make it impossible to ride that bike. So I took out of my pockets, but it could have been from my hat, a spare bike! It was like three bike pumps attached, that after putting it together would become a monocycle. And with only one wheel, I started to balance myself and ride it as fast as I could. I was really feeling great and I knew I could still winning that race!

Soon, I cought one of the pelotons. But the mountable bike was also not working very well and quickly started to fall apart! I was looking down at it, with disbelief, trying to figure out what was happening, but with no solution, the bike was all of a sudden in pieces. I ran back to T1 and found a pair of roller blades.
From only one, now I was racing with eight wheels, still attempting to win that f... race.

Another problem, and the ball of the race went out of the course! Being totally fair-play I took my shirt off and dove into the water throwing it back to the game. The last bike pack was just passing and took it back to the race.

I ran to my monocycle dismouted, and looked right on the side, the roller blades.
The leaders were already coming up for another loop, and about to be lapped, I have never being so disappointed to quit in a race.

Afterwards I went to an outside bar table, where people were watching the competition.
I met some friends and on my first attempt to talk about how awesome I was feeling and  how that race was mine, being so close to the victory, I stopped and remembered that "so close" is like nothing…

"No one will ask you about the ocean wind and storms, if your ship couldn't reach the port."

Dreams!!

One of these days I was chating with Florência about Triathlons...

I said I wanted to keep training and racing until 2016, even with no sponsors. 
And if I could get a supporter to just have a basic life, I would keep racing, if not I would get another job.

She being kind and cheering me on said I was right and I should follow this dream.

At the same time I answered: "This is not a dream, this is a goal!"

One can’t mess dreams and goals.

Maybe you can idealize a goal and call it a dream, but dreams are suppose to not be reasonable, like winning the lottery. 

Goals instead are a lot more predictable and they come from hard work, and a good plan. They just will not happen as a surprise, like in the night time. We reach them day by day, step by step.

So do not follow your dreams, live it, make them tangible by converting it into goals.

The night time dreams instead, are great to reflect about our unconscious thoughts or to have good laughs in the early mornings.
To believe is essencial, but to have atitude is what will make the difference.

In the next day, opening the fridge, I realized where the monocycle idea came from! 

Not having horns in the unconscious was a good sign, as in Brazil as well as in other countries, if someone is cheating on you they would say you gained a pair of horns! Lol

Live your dream, making  it a goal!!

Poor Judgement!!

I`ve just found the best way to describe how I felt when I rocked the Argentinan ITU Panamerican Cup!

 

I didn`t rock so bad like the cowboy on this video, but that's a great figure of when you know you nailed it, and you are not so worried of what they are going to say, specially if they are sports marshalls! You are confident!!

For those whom have not read my post about the race, although I placed 2nd, I was DSQ by the officials. The reason of that was because I placed my bike on t2 with only one side of the handlebars instead of both sides. So they gave me a stop-and-go penalty, but only after I have run more than half of the course, which would not be a valid penalty. But only knew that afterwards, and for not paying this penalty I got DSQ. Click here to read the whole story!

I tried to appeal, and the ITU officials have told me they have opened an information process, but I never really heard back from them. I am not really worried, but still hoping to hear something about it.

 

I appreciate all the messages, specially from the Argentinians, giving me credits for the accomplishment! Thank you, I will be back to La Paz in 2015!

2nd place at La Paz Panamerican Cup!

January 19th, time to celebrate 30 years of the La Paz Triathlon!!

The La Paz Cup, one of the most traditional races, which I had participating in since 2005. This a triathlons dream, where the city closes all the streets and towns people are out cheering all the athletes on!

I had goosepumps just walking to the transition area, people would stop me for pictures and greetings. On the cheering side it was also my girlfriend and her amazing family! I have to confess that there were butterflies on my stomach very early before the race!

Meanwhile I was heading to transition area, it was going on the women race, and surprised, I saw an athlete running on the opposit direction of the course... Oops!!
Afterwards I heard that a bunch of other women did the same and started an extra loop, just to pay the penalty at penalty box, than run back on the course to the finish line...

Very weird! Specially because they were paying a penalty for cutting the swim course, which would be, with no penalty, undoubtedly a reason for disqualify. But of course, I totaly agree that its needed to use common sense, as sometimes the athlete does not do it intentionaly to take advantage. Specially on that course, where the river current is so strong.

Well, I left my bike ready at transition, and we went for the traditional presentation of the athletes, followed by the start.

It was one of the hardest race I ever did, I was in pain for the whole course, with a temperature of 100ºF I was sweating already on the swim, as at some points the water was around 86ºF.

Begining the bike ride, was where I most suffered, I almost got dropped and couldn`t help to chase the first group, the heat made breathing even harder at that portion.

I think it is valid to observe that one of the elite athletes dismounted his bike way after the dismount line, (getting advantage) but as I already said, I believe in the common sense of the judges and maybe the athlete had no intention of getting that advantage. No penalties for were given on this case...

I was really tired on the begining of the run, at the 1st km I was the 9th athlete, slowly I started to progress. On the 2nd loop I was the 5th and the podium goal was about to be accomplished! The people was cheering at full! And at the 3rd loop I was the 2nd, running as much as I could to hold that position.

On the last loop, I had no more legs or mind, and the only way I could keep pushing hard was really using my heart!! This was such a great point at the race, Siri Lindley would always ask me what were my thoughts while racing, and I could never answer "nothing", like this time, like she always wanted to hear!

Very happy with the result, I was giving different interviews, when some one of the organization told me I was disqualified, because I never stopped to pay my penalty...

I don`t even know what came to my mind, it seemed like a joke. He told me I was penalized for leaving the bike on a bad way in the rack.

While running I never saw my number at the white board, which was not very easy and clear to see, plus I was nothing worried as I knew there could not be any reasons for a penalty. I was not as "lucky" as the women, to be adviced about a penalty and to open an extra loop to pay it.

I tried to clarify that with the judge, but soon I saw he had visors and probably bridles tacked up, which would avoid any attitudes.

Afterwards, reading the rules, I saw that its true you should not put your bike with just one side of the handle bars. (You should rack with both, or by the seat), but also it is writing that the ITU Technical Committee is by the side of using common sense, and they highly encourage on the part of officials to promote a "proactive" attitude. And the athlete should receive a verbal warning when the rule is violated unintentionally, or also when no advantage has been gained.

Summing up, I didn`t have the same luck as the other athletes... bad luck or double standards!?


Telling the truth nothing would make me sad about this race, I was elated with my result! Afterwards I called my friends for a picture on the podium! And there was no better way to celebrate a great race!! 
Cannot say the same about the professional side of my race, as I left with no awards and no points on the international ranking. But who said you have to race for money and not for passion!?!

Gracias La Paz for another great spectacle!

I was never so sure about why I still racing "professionally". 

:)

"I just want to be the best I can be." Siri Lindley

With the help of the altitude (1900m), I was having a hard time to swim, plus being almost the last athlete I was nothing motivated to finish this carrera...

Actually I was really ready to quit (maybe I was not good enough!?) but suddenly I thought about my coach, Siri Lindley, always says "Just do the best you can for this day, with no worries about results...". Siri has won her first World Cup on a day that she was the last athlete out of the water. What an amazing athlete, example, and coach!

So then my thought became that I had to overtake at least a dozen of my opponents... :)

 

Eventually we also race because we like to "play", and on this way I was climbing those Guatape mountais as fast as I could, doing the turns and counting the people I would pass by next, exactly like a game (as it should be). Making legs and lungs burn and also having fun on the downhill sharp turns at 35 mph. Afterwards running a consistent 10k for 36'39", catching a few more positions and from being 45th out of the water, I ended up in 27th on the Colombian World Cup!

Interviewed by coloradotriathlon.com, Siri explains that just doing your better with no expectations on results, is a lot easier and less pressure than having a goal like winning a race, or making the team, or chasing points.

After such a long time injured and blessed by having Siri as my coach, this race was a great step on gaining confidence, specially on the bike where I was having the most hard time during this season.

Looking forward for the next race by Rio Triathlon on November 10th at Rio de Janeiro!!

Be Like Water my Friend!

Not easy to write about races when it do not go the way you have planned.
I hate giving excuses, but on the lack of results, I have no other option... Anyways, my optimism doesn't make me sad when talking about my defeats.

I would have updated my blog earlier, but I had some events going on, plus a fun trip with some friends to a 7 hour hike at the Rocky Mountains, which I will be posting soon!

A few days ago I loved to watch a documentary show about Bruce Lee, I didn't know he was also a philosopher and developed big thoughts about the chase to be a virtuous fighter. His conclusion was that should be no pattern to reach the perfect punch, and each self needs to find his own way to get the best that he could possibly be.
"Be like water my friend!". Lee describes that you must free your ambitious mind and like water, be formless, shapeless and find a graciously way to pass through any obstacle you may find on your path.

On my way to contour the injury I still have for almost 10 months, I have been researching and looking to improve on all the ways I could imagine. I reduced running volume and started working hard against my hip soreness, sometimes doing 8h/week of pure stretching, yoga and a bunch of exercises to stabilize the core muscles with PT, TRX and other functional activities.

Here in Boulder, I had a great evolution working with one of Siri's Team partners, Integrative Healing Acupuncture. Todd Plymale-Mallory did an excellent job with acupuncture and deep tissue massage.

While I was feeling healed I had the chance to start running earlier with the help of Altitude Physical Therapy, so I could run on a last generation anti-gravitational treadmill, which defies gravity by applying a lifting force to the body that reduces weight on the lower extremities, so its possible to train with the natural gait and rhythm.

And the crucial point was my last race, where I could finally figure out this issues and had a turning point on my healing process...

Ironman Boulder 70.3 

With all the treatment and care around my hips, I was getting excited and thought I could finish that half Ironman. I was also rested and with my tapering up to date!

After a good swim, I hopped on the bike and just after a few miles my glutes were already in pain, I thought about quitting and like I struggled last month on Boulder Peak Triathlon, I was several times in between quitting and going as hard as I could.

Getting close to mile 25, I was getting used to that pain and could make a reasonable effort, pushing the rhythm with two other athletes. Ended up doing 2:16:04 for the bike leg, which is not a bad time for 56 miles. So then I started to run, and my ass was just like a rock, I started to walk while massaging it and this was the time my coach passed me by on her scooter motorbike and told me to quit. I was ok with that, because I didn't want to irritate any injury again, so I got a ride back to the transition area, and that was it, no more racing on that Sunday.

The good news, is that with all the treatments and pushing that pain to the extreme, it was really easy to detect which muscle was hurting (gluteos medium) and I could also determine that the injury wasn't coming from the run, but actually from the bike.

I spent some time researching about bio-mechanics and bike fit. And discovered that glutes are a very important part of the core, and helps to stabilize the hips, offering a more efficient pedal stroke and running stride.
Overloading it on the bike I could only hurt the muscle, but once my feet were touching the ground and generating impact, that imbalance could cause bigger damages on tendons, ligaments and fascias.

Researching for the most likely way to overload the gluteous medium, I discovered that the seat positions is a really important thing to look at, and the most further back it is, the more glutes will be required.
So maybe, if you girl wanna build your booty, you may want to keep your seat further back! :o) But you will also lose a lot of quads power... Not worth if your plan is to go fast!
So right after studying it, I moved my saddle forward on an attempt to use more quads and find a good equilibrium.

I am feeling a lot better on these next days, and today I just finished a run with my teammate Super Bird!! It was 10 miles with just a bit of pain at the very end! Probably the longest run I have had in the last 6 months!

Advancing like water flow and being supported with an amazing team, I am making my path towards to the next challenges!!

Boulder Peak Triathlon 2013

Not much to tell about my last race in the Boulder Peak Triathlon held on this last Sunday.
The idea was to do it more like a race test, to see where my performance was after such a long time without racing due to a hip injury.
I didn't know what to expect, also because I was still not 100% adapted with the altitude effect. And I did feel breathless just after a couple meters of the swim start.

(chilling a while before the start!)

By the end of the mile 24 on bike course I was not even hitting my worse expectations, and some days you just need to accept defeat. One of my favorite authors, Paulo Coelho, has a brilliant description for it:

“Defeat is for the valiant. Only they will know the honor of losing and the joy of winning
I am not here to tell you that defeat is a part of life: we all know that.
Only the defeated know Love.
Because it is in the realm of love that we fight our first battles – and generally lose.
I am here to tell you that there are people who have never been defeated.
They are the ones who never fought.
They managed to avoid scars, humiliations, feelings of helplessness, as well as those moments when even warriors doubt the existence of God.’’
Manuscript Found In Accra – Paulo Coelho”

Therefore being defeat as part of victory, on that day I was far from any good result and I was nothing excited to start those 10k run. And also motivated by the recent injury to not push that run.
I stopped at the end of the bike course, and right there was Siri, my amazing coach, who didn't let me look down, and pointed out some important details for my next races. The new goal is to have my body 100%, injury free, and ready to load it with wkouts and next races!

If defeat is necessary, this was the first time I considered myself out of dispute. Before I could be happy just by doing my best and would considerate some facts as a lack of luck. But on this time I didn't see any advantage of giving my best effort to reach maybe 60% of potential. The goal now is to reach those 100%!

When facing major defeats, beyond the lessons sometimes you also get rewards from fantastic friends!! lol
Thanks Sara!! I loved the note and fancy beer!! #surprise :)

Spinning the Pedals!

I missed sharing the news on my blog!

I have been doing a lot of micro-blogging throught twitter, instagram and facebook, but nothing like my own space in the blogosphere!! 

Maybe my lack of motivation to write was due to a bad injury that has persisted for more than 6 months now, alternating between right knee and hip. I missed a couple races and still not a 100% yet.

Actually I was surprised when I first noticed that it was already 6 months. I am being pretty good on keeping myself optimistic and motivated in training (maybe more than I should), always adding new goals and plans for the season. And while some days I could barely walk, on others I feel like ready to race a full Ironman!

I like this quote: "Life is like riding a bike, to be in balance you need to keep moving!"

Recently I signed a new partnership deal with Xterra Wetsuits, so I will be training and racing powered by all the awesome Xterra gear!!

Im very excited and this week I had the opportunity to meet and work with the Xterra crew while doing a photo shoot in San Diego.

While in San Diego I could see some family members and had a great time exploring the area. My favorite spot was the La Jolla Cove, where I enjoyed a rad ocean swim with a pod of seals passing just a few centimeters from me!!

Siri's team is moving to Boulder and I will soon be heading to the Colorado Rockies...

Feeling better each day, I hope to be at full speed, and train like never before for the races of the second semester. Hopefully this blog will be on fire soon!! :)

(La Jolla Cove)

Runner-up at South American Champioship 2013

Like a triathlete would say: "We do it 3 times!". 
And this was my third 2nd place at the South American Championship!
(2008,2012,2013)

Even though I was so close to be the winner on 3 opportunities, I can't complain! 
Each race unfolded in a particular way, where at none of them the 1st or 3rd places could get a top 5 again!

The La Paz Triathlon is one of my favorites! 

I had already done it for 5 times and my best placing was 4th.

On the previous one, I was devastated by not making the podium, they do an awesome awards party that on that day I watched as an expectator.
I have told to myself that on the next one I would be up there, celebrating it from the up high view of the podium. To not forget this will, I collected some small pieces of paper that were flying during the winners celebration, and I save them in my wallet. I carried it with me for 3 years (as the Brazilian National Federation postpone my participation, read about it here).

Well, it was 3 long years with those small pieces of party that I did not enjoyed, at sight on every purchase I made. I wanted to make sure to find daily motivation and not be afraid to suffer while training, as the loser feeling would be worse.

The day has arrived!! January 13th of 2013, my revange!!

For the happiness of those who don't like the heat, the 3k swim start delayed for almost 2 hours. We took off at 6pm and going down the river, we finished that portion in a bit more than 20 minutes, matching the 1.5k swim time for the Olympic distance.

The river was quite choppy and I didn't swim well, I finished leading the second pack close to a minute behind the leaders. Followed by a strong bike ride, where I felt great, but the guy to watch was Oscar Galindez, who is recognized as one of the best cyclists in the world, and end up to put together all the favorites in one big bike pack.

The race verdict was on the run! I left the transition as fast as I could, and by the mark of two kilometers I was already in the position I would cross the finish line. But was not easy to hold that second place, right on my back was running the hero and Argentinian idol Galindez!! I could measure how far he was just by the loud noise people were cheering!! A lot of them were cheering on me, but the cheers to Galindez was causing goosebumps even 20 secs ahead, where was me!

On the last stretch there was fellows almost closing the street with straight hands to greet the competitors, I've never seen so passionate triathlon fans before, the T-Rex could easily reach to clap all the hands on both sides!! There is no other triathlon like this! I was imagining how impossible would be a finish sprint with that many people wanting to celebrate with the top finishers!
Well, afraid of losing my position I finished strong, even running sideways for a while trying to pass through those many folks!

I assured my placing! The 3rd athlete came 16 secs behind! I assured my place! Where I wanted to be.

Right up there!! On the VIP area of that party, did not bother me at all, those many pieces of paper sticking on my champagne sticky body!! Goal reached!!

I couldn't forget to mention that I met some really nice friends!
We have made some workouts together, and also had a good time enjoying the city!
They all raced on Saturday, the age-group race. As we had agreeded, the barbecue post race had some of the awards champagne, and ferne with choripan (traditional drink and food in Argentina)!
Besides a great race, I also had a great stay!!

Hasta el próximo año!!

Ironman Cozumel

Yeahhh!! I did it!! 11h01min46sec to cross the finish line here at Cozumel!!

List of goals:

Swim in the first pack:  (felt good, but bad positioning) 

Go all out on the bike (fearless):  (died on the last 14miles!) pretty happy with bike split though!
Marathon under 3h:  no
Finish in top 8: no
Finish sub 9h:  no
Have Fun:  oww yeahh!! (more than planned - 11h!)

Finish:  Yea!! I did it!! 

Except for the last 14 miles on the bike, I felt good on the whole course.

The swim had a huge current against us for the first 0.6 mile, and I was on the further possible point from the shore, I mean the worst spot someone could be! :( I managed to get some positions back after the first buoy, but I have lost the 1st pack, which was my goal...

I had a terrible start on the bike. I got scared starting 112 miles like that, my legs were in pain since the first effort!! Luckily my quads warmed up in time to ride with the group that just caught me on the second mile...
In a three lap circuit, we started passing many age-groupers, and with a big rhythm variation I was a couple times very close to the next athlete, so ended up getting a draft penalty...

(Two days before on the race start!!)

2 minutes at the tent and I came back flying on the course, I was angry and felt strong!! On the next 30 miles I thought I could catch those guys again... Then I broke!! I was crawling with my bike for the last 14 miles!! And thats when everything annoys you: my feet were hurting, the bike seat was uncomfortable, I was getting hungry, the wind was against me, the heat was coming up and even the legs were getting tired!! :)
Soon another group passed by me, but I couldn't push it anymore, I was looking forward to get my special needs bike bag and get some treats!! Weew, so glad I filled that bag!!

That happened before on training days and I was prepared to fight it! So after agonizing for those 14 miles, I couldn't wait to put my feet on the ground, I knew I would feel better on the run, and I was right! I got really easy at the beginning, first 5km was sub 21min, I was going to finish easily sub 9hours!!

But then my knee yelled louder...  I have been injured since a month ago. It messed up quite a bit my training schedule, but it was over control on last days and I thought it would be gone on the race day. No, still there! And I alternated run with walking until half marathon, on 13 miles to go I had to decide if I would quit or finish the whole thing walking, because hurting my knee was not on the plan...

(With coach Siri!)

I had time to finish that! I had 8 hours to walk a half marathon!
Would be worth just to finish it!??

Ironman is an Ironman!! So many people walk, cry, craw and do whatever they can to make those 140.6 miles!! I had to complete that journey!! Plus quitting on the first Ironman would not be a good karma...

I thought for a while: When I was on the army, I did a 32k march, carrying 20kg of equipment, with no food, stopping every 3 hours just for a 15min nap, and cheering for the soldier in front of me doesn't fall, otherwise I would have to carry his equipment if not him till the end!
Yeahhh this walk was becoming really easy! Water, coke and gatorade at will, with music every 2 miles, people cheering me up everywhere, and the only thing I had to carry was as much chocolate bars I could hold in my hands!! :)

With no doubts I finished the mission!!
That was super cool!! When I crossed the line was already dark, and the finish line had so many lights that seemed I was entering in another dimension... "You are an Ironman" I heard from the speakers!! hahaha

It was great! Very happy with my performance until the sore knee...
Not satisfied... Im looking forward to the next one!!

Enthusiastic!!

Wow! almost a month without any blog updates!
It was not for a lack of ideas, but to many thoughts!!
My poor friends. Magali had to listen to my philosophies during our 5 hour drive to Wildflower and Carl had no escape, as we live together! lol

(Wildflower)

This week, while flying to Florida, I read another Paulo Coelho book.  He explains many of life's mysteries as if they were part of magic. After reading it, my own ideas started to make more sense!

Although my national flat (Brazil) says, "Order and Progress", I noticed that is impossible to have progress without disorder and confrontation. It is this was that brings you the expected progress, so be ready to stand the storm. Sooner or later the calmness will come!

I got goosebumps after reading in Valkiria's book that Paulo Coelho began his journey to meet his Guardian Angel in the desert of Borrego Springs. It was where I met Siri Lindley and her lemme "love it". And gradualy, Siri taught me to enjoy triathlon like I used to do years ago, when each race was an adventure and independent of the result, I would be happy if I had raced my best. There were no worries about sponsors or the Federation; no obligation to win or show results to anyone. The only concern was to have fun challenging myself and my opponents to see who could persist with that speed!

"Somethings are so difficult that you need to learn by yourself..."
Paulo Coelho

My revolution was to forget all about that perfectionist science to reach my peak performance. And instead of science I learned to be conscious experiencing each workout with enthusiasm and trusting that the results would come as a consequence.

"Enthusiasm (From Greek, en+theos, literally 'in God') originally meant inspiration or possession by a divine afflatus or by the presence of a god. Currently, it can be understood as a state of excitement and joy, reflecting a  consequent courage. An enthusiastic person is willing to face difficulties and challenges, not allowing himself down and transmitting confidence for all people around. Therefore the enthusiasm can be considered as an optimistic mood." (from Portuguese Wikipedia)

"Don´t you know you better run, run, run, run, run, run, run, run, run...
Cause finally the tables are starting to turn; Talking about a revolution..."

Tracy Chapman

In my last event, while racing Wildflower, I had a flat tire and lost out on the best experience of the race, running the trails in the beautiful mountains.

I also had the opportunity to meet two of the big names of triathlon, Chris McCormack and Lance Armstrong, they join us on a swim workout at Culver City Plunge.

Right now I am at Kissimee/FL, practicing my Portuguese with my Brazilian friends! Next Sunday I will race the Half-Ironman. Today I was surprised to find my name in the press as one of the threats which might prevent Lance from having his first victory in a 70.3!!
"Qui Sait!?"

"Out to challenge Armstrong, Maxim Kriat of the Ukraine is no stranger to the top step. Winner of Ironman 70.3 Augusta in 2010, he was second in Florida 70.3 last year. Strong on the bike, he has been known to have some fast run legs too (1:13 at best, compared to Armstrong’s 1:17). Also watch out for young Brazilian, Mauro Cavanha. The run is his strength and, if he can hold on during the bike, we could be in for a very exciting foot race." (Originally from: www.ironman.com) 

With enthusiasm, here I go!! :-D

I think, therefore I persist!!

38th on the Tongyeong - Korea World Cup...

The race did not go as I anticipated.  I had learned not to worry about results, but we always have expectations (which must not be requirements).   Once more, I did not reach my potential in this race, but it left me a wiser triathlete.

I had a positive outlook about the competition.  I felt good that day and for the first time in a World Championship I was swimming with ease in the middle of the pack.  Having already completed three quarters of the water portion, I felt I could sprint at will, until in the last 300 m my stomach started to cramp and I could barely breathe.  @^&! I thought, "I cannot believe this is happening again."  Cramps had been conquered, or so I thought.  I slowed down almost to a stop, breathed deeply, believing I could catch the pack on the bike.

Because of slowing in the water, a few athletes caught me and we started biking as a group of five.  For the remainder of the race I did not feel as tired as I had previously, but the cramps remained.  I pushed, but with such a small group, overcoming the strong lead packs seemed impossible.  Once I realized that, I just tried my best.  

Sometimes the goal seems so close and yet so far at the same time...
What a test of patience! C'est la vie!
Maybe I will find the emerald on my next attempt!!

As described in this paragraph from Paulo Coelho's amazing book I just read "The Alchemist":

(...)
"The old (wizard) man related that, the week before, he had been forced to appear before a miner, and had taken the form of a stone. The miner had abandoned everything to go mining for emeralds. For five years he had been working a certain river, and had examined hundreds of thousands of stones looking for an emerald. The miner was about to give it all up, right at the point when, if he were to examine just one more stone—just one more— he would find his emerald. Since the miner had sacrificed everything to his destiny, the old man decided to become involved. He transformed himself into a stone that rolled up to the miner's foot. The miner, with all the anger and frustration of his five fruitless years, picked up the stone and threw it aside. But he had thrown it with such force that it broke the stone it fell upon, and there, embedded in the broken stone, was the most beautiful emerald in the world.

'People learn, early in their lives, what is their reason for being,' said the old man, with a certain bitterness. 'Maybe that's why they give up on it so early, too. But that's the way it is." (...)

37th at Huatulco World Cup, México

I thought it would be really hard, and maybe I would not be prepared. But I did it!!
I arrived at the Mexican World Cup without worryies about results!
The goal was accomplished, I did the best I could and had fun in the whole race!!

Of course, is a kind of masochist fun!! I suffered a lot, but who will say that it is not fun any arduous climb to the summit of a mountain!?
I believe the secret is not to pursue your dream... but live it!!

I did not make one of my best races, despite having swum much better then the others WCs, on the first lap of the cycling course I felt my legs weak, and could not stay with the pack, on the course there was a big hill plus the heat of the asphalt, I was climbing inside a sauna, was close to 3 minutes like in the hell!! Probably the thermal sensation was about 45°C... I was suffering so much, but as I saw the others suffering too, I was enjoying it, like lets see who takes that for longer!!

I started to feeling better on each lap, but the first pack was already on a big gap, so I enjoyed the group of about 5 (which were not always the same 5, some were catched, and others were dropped out).
I left to run amost creeping! But this was the game!! I knew that at the end of the race I would be glad to had been played the match till the end!!

Sometimes came into my mind that I had invested a lot of money and time to be there and I did not have a good performance, but soon I realized that I could enjoy every minute on the pursuit of my dream!
Another lesson learned!!

On the next day was my birthday, so I tried enjoy myself a bit more suffering on the Huatulco beaches, as on the pictures above!!

This are not wrinkles of the time, but from the wind speed!
Neither are white hairs, but water drops on 60kph!!
Ok, all right, I was getting older at that day!!! hahaha

7th at LA Tri, Free of Expectations!!!

Racing in the Los Angeles Triathlon was like discovering something new!!
I had fun like I haven't had a long time ago, and with my coach Siri Lindley we confirmed I was having some psychological weakness on facing the races...

(30secs to go!!)

Coming from awesome trains but any good races I started to think that I could be having some psychological deficiencies...
With the thought that would be perfect to have a mind of a soldier, who gives even his life for the nation, I thought that would be interesting to read a military psychologic book, so I did, and the reading was fine, but couldn't find any answer for my poor performance, is not courage that was missing on my mind...

(Having 40km of pure fun!!)

Since Edmonton WC, on july, my amazing coach Siri, opened my eyes for the problem called:

EXPECTATION!!
Gosh, waiting for a supposed future is something that really agonizes everybody...
We work hard the whole year, we sacrifice parties and weekends, investing time and money on a big target, and how can we do not expect reap the rewards!??

Looking back on this race, perhaps a tip is to not put so much focus on just one goal.
Always point on different targets and know that not all of them will succeed as wished... So we can avoid jitters of having all your chips on just one bet...

Expectation makes anxiousness, and I believe that this was consuming me on the World Cup races.
2011 is an important year for the Olympic trials, without a good sponsor, plus the Brazilian Confederation avoiding my participation, I could not imagine having bad results, an that unconscious pressure I think justifies my physical and mental exhaustion on the WC races...

Thanks to Siri, I realized how different is to be on a race without expetations. A non drafting race, where I bought a TT bike the day before the race, and without any specific training for it, I could just expect to have fun doing my best possible on that day.

(mens podium)

I arrived at the start line filled of energy, knowing that would be a great day! Pretty different on the feelings of the last races...

Just loving it!! (like Siri always say!)
I swam, rode and ran really good, exception for my second transition which was the worse one, because I had really bad cramps on my quads at the time to put the shoes on!! Luckily these cramps were getting better as I was running!
Kaiser Permanente Los Angeles Triathlon - Olympic results

I am still learning how to race without expectations, its not easy when the funnel for the Olympics is getting tight, and without a good sponsor I cannot travel without worries on if it wil be worth to race so far...

But following the mantra "just do it, just love it!"
Here we gooooo!!!
For the next World Cups:
Mexico - at 9th and Korea october 15th!!

The Boomerang Effect

In Brazil sometimes we say that everything that goes, one day will comes back ...
This is not an exact rule, and I like the example of the boomerang because first comes the "BOOM" I mean, we must break the inertia and make a great effort more or less calculated to throw it... and then if get it back in your hands "Merang", otherwise it always still lots of fun!!

After nearly six months away from home, I returned to Curitiba!
How good is to change, get out of routine, spend a few days at home, train in the cold (not that fun), seeing family and friends!
Energy recharged!

Sometimes I feel so tired of traveling... This nomadic life is not that cool!
But if you want to achieve something big, you need to pay the price and BOOM!
Here I go and in the next five Tuesdays I will be embarking on a plane "going and returning": a week in LA, one week in Japan, one more week in LA, another in Brazil, time for a Mexican one, and again I stop in the U.S. !
I say one week, but it will be actually five days because the other 48 hours I'll be sitting trying to sleep between the skies and airports of many different countries!
OMG... it accurately portrays the pursuit of an Olympic place!
Living the dream! :-)

Well, I was not only boomeranging at Caiobá - Brazil, but also participated in an open water challenge!

The crazy one without a wetsuit in the picture is me!
I was swimming well, but got stuck in some currents, what made me lose a lot of time! I swam about 15 minutes worse than last time and finished in 5th place, finishing the aprox. 3 km in 55 minutes.
Congratulations to all who completed the challenge, was not an easy one!

This week I'm in Los Angeles and the next stop will be in Yokohama - Japan, the race was postponed after the terrible tsunami that shocked the world.
The race is a stage of the 2012 World Championships and also distribute points for Olympic ranking.

Here we goooooooooo!!!!!