Sports
Carlos Dias Turns Extreme Running into Support for GRAACC
The first South American to conquer the 4 Deserts looks back on continental treks and the charitable mission guiding his steps.
In a conversation on XTREMMA Sports with Shubi Guimarães, Carlos Dias reflects on his journey of resilience, from his childhood in São Paulo to Earth's harshest deserts. The ultramarathoner details historic crossings and explains how he turned endurance running into funds for pediatric cancer care.
The journey of Carlos Dias in endurance sports did not begin on state-of-the-art running tracks or under high-performance coaching. Born in São Bernardo do Campo to parents from Bahia, he grew up playing in dirt streets and dealing with early hardship: he lost his father at age two to an armed robbery at work. His mother, Dona Neli, a cleaner who was initially illiterate, became the family's pillar of determination, instilling in her children the belief that education and hard work would be their greatest assets.
His first encounter with road running came at age 20 in a 10 km race in Vila Prudente, São Paulo. The festive atmosphere and the sense of crossing the finish line through sheer effort captivated the young runner, who quickly progressed from the 15 km Saint Silvester Road Race to marathons. Balancing a procurement job with evening college classes, Carlos woke up at dawn to run 16 km to work each day, alongside weekend long runs of 40 to 50 km in the Serra da Cantareira under coach Herói Fungue.
PUBLICIDADE (GAM) — 1250x250
From Cubatão's 100 km to the legendary Comrades in South Africa
The leap to ultramarathon distances beyond 42 km occurred in the late 1990s. In Cubatão, Carlos completed his first 100 km race in 10 hours and 34 minutes, sharing the course with established endurance icons like Valmir Nunes. The experience highlighted the challenges of race fueling and forged his physical and mental resilience for even bolder pursuits.
In 1998, when deciding to enter the iconic Comrades Marathon in South Africa, Carlos faced widespread skepticism and sent 400 sponsorship proposals to companies—receiving 400 rejections. His breakthrough came from his employer, Tagma, where he worked as a purchasing assistant; the company director recognized his daily dedication and funded the trip. Carlos crossed the finish line in Durban in 11:01:27—just 1 minute and 27 seconds past the medal cutoff, but with the unwavering certainty that extreme distances were his true calling.
Journeys across Brazil and continents
From then on, the athlete took on unprecedented challenges. In 2007, inspired by the birth of his son Vinicius, he ran the length of Brazil from Oiapoque to Chuí: covering 9,000 km self-supported over 100 days wearing Crocs clogs, aided by occasional support from the Federal Highway Police and the Brazilian Army—a feat certified by RankBrasil.
Two years later, he ran coast to coast across the United States—from New York to San Francisco—covering 5,130 km in 60 days. In 2010, he completed the epic Volta ao Brasil, logging 18,250 km in 325 days. That journey began 40 days after the sudden passing of his mother, anchored in her final words to him: "never leave anything half done."
The 4 Deserts series and the birth of a social cause
Carlos Dias became the first South American to complete the 4 Deserts series in under a year (around 210 days). He braved the rocks and altitude of the Gobi Desert (China), the 54°C (129°F) heat and sandstorms of the Sahara (Egypt), the polar ice and winds of Antarctica, and the jagged salt flats of the Atacama (Chile).
During his pre-race medical evaluations for the Gobi Desert at the GRAACC hospital (Support Group for Children and Adolescents with Cancer) in São Paulo, his interaction with pediatric cancer patients redefined his purpose. Moved by the children's bravery, Carlos decided he would no longer run merely for medals or records, but to raise funds for the institution. He launched the Transform Kilometers into a Cure campaign, symbolically selling every kilometer of his challenges to generate direct donations for the hospital.
Book, future projects, and relentless momentum
In 2024, the ultramarathoner independently published his book Além dos Extremos (Beyond the Extremes), chronicling his childhood memories, extreme expeditions, and the impact of his social projects. Book sales and kilometer donations remain active through his digital platforms.
For 2027, Carlos already has his sights set on his next major milestone: a 5,200 km trek starting in Ushuaia at the southern tip of Argentina, planned to finish on Mother’s Day on the very dead-end street in São Bernardo do Campo where he took his first steps as a child.
PUBLICIDADE (GAM) — 1250x250
