Sports
Cleusa Uenaka: Running at 70 and the Power of Consistency
With over 1,700 consecutive days of running, the influencer shares lessons on discipline, health, and reinvention.
At age 71, Cleusa Uenaka decided to reclaim her health through fitness and now has over 1,700 consecutive days of running under her belt. In an interview on Girls Who Run, she details her routine, overcoming adversity, and why it is never too late to start.
Starting something new and challenging often feels out of reach as time goes by, but the journey of Cleusa Uenaka breaks down every chronological barrier. She took up running at age 71 after facing serious health issues and a delicate hospitalization. Today, at 75, Cleusa has racked up more than 1,788 consecutive days of running, gained thousands of followers on social media, and travels the country giving talks on longevity and mindset shifts.
In a Women's Day special on Girls Who Run, a show from the Stemma hub hosted by Mariana Real and Marcela Fanti, Cleusa shared her life story, the micro-decisions that sustain her routine, and the vital importance of putting herself first.
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From the Hospital Bed to a Turning Point
Before lacing up her running shoes, Cleusa weathered decades of demanding retail work, lost businesses, and a stint working in Japan with her family during the 2008 financial crisis. All the accumulated stress culminated in a severe health crisis, leading to a hospitalization at Hospital das Clínicas with dangerously low platelet counts.
The turning point came when a physician warned her about the urgent need to shift her mindset and pursue her own dreams. Determined to change her reality, she earned her high school diploma through adult education (EJA), moved to the northern coast of São Paulo, adopted healthier eating habits, and started moving, losing more than 20 kg along the way.
The 30-Day Challenge and Daily Consistency
Cleusa's definitive entry into road running began with an online challenge launched by mentor Paulo Machado: run 1 km every day for 30 consecutive days. On the very first day, wearing denim shorts and regular shoes, Cleusa tripped and fell onto the asphalt. Instead of giving up, she got back up, finished the distance, and saw the goal through to the end.
After the initial 30 days, she doubled the target to 2 km a day, maintaining that streak for more than 700 uninterrupted days before progressing to 4 km and 5 km. For Cleusa, the secret to tracking progress does not lie in expensive gear or ideal weather conditions, but in the non-negotiable decision to honor the daily commitment—even if that means running in the garage or around the dining table on stormy days.
Prioritizing Yourself in Daily Routine
For most of her life, Cleusa tended to family and work responsibilities before ever thinking of herself. The transformation truly solidified when she reversed that mindset, claiming the early morning as her dedicated window for self-care, reading, and a 7:00 AM workout before starting any other task of the day.
This approach of protecting her schedule reflects an essential rule for sustaining discipline: reducing friction. Setting out her clothes and placing socks inside her shoes the night before eliminates morning decision fatigue, turning the workout into an automatic habit just like any essential health routine.
From Everyday Runner to Inspiring Voice
When she began documenting her daily runs and candid reflections on Instagram without filters or elaborate production, Cleusa went viral. Her unscripted content, recorded right after workouts with direct messages on courage and personal accountability, struck a chord with audiences of all ages.
The impact of her message opened doors to corporate keynotes and events for medical professionals sponsored by major brands like Danone and Suzano. Above all, consistent athletic activity gave Cleusa independence, the energy to play with her grandchildren, and the certainty that life gains vigor with every step taken with consistency.
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