Cleusa Uenaka: Valuing Time and Inspiring Her Granddaughter
The runner reflects on priorities, the power of saying no, and how her passion for running inspired her 7-year-old granddaughter.
Viewing time as life's most valuable currency, Cleusa Uenaka learned to better prioritize her days and routines. This mindset and her dedication to running became an inspiration for her granddaughter, who completed her first 5k race at just 7 years old.
The passage of time often changes how we manage each hour of the day. For Cleusa Uenaka, time has become life's only true currency. In a conversation on the Stemma Sports podcast Se Liga Nelas, the runner highlighted that growing older brought the clarity to choose who to spend time with and how to direct her energy, learning to set boundaries and say no without guilt.
Time as choice and autonomy
This shift in mindset was a recent milestone in Cleusa's journey, which she compares to getting a driver's license: taking the wheel of your own life. Today, her top priority is spending quality time with her grandchildren. Staying physically active and healthy on the running track is the exact key she found to keep up with them as they grow.
Leading by example for the next generation
This bond ended up planting the running seed in the family. Her granddaughter's interest was sparked when she saw her grandmother's medal collection and asked for some. Upon hearing from Cleusa that medals aren't shared but earned through training and effort on the track, the young girl decided to start running too. Soon after, she was already participating in kids' races, such as the kids circuit of Maratona de Campo Grande, Hello Kids, and Jovens Titãs.
Her determination became even clearer during a 5k women's race in Sumaré. Initially barred from registering because it was an adult event, the 7-year-old girl insisted to organizers that she wanted to run alongside her grandmother and mother. After making a deal to finish the race in exchange for a reward at the mall, she ran the entire route chatting with other participants and crossed the finish line to proudly show off the medal she had earned.