Sports
Luiza Pais: Balancing IRONMAN and Family Life in Brasília
Professional triathlete Luiza Pais reveals the challenges and strategies for combining her IRONMAN journey with a demanding family routine.
In an exclusive interview at IRONMAN 70.3 Brasília, Luiza Pais shares how she manages the demanding preparation for IRONMAN Floripa alongside her family life. She discusses the importance of her husband's and children's support, treating the race as a 'family project.' Discover her tactics for optimizing performance without sacrificing family moments.
In an exclusive conversation backstage at Nubank Ultravioleta IRONMAN 70.3 Brasília, professional triathlete Luiza Pais shared with hosts Fabio Bessa and Bruna Mahn the challenges and joys of balancing high performance in triathlon with an intense family routine. The interview delved into her preparation for IRONMAN Floripa, her strategy for the Brasília race, and the importance of having her family as a pillar in this process.
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IRONMAN: A Family and Life Project
Luiza Pais describes triathlon as a lifestyle, something that fills her with purpose as she swims, cycles, and runs. However, IRONMAN is approached differently: it's a family project. With three children and a busy life, Luiza emphasizes that IRONMAN demands training time that, to be honest, she doesn't easily have. Therefore, the decision to participate was made collaboratively with her family, a true consensus.
"If you want to do an IRONMAN, and you have a family, you have children, you have a job, you have to talk at work, you have to talk to your children, you have to talk to your husband, to your wife," Luiza explains. This team approach is crucial because the long training hours, especially on weekends, mean giving up family moments. Luiza mentions that she sometimes leaves home at 4 AM for a cycle of over 200 km, returning exhausted and missing part of the day with her children. Despite this, she finds comfort in knowing it's a project with a beginning, middle, and end, and that a healthy lifestyle is a legacy for her boys.
Strategies and Challenges at IRONMAN 70.3 Brasília
The IRONMAN 70.3 Brasília race was not the main focus of Luiza's preparation; she considers it a transition stage for IRONMAN Floripa, which will take place on May 31st. Without specific "tapering," Luiza arrived in Brasília after intense training, feeling tired but optimistic. Her expectation was to have a better race than the previous year, with more physical integrity, thanks to a more solid training base.
A fundamental lesson for Luiza was the importance of race strategy, especially in swimming. As a former open-water swimmer, she needs to differentiate "Luiza the swimmer" from "Luiza the triathlete." "I have the maturity to understand how far I should go, not necessarily how far I can go," she states. Pushing too hard in swimming, as she did in a previous Olympic triathlon, can compromise the bike and run. In Brasília, the focus would be to balance effort to ensure more consistent performance across all three disciplines.
Quick Q&A with Luiza Pais: Preferences and Idols
In a fun quick-fire round with the hosts, Luiza revealed a bit more about her personality:
- Favorite training music: She loves samba and pagode, especially the group Menos É Mais.
- Favorite superhero: Wonder Woman, whom her children also associate with their tireless mother.
- Football team: In a "fusion" of hearts, she's a Flamengo fan by family and a Fluminense supporter (her husband's and children's team).
- Favorite post-race food: After a strict athlete's diet, she craves something "extremely palatable," like a hamburger.
- Longest bike ride: She recently did a 210 km ride with her coach, Ezequiel Morales.
- Childhood idol: Her parents, who were always her greatest references for love, dedication, and nurturing.
Luiza Pais exemplifies the passion for sport and dedication to family. Her IRONMAN journey is a testament to the human capacity to pursue great goals without losing connection to life's most important roots and values, inspiring many to find their own balance in the pursuit of their best self.
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