Sports
Luiza Pais: Motherhood, Ironman Brazil, and the Power of Planning
The triathlete reveals how she transformed the Ironman challenge into a life project, balancing children, career, and training with total dedication.
Balancing motherhood, career, and rigorous Ironman training can seem impossible. Luiza Pais shares her journey to the Nubank Ultravioleta Ironman Brazil, detailing the sacrifices and meticulous planning required to achieve her dream. She emphasizes the importance of a family support network and how she approached the race as a focused and calm project.
Triathlete Luiza Pais spoke with Fabio Bessa and Thiago Kawamura behind the scenes of the Nubank Ultravioleta Ironman Brazil, revealing the challenges and dedication behind her preparation. A mother of three, Luiza detailed how she transformed the Ironman journey into a life project, balancing her intense routine with training and the pursuit of high performance.
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Ironman as a Project: Dedication and Sacrifices
For Luiza, Ironman, unlike triathlon which she sees as a lifestyle, was a project. This approach required significant adaptations and sacrifices in her routine, including long training trips that kept her away from her family. Her dedication was so great that Luiza used a two-month sabbatical leave from her job in the public service in Rio de Janeiro to focus entirely on her preparation.
"I gave everything, truly, everything I possibly could," says Luiza, emphasizing that this total commitment left her calm and confident for the race. Her goal was to enjoy the moment with her family and do her best, without worrying excessively about uncontrollable factors. For her, the hardest part had already passed during the training phase.
Training and Routine: Challenges and Discoveries
When asked about the highest-volume training cycle for Ironman, Luiza revealed her preferences. She really enjoyed the marathon cycle (running), as it fits well with her dynamics, allowing her to run from home and adapt schedules to her children's commitments. In running, she learned to better understand her body, the sensations of effort and pace.
However, cycling presented a greater challenge. "It's a lot of time, folks. It's so much, then I get sad," Luiza laments about the long hours on the road. Despite the emotional difficulty, she completed her training, emphasizing that Ironman was a project for everyone, with the involvement of her husband, parents, and children.
The Crucial Role of the Support Network
Luiza Pais's experience serves as an inspiration for many women, especially mothers, who are considering taking on an Ironman. "Some women say, 'oh, I won't be able to do an Ironman, fit it into my life, with children, with everything involved in being a woman,'" commented Bruninha. Luiza emphasized that the key is planning and a support network.
She advises: "Map it out. What is your dream? Is it this? Map it out. See who needs to be involved." A mother's routine is different, and it's necessary to talk with family and work to ensure everyone is on board. "It's a project. Ironman is a project for mothers," Luiza stresses, warning that it's not an easy path and requires a lot of overcoming challenges and even tears.
Luiza also highlighted that triathlon isn't just about Ironman. There are various distances and formats (sprint, Olympic, duathlon, aquathlon) that adapt to different realities and routines. "Triathlon is possible for everyone," she concludes, emphasizing the importance of taking care of oneself to care for others.
Back to the Roots: Triathlon Journey and Dreams Realized
During the "quick chat," Luiza shared a bit more about her journey. Her first triathlon race was 20 years ago, in a state circuit in Rio de Janeiro, around 2003. She returned to the sport with a sprint triathlon and, since then, followed a gradual progression: one year of sprint, one year of Olympic, 16 70.3 races, until reaching Ironman. This respectful progression is, for her, the secret to longevity and the absence of serious injuries in the sport.
Regarding unfulfilled triathlon dreams, Luiza surprised: "I think I'm already living the dream. This, today, is the dream." Completing an Ironman, which once seemed impossible, is the realization of that desire. Her carbohydrate consumption during the race would be 70 to 90 grams per hour. For the finish line, the song that would move her would be Ayrton Senna's theme, "the one that makes everyone cry."
Luiza Pais's story is an inspiring testament that persistence, planning, and a strong support network can transform major athletic challenges, like an Ironman, into realized dreams. Her journey highlights that success in high-performance sports can and should coexist with family and professional responsibilities, provided it's approached with the right mindset.
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