S3E9 -- UltraMX 515 Race Preview with Van Sanchez

Some people make it to the 515 distance and still don’t find it to be far enough.  Today’s UltraMX 515 Athlete in Profile, Carlos Pena, is one of those athletes.  After previously completing the Mexican 515 race, he took on the non-stop 515 – two times.  He has also completed triple and quintuple long distance triathlon events.  

Next up for this man is a Deca in Mexico (10 long distance events in 10 days) and a continuous  Deca in Brazil next spring.  

Carlos shares information about his training volume as well as how he adjusts it depending on the event and many other tips about going long.  

UltraMX 515 race director, Van Sanchez, joins me in the second part of the episode for a preview of all of the athletes who will be competing at the event from October 28-30th.

Follow the event as it happens from the races Instagram page https://www.instagram.com/ultramx_series/

In the third segment, Michelle Echeverria, joins the conversation to talk about the new Ultra 515 Texas that they are introducing to the world in May 2023.  Stay tuned for race updates at https://www.instagram.com/ultratx515/

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• UltraMX 515
• UltraMX 515 Non-stop
• Deca Ultra Tri Mexico
• Brazil Deca Tri
• Blazing 7’s 100 mile
• Louisville IM
• Marathon Des Sables
• RAAM
• Ultra 355 Canada
• Breakfast with Bob Podcast
• Rich Roll Podcast
• Ultra 355 Cozumel
• IM Cozumel
• Ultra Guachochi
• IM Tempe
• IM Flagstaff

Shout outs and mentions in this episode:

• Sergio Corderio
• Shanda Hill
• Van Sanchez
• Brandon Pena
• Pantera
• The Eagles 
• Steve King
• Ana Gallardo - Athlete
• Iñaki de la Parra
• Leoncio Sanchez
• Edwin Mendoza
• Esther del Rocío Alcántara Ávila (Tey) - Athlete
• Héctor “Capi” Torres
• Noemi Pichardov- Athlete
• Delia Lujan
• Gloria Aguilera
• Jose Postigo
• Rosalia Valdovinos - Athlete
• Mario Vazquez
• Alida Davis - Athlete
• Gustavo Borjon
• Luis Carlos Ávalos Luján - Athlete
• Carlos Arturo Galvis Fajardo - Athlete
• Mario Alberto Vazquez - Athlete
• Brad Allen - Athlete
• León Felipe Magno Galván Ramírez- Athlete
• Eduardo Torres Milan - Athlete
• Arcelia Pimentel Quinto
• Thania Torres Pimentel
• Kassandra Torres Pimentel 
• Francisco Jose Garcia Camacho - Athlete
• Daniel Flores - Athlete
• Nick Mallett
• Alejandro Pelayo - Athlete
• Miguel Aguilar
• Jesus Ventura Rabago Estrada - Athlete
• Guillermina Lopez 
• Angelica Rabago, Mina, Ventura Estrada 
• Ramiro Gutiérrez - Athlete
• Michelle Cevicherria (Zion)

Show Contributors:

Host : Larry Ryan 
Contributing Raconteur : Steve King
Announcer : Mary Jo Dionne
Production : 5Five Enterprises
Music  :  Run by 331

For show notes and past guests, please visit the Podcast Website: https://515theultrapodcast.buzzsprout.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/515TheUltraPodcast
Insta : 515theultrapodcast

If you enjoy the podcast, would you please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts/iTunes or where you get your pods.   

I would like to hear from you and who you think should be interviewed.
Email : 515Ultraman@gmail.com

Transcript

Athlete in Profile (UltraMX 515) – Carlos Pena

Larry 0:47

My next guest is another of the Ultra MX 515 athletes in profile. He has already competed in three 515 distance races, one in the traditional three-day format and two others in the nonstop version. He definitely likes to see how many races he can link together. He has also competed in a triple long distance continuous and a quintuple continuous. Joining me from his home in Laredo, Texas is Carlos Peña. Welcome to 515.

SPEAKER_04 1:17

Hi, thank you, Larry.

Larry 1:19

So I understand that you are going to go even further soon, that you have not one but two decas on your horizon. Can you tell me where are these and and when are these gonna be happening?

SPEAKER_04 1:34

Uh the first decade is gonna be or two different formats. So the first one that I'm gonna do is gonna be the deca one per day. So it's gonna be 10 Iron Man, basically uh 10 Iron Man distances in 10 days. That's gonna be in Mexico uh in about three weeks. Okay. On October 17th. That's the uh that's the first one. And then on next year, we're going to Brazil to do in the Deca uh, but that's the continuous uh format.

Larry 2:08

Continuous, okay. So a Decca continuous. What part of Brazil is that in?

SPEAKER_04 2:13

Uh Rio de Janeiro.

Larry 2:15

Oh, Rio, nice, very nice. Um, so I was I was gonna ask you how close you were to the Ultra MX 515 on this DECA, but now it sounds like you're overlapping days with the Ultra MX 515.

SPEAKER_04 2:29

Yeah, I happen.

Larry 2:30

Oh, so did you sign up for that DECA after signing up for the Ultra MX?

SPEAKER_04 2:36

Well, no, no, actually, I first signed up for the DECA, but we didn't know the dates for the Ultra MX first.

Larry 2:46

I see what happened.

SPEAKER_04 2:47

Yeah, yeah, yeah, overlapping.

Larry 2:50

So I so I guess that means you're out on the Ultra MX.

SPEAKER_04 2:53

Yes.

Larry 2:55

Man, my my athletes in profile, they they seem to start uh missing the races that I'm profiling them for. I got I'm gonna have to start a jinx or something here.

SPEAKER_04 3:05

No, that's my I've been on the Ultra MX uh three times, and the last one was at the beginning of this year with the non-stop. So I already did the at least I covered my my quota for this year.

Larry 3:20

Yeah, that's good. That's good. I like that. Um, so when you were racing previously in, I think it was in one of your quintuple races, you you got a chance to race with Sergio Cordero, um, who is a former DECA champion, but but you were able to beat him at that quintuple in Brazil. So that does that give you some kind of confidence going forward when you when you race against someone like that and and you you come out on top?

SPEAKER_04 3:50

I don't know. No, well, it's not like confidence, it's it's just that uh I don't know. I I just had a good race. Um I'm thankful for that. I had a good race, and actually I learned a lot from Sergio. Uh he was giving me very good advice, and uh he's always smiling, he's always pushing for you forward. So it was a great race, but of course he still has uh the record, I believe, since 2006 or 2009. So no one has been taking his record for a while.

Larry 4:22

Yeah. Um and and what I meant was does it does it give you confidence that as you move forward now into a DECA that that you will be able to transition up to the DECA?

SPEAKER_04 4:35

Well, I think so, yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Uh, I've been training really hard. And yeah I'm I'm trying to do a good, you know, a good role on the on the race, having a good time, uh, not only finishing, but uh you know, doing doing my best. And yeah, I feel I feel good to finish both races.

Larry 4:57

And and have you changed your volume of training at all to to do a DECA, or are you doing the same thing and you're just gonna try and put it all together for 10 days?

SPEAKER_04 5:06

Yes, or not. Basically, I've been uh I learn a lot. I've been reading more, um learning from another athlete. And I'm still well, I train about 20 to 25 hours a week. Is is is kind of the sweet spot for the ultra-distance uh training uh volume. Uh but I'm not training. That's the same that I was doing last last year. About 20 to 25 hours still.

Larry 5:36

And and how would you break that down over the disciplines?

SPEAKER_04 5:40

About 10 hours on the bike, eight to ten hours uh run, and the rest on the uh, you know, at the pool.

Larry 5:48

And I I only ask that because I know a lot of people who listen to the the podcast, they're they're trying to find out how how do other people do this stuff? You know, what what are their training programs? What how much are they doing? And I think a lot of people going into Ultra might get a little bit confused about you really have to ramp up the volume to meet the higher volume of the race. And and most of the people who have been doing it for a while, they've learned that you don't really have to. It's a little more quality over quantity.

SPEAKER_04 6:16

Yes, that's right. Yeah, uh probably right now I'm training six days a week and taking one day off. But out of those six days, uh probably four of those days is only two hours a day. Like one hour running, one hour swimming or so. And probably the long weekends is when I put four to six hour sessions.

Larry 6:44

And have you been able to avoid injury through your through your training this way?

SPEAKER_04 6:48

Yes. Uh I haven't had any injuries in the last couple years.

Larry 6:54

And and you were saying that you you actually have learned a lot by racing with and talking to Sergio. So share maybe some of his advice. What what have you picked up from him?

SPEAKER_04 7:04

Well, from him and from other athletes, you know, the same uh level as Sergio. They always talk about nutrition, about resting, about you know, uh not getting mad if you skip one day of training. And mostly is uh not going too fast at the beginning of the race. Just you know, keep your pace, go slow. From Sergio, he said, like uh, if you think you're going slow, go slower. That's that's his advice. If you think you're going slow, you better go slower. So that's that's the kind of idea from those long distance races.

Larry 7:48

Yeah. And and these upcoming races that you have, do you know any of the competitors that are going to these races? Is there anybody you're looking forward to meeting or seeing again?

SPEAKER_04 8:01

Uh yeah, actually for both races, it's pretty much the same athletes, uh, you know, world-class athletes. Oh, they always compete in, you know, uh trying to break records or you know, win in the cops or whatever. Uh there's people from different countries, uh which there are I think um there's people from France, from Switzerland, Sergio Cordeiro, he's coming to Mexico next week. Uh so he's gonna be from Brazil. I think um there's a lady, I can't recall her name. I think it's Shanda from Canada as well.

Larry 8:44

Yes, yes, Shanda Hills. She's a she's from Vernon just up the road, a famous Canadian ultra athlete.

SPEAKER_04 8:50

She's she's looking to be the on the women's field with the most decas. I believe this is gonna be her sixth deck yeah, something crazy.

Larry 9:03

Yeah. And and you've completed three 515 races previously. Um they're all the ultra MX, right? Yes, yeah, and and one one was uh a regular three-day event and two were the continuous?

SPEAKER_04 9:19

That's correct.

Larry 9:20

Yeah, so when you transferred to that continuous race in the Ultra Um MX, how how did that change for your strategies or your your actual racing? What did you have to do differently to do it continuously over the three-day stage race?

SPEAKER_04 9:38

Well, on the continuous, actually, the training it was different, probably uh more 25 to 30 hours a week, but mostly was longer sessions once a week, like swimming, you know, six miles or uh biking 100, you know, 200k, 300k on the bike, eight, 12 hours on the bike sessions. Uh some of them uh later uh later at night. Or you know, I I remember I was running 50 to 100k on the longer uh runs.

Larry 10:19

That that is a that's a long training run.

SPEAKER_04 10:21

Yeah, well for the 100k I was looking for a race.

Larry 10:24

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_04 10:25

For the 50k, I was just a training session.

Larry 10:28

Oh, yeah, yeah, that's a good way of doing it. So now you were gonna come back and do the Ultra MX again before the scheduling conflict. What what is it that brings you back to keep doing this race over again?

SPEAKER_04 10:42

Well, I think at this point with the Ultra MX is just the people. We just made a lot of friends. Uh it's a great vibe. Uh Ban Sanchez, uh the race director, he's great. Uh he's really welcoming. So it's it's it's a pretty much is just because it's a it's a great vibe at that race.

Larry 11:03

Yeah, and and I know that the people that are that are going down there, he he he he tells them that you know they're gonna get the real Mexican experience when they come down. It's not like the the resort Mexican experience.

SPEAKER_04 11:17

Yeah, exactly. No, it's it's it's it's it's unique.

Larry 11:21

Yeah. So what advice would you give someone who was wanting to try a non-stop version of 515? Other than the training that you were talking about. What what else do you think they they need to know?

SPEAKER_04 11:33

You know, be be confident that you can do it. If you're thinking you might not be able, probably is not your time yet. Just you just have to be sure. And then, yeah, many things can happen during the race, and you might, you know, you might have a DNF, but that's later in the race, but not having the question before even start the race. Just be confident, it's it's doable. It's doable, it's really fun, it's it's you know, it's painful. Uh, but but you know, it's nice. If you really want to do it the non-stop version, go for it.

Larry 12:08

Yeah. And have you had any experience with DNFs?

SPEAKER_04 12:13

Yes, I have two DNFs. Uh both of them were on trying to run 100 miles. So it was not on a triathlon, it was on a trail run. And what races were what races were those? Uh the first one was an injury. It was blisters. I couldn't I couldn't walk anymore. And the second one I I didn't I wasn't able to make the the cutoff times.

Larry 12:43

Oh yeah. What races were you what what races were you at for those?

SPEAKER_04 12:48

Uh both of them in Texas. Uh one of them, the name of the race, it was Blazing Sevens. It was 100 miles, and I ran 74, 74, 76 miles on that one. It was pretty close, but the second one I I did uh 80, 80 miles. It was uh it was pretty close to finish, and and I didn't make the cut of time.

Larry 13:19

Oh, was it the same race course each time?

SPEAKER_04 13:22

It wasn't the same race course on different season of the year, which was one of them it was on on winter, but that was was my first experience with 100 mile. So I made a lot of mistakes. Yeah, a lot of mistakes, and and that was the main reason. I DNF. On the second one is on summer, and is is tough. That race is really hard. Uh humidity 100%, uh uh temperature about 40-45 degrees.

Larry 13:55

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 13:56

Like really hot.

Larry 13:58

So so when you say you made mistakes on the race, just so uh maybe some other listeners doing that, some ultra races don't make those same mistakes. What sort of things were you doing that that caused you the DNF?

SPEAKER_04 14:09

Probably not well, first of all, not having the experience, because that was my first trail run. Uh and so I wasn't sure about the nutrition, probably proper uh clothing, for sure, clothing, uh changing socks often during the race, having uh you know, clean feet, uh or or cleaning your feet uh each loop, stuff like that, but mostly like nutrition, hydration, and reading about the race, be prepared for the race, not only the distance, but the actual course, right?

Larry 14:49

So that's you're you're prepared for the profile of it and the temperature changes and things like that.

SPEAKER_04 14:55

Yes, yes, uh, because that's that's one of those I made many, many mistakes on that race.

Larry 15:03

So, will you go back to challenge this race again?

SPEAKER_04 15:06

I just finished it last month. Oh, congratulations! Thank you. Yeah, I I went back and finished the race.

Larry 15:15

So so how how does it feel to to go back and and you know really take on that same race and and have your day at it?

SPEAKER_04 15:23

Uh it was a relief because uh it was really tough, but I was able to to do it well. I I feel very good about the race. Everything came you know according to plan. I was pacing myself, nutrition on point, everything, everything was really perfect, so it worked pretty nice.

Larry 15:45

Yeah. And and so now again, does that give you some more confidence going forward with your upcoming races that you're you're getting in tune with your body and your nutrition? I assume you'll do something similar.

SPEAKER_04 15:58

Yeah, for sure. I I I'm really happy that I finished the race, but it was also part of my training for the Decas. So yeah, it it gives me confidence that uh you know that I feel prepared for the races that are coming.

Larry 16:14

That's I think that gives us a really good background into your into your racing career. I would like to do two parts of these athlete and profiles where we we hear about your your racing and then we we have this transition round where I ask you some quick rapid fire questions, and then we ask find out a little bit more about you personally outside of your racing. So if you're ready for it, I would like to start the two minutes in transition.

SPEAKER_04 16:38

Okay, I'm good. I'm ready.

Larry 16:40

All right, so you've also completed six Iron Man races. What was your favorite Iron Man?

SPEAKER_04 16:47

Uh Louisville, Kentucky. It's really nice. The city's nice. Uh, I don't know. It was a nice venue. The finish landing was great. I was with my wife and my son, uh and we enjoyed it. Uh we took it like a vacation week as well.

Larry 17:04

So, do you have any current bucket list events that are on your radar things, different challenges you want to try, maybe in the ultra areas?

SPEAKER_04 17:14

Yeah, there's a few things that I want to do. I want to run uh from the summer. That's that's one of those things on my list that I have for a while, but uh I also want to do RAM, the race across America, right? That's another one that I would like to do.

Larry 17:32

What is the biggest mileage week you to add in your in your training when you're waiting combined?

SPEAKER_04 17:39

I did a a nice triathlon part of the training. It took me 20, basically 24 hours. It was 23 hours and 59 minutes. It was I swam 5 kilometers, ride 300 uh, and then run 50 kilometers, uh run 50 kilometers. So it was a 355 station training station didn't come.

Larry 18:06

Oh, so you you did your own 355 as a training section? Yeah, I did it right here.

SPEAKER_04 18:12

I put I put all my nutrition on my car, and that was it.

Larry 18:16

Oh, cool. Um we're actually starting a new 355 here in Canada as well. If you decide you want to come up to Canada, that's to be broken up in Penny TikTok's doing 355.

SPEAKER_04 18:27

I heard. Yeah, I heard. I just saw it on the on the I think on Instagram or Facebook, but I just saw it like yesterday.

Larry 18:35

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 18:36

Nice, nice.

Larry 18:37

There's one for you to there's one for you to aim for, and then we can meet in person.

SPEAKER_04 18:41

Yeah, that would have great.

Larry 18:44

So let's get into more of your your personal side of your life a little bit. What what is your life like outside of racing? What's your family unit look like and and stuff like that?

SPEAKER_04 18:56

Okay, uh, my son, uh he's 21, he lives in Austin, actually. He's on his last year of college. Um what's his name? It's uh Brandon. Brandon, yes. And uh my wife and I spend our free time here at home. We have a dog, and that's uh that's our time grilling basically every night we grill and watch TV.

Larry 19:23

Yeah. So you got a bit of an empty nest going on now.

SPEAKER_04 19:27

Yes. And yeah, our with this, with the training currently, with the current uh, you know, the uh racing season, there's not much free time. So we train in the morning, go to work, train in the afternoon, and by then it's you know it's getting late. It's uh it's like about this time, it's dinner, watch TV, go to bed.

Larry 19:54

Is your wife a racer as well?

SPEAKER_04 19:57

Yeah, he has done uh she has done a few races as well. No triathlons, uh a few marathons, and and lately uh a trail run as well.

Larry 20:10

That's good that you can share the the training then together.

SPEAKER_04 20:13

Oh yeah, and she's my my my captain and my crew. She's she's the one who takes care of me.

Larry 20:19

Oh, excellent. Yeah, and uh what what is your what is your day job? How do you how do you pay for all these events that you go to?

SPEAKER_04 20:29

Uh I work at Guitar Center. I I'm the general manager at Guitar Center here in town. And it's it's pretty fun. I like my work. I I I like my my job.

Larry 20:40

What what does a day of working at Guitar Center look like? What do you have to do?

SPEAKER_04 20:44

Uh play the guitar. No, not really. No, well, I I work at the office, so it's basically just doing numbers and running reports and stuff like that. It's is is not as you may think, but uh I spend a lot of time with the customers and uh you know looking for their needs and selling instruments. That's what I do. Oh yeah. To pay my traits.

Larry 21:10

Yeah. And and you yourself were previously a musician, uh professional musician. What what what kind of work did you do? Were you a touring with a band or were you a studio musician? What did you do?

SPEAKER_04 21:22

No, I had a band. Uh well, I I had a band, but I also played for other uh local artists uh in um the studio a couple of times, only a few a few sessions. I did a few sessions of studio. That was for about 15 years, 12, 15 years. That was that was my my you know my job.

Larry 21:49

That was your job then, yeah. And and were you uh guitar player or multiple instruments? What did you do?

SPEAKER_04 21:55

Guitar player. Yeah.

Larry 21:57

And what what's your favorite kind of music then? What were you playing?

SPEAKER_04 22:00

Uh no, I like classic rock. That's what I like.

Larry 22:05

And so did you ever do like a tour around those nice southern cities of Nashville and Memphis and Austin, New Orleans, that kind of stuff?

SPEAKER_04 22:13

Nah. Well, I played in Austin a few times, but uh actually back then I we were living in Mexico. So we were doing the geeks in uh in Mexico.

Larry 22:23

Oh yeah, yeah. And and then were you doing them all in Spanish, or was it English and Spanish, or how did that go? Basically all in Spanish.

SPEAKER_04 22:33

Yeah, for for what I recall, it was all Spanish.

Larry 22:37

Do you have any recordings anywhere that we would be able to find and listen to?

SPEAKER_04 22:44

No, I don't think so. I think everything has been deleted.

Larry 22:50

Have you had the opportunity to play with anyone famous that we would know?

SPEAKER_04 22:54

Or no, I don't think so. No, I don't I don't recall. Honestly, it's not that I'm hiding anything. No, it's it's just that I is it was a long time ago.

Larry 23:03

Yeah. Do you do you ever uh teach music?

SPEAKER_04 23:08

No, it's it's not on my on my jeans, it's it's it's hard to teach, it's easy to play, but it's hard to teach.

SPEAKER_00 23:16

Uh-huh.

SPEAKER_04 23:16

Yeah, it's probably the same as sports. It's like it's it may be easy to do the sport, but not not to be a coach, right?

Larry 23:24

Yeah. So uh then as a as a fan of music, what is the favorite show that you have gone to? What's your favorite uh concert you've gone to?

SPEAKER_04 23:34

Oh, we have been in many concerts. Uh I saw uh Pantera once.

Larry 23:42

Oh, nice, yeah.

SPEAKER_04 23:44

Yeah, so that was a really good concert. Um, there's there has been so many. There's one that I haven't seen that I want to uh uh go to see the Eagles.

Larry 23:59

Oh, the Eagles, they were just in my city last week.

SPEAKER_04 24:02

Oh, nice, no, I have to be made for yeah.

Larry 24:05

I saw the Eagles a couple years ago, and that was that was a good show. Yeah, sure. As you were saying, you're you're living in Laredo, but you're you're a Mexican citizen. And you recently even went back to Mexico. Uh, what is it like? Like we see on TV all the time about the the border issues being a border town like that, uh, with the a lot of the migrants coming from South America and they get stuck in Mexico and trying to get in the US and all that. As someone who lives there in a border town and you know has a Mexican background, what what do you what is it really like? What what what's really happening down there that we don't see on the news, maybe?

SPEAKER_04 24:44

Well, first of all, it's exactly what you say. That's that's that's what is been happening for the last few years. Uh, there's a lot of people trying to come to the US, coming from South or Central America, getting stuck at the border. So there's so many people trying to cross right now. Uh, but also the violence that you hear on the news, uh, I believe it's just it can get worse than what you see on the news. Because sometimes uh there's a lot of chewings or stuff like that. It never comes to uh on the news.

Larry 25:20

Oh, yeah. And you're talking about on the Mexican side when they're when they're being held to come across that and they're all grouped together and stuff like that?

SPEAKER_04 25:28

Yeah, it's is is everything is on the Mexican side. Yeah.

Larry 25:31

So so how how is Mexico dealing with this, or are they able to deal with this?

SPEAKER_04 25:38

Well, they're they're not doing anything, or or it doesn't seem like they're doing anything.

Larry 25:47

And what what do you think they what that could be happening, just as someone uh that's right there in the mix? Do you do you think there's anything that could be better? Like, does the US need to open the border and let these people in, or should they not let these people in? What in your opinion? What do you think?

SPEAKER_04 26:04

Well, it's really delicate because they will have to run the background, you know, do a background check of each of them just to make sure, because you don't know you know who's coming and what's the background, and you know, if they're uh you know drug dealers or whatever, you know. That's I think that's the the delicate thing they are running right now.

Larry 26:28

Yeah. And and how is it for you crossing the border? Do you get held up as well or do you get through pretty smoothly?

SPEAKER_04 26:37

Well, right now I'm um I I was a resident and now I'm uh also a US citizen. So I have both citizenships right now. So I can go back and forth.

Larry 26:48

Yeah, and they don't harass you at all ever? And no, no, no.

SPEAKER_04 26:52

Actually, no, because the people that are stuck in in the Mexican side, they're not right at the they're at the border, but not at the bridge.

Larry 27:02

Okay.

SPEAKER_04 27:03

So you don't have any problems with that.

Larry 27:05

Yeah. That's good, that's good. Um, well, you know, I I feel like I got to know you a little bit here, but not quite enough. Um, I think you're gonna have to come up to Canada and do a 355 race, Carlos.

SPEAKER_04 27:20

Uh yeah, that would be nice. That will be really, really nice.

Larry 27:23

Yeah. Well, I I appreciate you um taking the time to come and be on 515 with me. And uh good luck with your upcoming decas. Unfortunately, you're not gonna be in the 515 that we're profiling you for, but hey, that's that's the way it goes. And uh yeah, good luck to you in your upcoming decas, and I'll check in and see, make sure that you finish those.

SPEAKER_04 27:46

Thank you so much, Larry. I really appreciate it.

Larry 27:50

Hey there, listener. I have to throw out a huge thank you to you for responding to my call out last episode. I mentioned that I was looking forward to having the podcast reach extended to over 1,000 cities around the world at the time. Thanks for listening, and thanks for sharing. You are my best ambassadors to continue to grow my audience.

UltraMx 515 Race Preview with Van Sanchez

Larry 29:11

I am now going to bring in the race director for a preview of the athletes competing at the 515 race happening in a few days over October 28th, 29th, and 30th. It is, of course, the Ultra MX 515 in Fresnillo, Mexico. Welcome back to the 515, my friend Van Sanchez.

SPEAKER_05 29:32

Hey Larry, who are you? It's a pleasure uh record this video for the people and record this podcast for all the ultra family around the world. We are here in Mexico preparing all the all the stuff for the race to receive all the athletes this year. The seventh year.

Larry 29:53

This is your seventh year.

SPEAKER_05 29:55

Yeah.

Larry 29:55

And and you've also done the Ultra MX non-stop a few times as well, correct?

SPEAKER_05 30:01

Two times, Larry. Two times on well, this year and 22 and 21, too.

Larry 30:09

So you've got a few races under your belt now, and uh many many people probably know that you hold the world record for the youngest person to finish a 515 race when you did that in the UK at just 19 years of age. But but you are getting a little older now, Van, and uh some athletes may only know you as the race director of Ultra MX and these non-stop races and the 355 and Cosumel. So can you just give us a quick history of your racing career thus far so the listener knows a little bit more about you as an athlete as well?

SPEAKER_05 30:43

Yeah, for sure, Larry. Well, I I have uh a long story uh here in the Ultraman family, Larry. But really, uh well, now I am 27 years old. I broke the record, I finished my my my first Ultraman when I was uh uh 19, almost 10 years ago. But the the the the world changed year by year, and you change um your capacity year by year to organize to find the correct the to find the correct uh way to to give to the athlete a good experience with all your structure, with your your tools, with your your your mindset, with your power, with your energy, to organize a good event year by year for the for the athletes who who who want involved on this ultra-family Larry. And for me, well, now I just run around the world. I try to to to organize a few races and run uh a few races here in Mexico, ultra races, obviously. I love the mountains, I love the the roads here in Mexico, and obviously this year uh we have the opportunity. We had the opportunity to to be uh with you in Canada uh two months ago. Yeah, and well, I have a long history uh in the Ultraman family. Uh well talk about the Ultraman races. Uh it's uh for me simply Larry because it's my really, really, really lifestyle day by day and year by year, since 10 years ago. Ultraman is like it's not a race, for me it's a lifestyle.

Larry 32:52

Yeah, that happens. You know, lots of people who come into this community and once once they're in, they they never really leave, myself included. And and it's also true of another Ultraman athlete from from the 80s who raced and is still around the scene in a big way. Of course, the person I'm talking about is Steve King, and and you've invited Steve down to your race this year. What what does that mean to you?

SPEAKER_05 33:16

Well, the this year for me is uh well I I always I always try to organize a few things on my mind and try to to to visualize uh a few finish lines on my mind. And Steve is one of the is part of the Ultra MX because I start with Steve on in in UK. But for me, Steve here in Mexico is like a dream, and for me it's a very special year, maybe the number one year of of of ever because it's special. We have the opportunity to to work with with the guy who is for me Steve is the real Ultraman uh Ohana, the real Ultraman Kokua, and the real Ultraman uh Aloha. For me.

Larry 34:31

Oh yeah, absolutely. I I think for everybody who is who's involved in Ultraman feels that way.

SPEAKER_05 34:36

We are very happy. I'm excited to receive and I'm excited to to to go to the airport and drive with the stick with good music.

Larry 34:47

Yeah.

SPEAKER_05 34:49

And start with the event, obviously. Larry, we are very happy.

Larry 34:53

Last time you were on the podcast, we were talking about your big win in the 515 Ultra Podcast Facebook bracket challenge last March, and your Ohana was back in your race all the way with the votes. Um, that was a pretty fun contest. Congratulations again on the win. What what how did it feel for you to be on the winning end of that?

SPEAKER_05 35:16

Yeah, we have a uh WhatsApp group with all the Ultraman finishers and all the the crew members and the people who helped me to organize the race. And did they know about the contest immediately and try to to to push the race to win the contest with you?

Larry 35:45

Okay, well, let's uh let's get to talking about the the upcoming race now then and to get into this preview. You have uh how many athletes coming? Tell me tell me the stats here.

SPEAKER_05 35:57

Well, this year we have 16 athletes, we have 11 men and five women, a good number of women, and for me it's amazing because year by year we have more and more women involved on these kind of races, Larry.

Larry 36:19

And that's important because overall, like Iron Man races, the general field is much fewer women than there are men. And you know, we saw in Canada this summer um women dominate at the Ultraman Canada.

SPEAKER_05 36:35

I I I I I can see in the future, maybe for the next year we can we can try to find 10 women and 10 men or half of half.

Larry 36:47

Right, try and have an equal field, yeah. That would be great. Yeah. Well, well, let's uh let's talk about these women uh first, since uh we're talking about the women. Uh in the the breakdown of your five women, you have three competing in the 30 to 39 age category, one in the 40 to 49 age category, and one in the 50 to 59 category. Um can you introduce the first athlete for us in that 30 to 39 category, please?

SPEAKER_05 37:18

Her name is Ana Gallardo. Uh she's 34 years old. She's born in Puebla, Mexico, and she only finished a 70.3, one duatlon, and a virtual everything uh cycling race.

Larry 37:41

She has a pretty famous ultraman coach. Can can you uh fill us in on who's coaching her?

SPEAKER_05 37:47

Yeah. His name is Iñaki de la Parra. He's from Mexico, and he was Ultraman World Champion.

Larry 37:56

And and do you how how well do you know Anaki? Tell us tell us a little bit about Anaki.

SPEAKER_05 38:01

The first time when I when I met Iñaki was 10 years ago in Mexico City. And he explained me the way, the correct way to prepare one athlete, the correct way to organize a macro side, uh macro cyclo, and uh well, all all the all the stuff behind the training and a few secrets about the training for these kind of races. This guy is amazing.

SPEAKER_00 38:31

Yeah, yeah.

Larry 38:33

Now, as far as her racing goes, as you said, she's done a couple of 70.3s. She did place third place overall in her age category and was the 19th female at the Acapulco uh 2022 70.3. And she did that with a swim time of 36.01, bike 252.51. She ran a 148.11 for a total time of 526.22. She's also been a cyclist since 2009. So obviously, that that bike is going to be a big part of her race for her, and she's just recently transitioned over to triathlon. So it'll be interesting to see how that works out for her.

SPEAKER_05 39:18

Yeah. We have the the security. She can finish the race. I saw the training, the the training um was perfect.

Larry 39:29

And and with a coach like Anaki, you're you're pretty sure that she's gonna get the support she needs to get to that finish line.

SPEAKER_05 39:36

You have the tools, but you you need the the legs and the mind to finish the remote. That's right, yes.

Larry 39:41

Yeah, you need that you need the engine. Exactly. Yeah. Now I noticed that uh part of her crew is gonna be her boyfriend. Um, and and many of the people on your crew, and maybe this is part of your your Mexican heritage, um, they're all bringing family as their crew. Um now for some racers, this could be, you know, really a big bonus to have their significant other there with them. And for others, it could be a negative because you know they don't want to see those people in pain. So what do you think about that and and and how that plays out in the in the crews when you see it there in Mexico?

SPEAKER_05 40:21

Well, it it depends really the uh it depends, Larry, the circumstances the circumstances and the the kind of people who you can in you want in on your crew is important. Yeah, well, from for uh for me the family is important, but maybe your family don't have the experience, they don't have the the tools or the capacity to organize uh well, or they don't know about the mechanics, they don't know about the technologies to find the road and all the stuff. But if it's your first time you can organize your crew with house and house, half with with uh technical uh things, to organize technical things, yeah, and the another half to uh organize uh the mental uh the mental things, the sentimental things.

Larry 41:32

Yeah, the things that are gonna keep you going when you hit those lows.

SPEAKER_05 41:36

Exactly. The quality it's important for the race. And Anna, boyfriend on the on the team, his name is Leon Sio. Or Leo. I know Leo, he's uh amazing athlete. He done nine armaments, some and so many 70-point reads. He has a lot of uh long distance races on the bucket, and obviously obviously he has a lot of experience, and he can organize all the crew. He has the experience to finish the race with Anna, obviously.

Larry 42:20

Yeah, yeah. So in in her case, this will probably be a good thing to have the boyfriend along.

SPEAKER_05 42:26

Yeah, yeah, yeah. And Edwin is another part of the crew. All the people in this crew have experience to to help Anna. Excellent, yeah. Because the crew always plays a big part, yeah, yeah, it is the most important part.

Larry 42:44

Yeah. Well, let's move on to the next athlete then. Can you introduce us to the next woman?

SPEAKER_05 42:49

Yeah, the next one is Stay, Esther del Rocio Alcantarávila. She is born in Leon, Guanajuato, Mexico. She's uh 37 years old.

Larry 43:02

And she comes from a running background. She has 10 marathons on her on her resume. She has a 100-kilometer run on her resume, but she doesn't have any Iron Man distances on there. Um, I'm just wondering, what are your requirements? Because they are definitely different than the Ultraman brand um for getting into the race.

SPEAKER_05 43:26

So, do you have a minimum entry requirement for your we have uh we have a uh a few requirements, but Larry, the story of this girl, she's the the wife of one of my favorite Ultraman, Ultramx finishers ever. His name is Hector Torres El Capi, he's his partner. And they is involved on these races, uh, because Hector. Start with this maybe three years ago. And obviously, we we we have the opportunity to give uh to open the doors to this kind of athletes who have experience, but it's amazing that you are partnered of one Ultraman finisher and the and your partner push and give the opportunity to finish the race too, and that's very cool.

Larry 44:36

Yeah, and and he's I guess he's coaching her along the way and and working with her as well. Yeah, yeah. Yeah, she she uh I understand she said that uh she's been living Ultraman for four years already, yeah.

SPEAKER_05 44:51

It is, it is, it is, and that's very cool. He he lived the same Hector and they they live at the Ultramanohana all the time.

Larry 45:05

Well, let's move on to the last woman in the 30 to 39 category then. What can you tell us about this woman? I believe she's from uh your local area.

SPEAKER_05 45:17

Okay, the next one is Noemi Pichardo. She's uh 39 years old, she's from Zacatecas, and she's a long-distance swimmer. She has a good experience with the Ultraman because she's involved since four years ago on the Ultra MX, and she started like a crew on the race. And it's the same thing. We we need uh push uh the athlete, we push my friends, push the people who are involved on that. Not exactly to help all the time, that's amazing. But if you have the opportunity to train, you are a good athlete, you have the mentality to finish this, you need to try this like an athlete.

Larry 46:05

Right, yeah. So once once you get them hooked in and and get them part of the family, you start uh okay, now maybe it's your turn to take part.

SPEAKER_05 46:15

Yeah, and is your is the reason because you need to start with with your training, Larry?

Larry 46:20

Yeah. So she's a long-distance swimmer, and nobody wins this race in the swim. Um but uh you know, we're in the ultra uh 515 race, you're you're swimming 10 kilometers, so that's not going to be a problem for her, I'm guessing. Can you just um remind me in your swim, um is it an open water swim or do you do a pool swim?

SPEAKER_05 46:46

The swim course is on a lake. We have a short circuit of one kilometer, and we have 10 loops to finish the 10k.

Larry 46:59

Well, let's look at your next age category for the women. That's the age group from 40 to 49. There is one athlete in this uh age group.

SPEAKER_05 47:10

The next one is Roselia Valdovinos, she's 45 years old and she lives in Monterey. But she was born in a small town in Tamaulipas, it's near here to Monterey. She finished a lot of Iron Man distances, and his coach is part of the race. His coach is Mario Vasquez. We can talk about Mario, but this time we need to talk about Roselia. She's a good athlete, she's uh she's a mother, she has a family, she has a lot of things to do all the day, and obviously, she has the time, the correct time to to train for the race. She is she finished two ultra running races uh about five 50k and 60k a few years ago, Larry.

Larry 48:09

Our next competitor also has a large number of Ironmans to her credit. Who do we have up next?

SPEAKER_05 48:16

Alida Davis, 54 years old. She born in Mexico City, and she has a lot of Ironmans.

Larry 48:26

Yeah, so she's completed 11 Ironmans and 30 70.3s. And she also has three 10-kilometer open water swims on her resume. So obviously, the swim is not going to be an issue for her. When I was looking up her stats at her Iron Man Cosmale in 2016, I saw that she finished that race in 1620 and her runtime was 63014. Now, if her runtime is 630 for a marathon and you have a 12-hour cutoff for your double marathon, like all the 515s, um, do you know of any training that she's done to improve that running in the time since to make sure she doesn't miss a cutoff in this race?

SPEAKER_05 49:13

Yeah, the the Larry, the the the run course is hard because in the middle of Mexico is like the desert. But she has the the tools to finish the the race. She has uh a good time, she had a lot of experiences, and obviously we hope, we hope, and we want who and we know who can finish the race, and she's one of this group. She can finish the race, obviously, and this the run course is not a problem.

Larry 49:47

So, yeah, you're you feel confident in her to get to the finish line because uh I understand she's also set up with one of the best crew members that has ever worked at the Mexico race.

SPEAKER_05 49:58

Yeah, he's Gustavo Borjón. He's from Sacatecas. He's a cyclist, he's not a triathlete, but I don't know why, but he's involved since the first year we uh when we organized the race. She won three times the race as a crew member, and that's amazing for Alida because she's on uh good hands now, Larry.

Larry 50:29

Yeah, yeah. So that's it's having an experienced crew member and someone who's actually taken someone to the finish line of first place is is definitely a major bonus for her. Well, let's move over to the men's division. In in the men's division, you will have 11 competitors ranging from the age of 23 to 55. So who is this young 23-year-old who is taking on the challenge this year?

SPEAKER_05 50:54

Your name is Luis Carlos Avalos. He's uh the second year on the list for Luis Carlos.

Larry 51:05

Yeah, well, I saw that he did the Iron Man 70.3 Monterey in 2018, and he finished 11th in his age group, so he's probably a pretty speedy guy. Um, he finished that in 509.45.

SPEAKER_05 51:22

Yeah, and it's a good but very, very good cyclist. Maybe uh we won't see on the race, maybe on on the second place. We'll be amazing on the on the first place, but he has a lot of competitors with with with with good uh with level on the race, Larry. But this guy is amazing, and I don't know how many athletes on this uh on this uh with with 23 years old are finished two ultramans.

Larry 52:06

Yeah, not too many for sure. Maybe maybe Van Sanchez. I don't know, maybe yeah, and you have another young competitor in the field, you have a 25-year-old. Who do you got there?

SPEAKER_05 52:20

Yeah, the next is Carlos Arturo Galvis Fajardo. He's 25 years old, and he comes from Bogota, Colombia. He comes with his father, his mother, and his sister and girlfriend from Colombia, too.

Larry 52:40

Yeah, so bringing the whole family from Colombia, he's in it too.

SPEAKER_05 52:44

Very nice.

Larry 52:46

He's in it. Uh, yeah, and he's the only competitor this year that is attending from outside of Mexico, so it's great to have him along. Um, he's already completed three Iron Man races and some 70.3s as well. I saw that his Iron Man in Brazil in 2022, he finished 21 in his age group, and he had a 108.58 swim, 514.17 run for a total time of 1017.23. So that looks pretty good for him to be one of the people up there, I think, as well. Yeah, what do you think?

SPEAKER_05 53:26

A good time, a very, very good time for an Iron Man race. Will be for for me, obviously, not the story. It's not the story, but maybe, maybe, maybe he can't uh finish the race on a three uh on the top three, or maybe he can won the race. We don't know, but he looks uh he looks fit, he looks fast and strong.

Larry 53:59

Yeah, well, he he says that he was mainly a soccer player when younger, but he had to retire due to injuries in both knees, so it might be round in the run for him. Uh I mean, yeah, based on his Iron Man times, you'd think that this young man might be one of the favorites. Um, but like I said, it could come down to the run as it does at so many 515 events. And a lot of people do have some great distance experience in the field, and and one of those runners is one of the two men in the 30 to 39 age group, which we'll be covering next. Um, these athletes don't bring a lot of triathlon experience, but one of them has been on a 200-kilometer treadmill run, which I'll tell you, I could never do not because of the distance, but because I would just get bored, and because of the distance. Um, but that might make the difference for one of these guys on day three. So tell us a little bit about your age group, 30 to 39 men.

SPEAKER_05 55:02

Yeah, it's a good friend of mine. His name is Mario Alberto Vasquez Leal. He's 36 years old and he lives in Monterey. This guy, Larry, is one of my favorite Ultraman finishers because it's unique. I I met Mario maybe five or seven years ago. And this guy is finisher of a lot of ultra and adventure races here in Mexico. He's a good guy. He's training, he's coach. He has a group of child who who who trained Tradlon, and he lives in the sport, it's the same. It's it's it's the kind of people who who you want on your race all the years.

Larry 55:56

Yeah, so he's bringing up the next generation then.

SPEAKER_05 55:58

Yeah, it is.

Larry 56:00

It is right, yeah. And and he has some 515 experience, right?

SPEAKER_05 56:04

Yeah, three times and one time ultraman non-stop race.

Larry 56:10

Now I see that he lists himself not only as a coach, but he's also the head of security somewhere and a lawyer. Do you know what's his background for his work?

SPEAKER_05 56:21

He worked on on the on the police, he worked on the government, he worked on the so on the football, and a lot of of faces, a professional faces from Mario. That's very cool, and obviously he is an ultraman finisher, and he has a lot of histories always. Larry, he has a lot of experience in the life. Okay, nice.

Larry 56:53

Well, the next athlete up is the one who I just mentioned has done a 200-kilometer treadmill run. Can you please introduce us to that athlete?

SPEAKER_05 57:03

It's Brad Allen. He's uh 37 years old. He lived in San Luis Potosi, but this guy is from Saint Vincent or San Vicente, Granadas. This guy is a beginner, but is not exactly a beginner, and you can talk about it because he has a lot of experience, but it's very strange.

Larry 57:30

Yeah, yeah. I I I looked this guy up prior to having this conversation, and he lists himself as having no professional athletic achievements, just some local sprint and Olympic triathlons. He's also done ultra marathons of 60 kilometers and 200 kilometers on the treadmill, as I mentioned. And he has a ton of videos on YouTube and Instagram for Brad Allen Fitness. And when you look at those, he is certainly physically fit, but uh, does he have what it takes to do a 515?

SPEAKER_05 58:05

Well, Larry, a few things. He has an angel behind of this guy. He has uh well, he has an aura. This guy is amazing. You can love this guy when when when you meet this kind of people, uh Larry. Yeah, it's a good athlete, obviously. Not all the people can finish uh 200k. No, it's difficult, not not a lot, yeah, but he has a lot of love, he he's uh amazing, he he's the kind of people who you want on the race because he's uh the the three words aloha and cukua like a human all the time, and it's the reason because this guy tried to to move between the the Spartan races because this guy started with the Spartan and adventure races, and and then ultramarathons, and now triathlon, and this year ultra man triathlon. He lives on the ultra distance all the days of his life, and that's amazing for Miller.

Larry 59:32

Next up is the age group that will be the most contended uh age group, and that's the men's 40 to 49. I believe that is usually the case that at most 515 races as well. The the higher up the age groups you go, the more people you have. So, can you tell us about the first of the five people in the age group 40 to 49 for the men?

SPEAKER_05 59:57

Yes, the next one is Leon Felipe Magno Galván Ramirez. This guy is from Leon, Guanajuato, and he's four years old and a good friend.

Larry 1:00:12

I I see that he has a lot of experience with Duathlon and some 70.3s and a few marathons. Um he's even podiumed at Duathlon. So do you think that um him and he's also listed as a sports coach? Do you do you know what it is that he coaches?

SPEAKER_05 1:00:34

Yeah, he he's partnered with Hector Torres and Tayel Cantera. He have a company, they have a company, a sports company, and they have uh a lot of tools to help the people with the fitness and with the triathlon and with all the sports. That's that's amazing. Uh I met Felipe maybe three years ago when Hector finished the the Ultraman, and all the years he's involved on the on the race all the time.

Larry 1:01:06

Okay, so another another one of your people that you had come along as a crew that are now taking part in the race.

SPEAKER_05 1:01:13

Exactly. Yeah, and the next one is Eduardo Torres Milan. He's 44 years old. He lives here in Monterey, Nuevo Leon, and in Apodaca. He comes with his daughter, Arcelia Pimentel Quinto, Tanya, and Cassandra Torres Pimentel. These girls are are three athletes too, and it's a family uh who is involved totally on the triathlon life.

Larry 1:01:45

Yeah, I understand that they are actually like champions in their age group. Yeah, is that right?

SPEAKER_05 1:01:51

Yeah, yeah.

Larry 1:01:53

So I suspect that he will come in with a lot of good uh experience, and he has an Iron Man Cosmell recently in 2021 that he's finished at uh time of 1357-18.

SPEAKER_05 1:02:08

Yeah, and what a good story uh from Eduardo is he he is out there so push this guy to to to to start the training for the Ultraman, and that's amazing.

Larry 1:02:27

That's great, yeah. You have a a personal connection to our next athlete, and he's one of the competitors that you coach.

SPEAKER_05 1:02:36

Yeah, it is, and his name is Francisco Jose Garcia Camacho, he's 45 years old, and is the same thing, Larry. He's part of the Ohana, he has a lot of experiences in the Ultraman and Ultra Treathlon events as a crew, he's an athlete, but he always put all the power and the energy as a crew, no, as an athlete, and now this year he's another side, and now he's on the list of the athletes, and that's amazing. The same thing, the same thing, yeah. Francisco has a lot of experiences as a crew, and maybe you can talk more about this guy. He's a good friend of mine and a good friend of all the community of Ultra Max 515.

Larry 1:03:33

Yeah, I I see again that he's one of the ones in his uh Iron Man time that his marathon time went over six hours. But he he's done the Ultra 355 and Cozumel. How was it there? Was he ever in jeopardy of reaching a cutoff, or is is he okay on the run?

SPEAKER_05 1:03:54

No, he he he's okay on the run. Well, the the the circumstances in Cozumel always the the weather, the the road are hard. And normally the people have problems on the run course, but he trained a lot all the year. He he he finished the homework and now he's in the race.

Larry 1:04:18

Yes, yeah.

SPEAKER_05 1:04:19

And on the way to finish the race, obviously, yeah. This guy has a lot of experience there. Well, uh, he finished two times Iron Man and six times 70.3 Ironman. That's the reason because I talk about this guy, he has a lot of experiences as an athlete. He finished uh 10 times uh uh marathon distance, and he's a professional guide, and he lives on the mountains all the weekend. We have two two uh two big mountains here in Mexico. The the the highest is the pico de Orizaba, it's like uh 6,000 meters above the sea, and then the second one is the Ista Sea, what is near to Mexico City. Well, this guy is he lives there in the mountains, he he loves the mountains, and was the reason because he started with the ultra distance events and adventure races. He talked about the Raramoris in Wachochi in Chihuahua, and he finished obviously this race. He finished one time the ultra Wachochi. Maybe the people who who listen to us know about the Raramuris and the Taromara uh culture in the ultra uh running distance events, Larry.

Larry 1:05:38

Do you know how long that is?

SPEAKER_05 1:05:40

Yeah, it was uh 80k run.

Larry 1:05:43

80k. And I see he's also been on the Epic Deca as a crew. He has a master's degree in management skills. You say he he organizes trips, uh um he he also works as a mental trainer. Um triathlon trainer. So if there's anybody who's gonna have all the tools to come in and do this, uh it's gonna be this man, right? Is this one of your favorites? And and I think you're also his coach.

SPEAKER_05 1:06:13

Yeah, yeah. This guy is amazing, Larry. I I am the coach of of of Francisco. Yeah, but this guy is a good athlete, it's a good professional. Uh he's a good, uh very, very good person, and obviously one of my favorites. All the athletes are my favorites, but these guys have a good combination to to finish the race, obviously.

Larry 1:06:40

Yeah. All right, well, let's move on to the the next one in the 40 to 49 uh category. Who do we got next?

SPEAKER_05 1:06:47

The next one is Daniel Flores. This guy, well, all the guys are crazy, but this guy has critical problems with the with the bike. But Daniel, uh he's 46 years old. He's born in Zacatecas, Mexico, too. And he's a local athlete that's very good and important for all the community, Larry. But you need to talk about the kind of athlete who is Daniel Larry.

Larry 1:07:20

Yeah, yeah. I look at his resume, and he's he's a very strong biker, he's got ultra-distance biking like crazy. He's got 400 kilometers in 16 hours. That's crazy.

SPEAKER_05 1:07:34

That's very hard, Larry.

Larry 1:07:37

650 kilometers in 30 hours, 850 kilometers in 40 hours. Oh, and he's even done 1200 kilometers in 72 hours, where he traveled from Mexico City to Mazatlan.

SPEAKER_05 1:07:53

Yeah, that's very, very hard.

Larry 1:07:57

And he takes it uh out with the backpack too and does some bikepacking when he he's gone from the south border to the north and east to west. He's said he says he figures he's probably crossed the Mexican country more times than than anyone else on a on a bike. He sounds like the kind of guy we need to introduce to Nick Millette.

SPEAKER_05 1:08:20

Yeah, it is. It is. This guy is an adventure man, totally. Yeah, you talk about Nick and I I think the same. This guy is very similar than Nick. That's very cool. But Larry, this guy, this guy, it's if if you cross the street, if you if you if you stay at the corner on a normal street here in Mexico, and cross with this guy, you never imagine this guy is an amazing athlete. This guy is like a commune uh people, but have a very, very strong mindset and obviously uh strong the the strongest legs are never seen.

Larry 1:09:13

Oh well, if he spends that much time on his bike, yeah. And he also works as an Uber delivery driver on his bike, and and and then he he spends time as a mechanic at a bike shop as well. So he must be basically attached to two wheels his entire life.

SPEAKER_05 1:09:33

Yeah, exactly, exactly. And is the reason uh is the reason because he is an amazing ultra athlete. He finished the Iron Man two times one time in Cozumel and then one time in Los Cabos. He has a good time, 14 hours, something like that. And he's a good athlete. He's uh yeah, yeah.

Larry 1:10:02

With with with the bike being the largest portion of the 515, he's gonna have a bit of an advantage, I think, on this race.

SPEAKER_05 1:10:10

Yeah, yeah, but he's uh maybe he's the strongest cyclist of the race, but he has the the the the the quality to finish the race across America or something like that, right? And that would be amazing to see this guy maybe on this kind of races on the future, yeah.

Larry 1:10:32

And then maybe he can get uh Francisco to go and be on his crew, yeah.

SPEAKER_05 1:10:37

That will be amazing. And you record the podcast with this guy, we'll be cool.

Larry 1:10:45

Okay, well, let's move on to the next athlete. Uh, who do we got up next?

SPEAKER_05 1:10:50

Alejandro Peleyu. He's 49 years old, and he lives in Mexico City. And have uh good races on the bucket, Larry.

Larry 1:11:03

Yeah, he he's he's done the 70.3s, he's done uh full Iron Man, he's on the Ocean Man uh version, so we're I'm expecting he'll be a good swimmer. He's done a number of marathons in Mexico City, and he's got a hundred-kilometer trail run under his belt, so he seems to have all the pieces there. He's yeah, his most recent uh Iron Man in Cozumel 2021. He finished that in a total time of 12 hours, 4 minutes, and 22 seconds. So he looks like he's gonna be a contender.

SPEAKER_05 1:11:38

Yeah, it is, and he have uh um another comment from uh to Alejandro. He has the perfect combination of events to prepare the this kind of races, you know. Yeah, yeah, and well, in the past they work on the like a military, on the government of not the Mexico government, and they have uh a different kind of mindset because if you if you start your life and you live like a military, you live all your life like that. Yeah, and that's amazing for the sport. Obviously, you have the responsibility, you have the structure, you have the capacity to organize all around the race. One of his crew members is Miguel Aguilar, he won the Ultraman non-stop two years ago. And it's the same kind of athlete with a good uh mental um work, with a good mental fitness work to finish the race. And this kind of athletes, uh Larry, normally have a good experience in um in the race because they prepare the race very, very, very, very, very slow. They have time, they have all organized to move your energy to the finish line. Yeah, that's cool. And always, Larry, always these kind of people finish the race. Never DNF for this kind of people.

Larry 1:13:22

Exactly, yeah, yeah. Well, uh, let's let's move on to our final two competitors. Two 55-year-olds competing in the age group of 50 to 59. Can you tell us who they are?

SPEAKER_05 1:13:35

The next one is Jesús Ventura Rabago Estrada. He's 50 uh 55 years old, and he is from Walnut, Sonora, Mexico. Very on the border, exactly. He have uh he come with his family, the complete family for the race. Uh Guillermina Lopez, Angelica, Mina, and Ventura.

Larry 1:14:05

Yeah, and and I see that he's done uh like most of your competitors, Iron Man and Cozumel, the 70.3 and and the full, he's done Iron Man in Tempe, Arizona, and Flagstaff, he's done the 70.3. Uh the most recent one I saw for him, he had a Iron Man Cozumel time in 2019 of 13 hours and seven minutes. And I see for him, one of the things he puts down for the type of music he likes is 80s music. So he must be a friend of yours.

SPEAKER_05 1:14:41

Yeah, it's the only one because all the at all the athletes listen reggaeton and stuff like that. And another uh thing from this amazing guy uh is her coach, Angelica Ravago is the doctor, and she helped to train all the training, all the programs, all the gym sessions for his father, and that's amazing, Larry. Not all the people have this at his house.

Larry 1:15:20

Yeah, yes, it's nice to have the the trainer in the family for sure.

SPEAKER_05 1:15:24

Yeah, that's very cool.

Larry 1:15:27

Yeah, well, next up is probably the most experienced racer in the field. Um, a man who's done your race before. Can you tell us a little bit about this other 55-year-old?

SPEAKER_05 1:15:38

Yeah, I think one of the most important athletes or ultraman athletes here in Mexico. His name is Ramiro Gutierrez. He's 55 years old. He's from Zacatecas too. He's a good friend of my family, he's a good friend of mine, and he has a lot of experience on the Ultraman field, Larry. He finished uh 10 Ironmans two times in Canada, and probably he can remember the number the number, but maybe 15 or 20 70.3 races. The best Iron Man was in Cosumel in the 19, uh, about 12 hours, and this guy is out of the series, Larry. He has a lot of experience, and he has a big hug, and he is part of this family of Ultraman. Ramiro is part of the race since the years since the first year, and he was my crew on my first time uh in UK, Larry.

Larry 1:16:53

Oh, so he goes right back to the beginning.

SPEAKER_05 1:16:56

Yeah, exactly. He he started with me at the beginning, correct.

Larry 1:17:01

That's awesome. That's great that you still have that connection. Yeah, yeah. Well, you know, that's a that's a good guy to to finish off our preview on, then, because he's gonna bring all that experience and bring that lifestyle to the race and and start sharing that with some of these new younger people as well. And and and that's really what it's all about, I think, at all 515 races, and especially at yours from from what you've been saying. Um you know, you were originally on the podcast back in season one, episode six, uh, with your good friend Miguel at that time, and and he did a really great job of describing what your course is like. And listeners that are now inclined to maybe come and try your race in in Mexico should should listen to that episode. But have you made any course changes since then? Um, and can you maybe remind us of some of the more interesting or challenging parts of your course?

SPEAKER_05 1:18:00

Yeah, we have uh well, the swim course is on a lake. You need to finish 10 loops to finish the 10k. And all the the circuits, Larry, and all the the um the the for the day one and for the day two and for the day three, the courses are a very different uh courses between the day one, between the day two and the day three, because you're you are running uh at the semi-desert in Mexico, and you have the opportunity to watch a lot, a lot of we uh of good um views of the real Mexico in the desert, and that's very cool for all the people who who want to visit us, Larry. Obviously, we we prepare a good race for for the people. It's not only about the distance, you need uh the complete profile of a few things to offer the good race for the for the people who want to finish this this race, Larry.

SPEAKER_01 1:19:08

Hey, stick with us for just a couple more minutes and hear all the information about the new Ultraman coming to tech.

UltraTx 515 Race Announcement with Michelle Cevicherria

Larry 1:19:17

People that follow the 515 Ultra Podcast socials will will have seen that you have announced a new 515 race coming up in the United States. And I think you've brought in a special guest to help tell us a little bit about that race. Who do you got with you there, Van?

SPEAKER_05 1:19:35

Now with me is Michelle. She's my partner, and my partner too with the Ultra Texas 515, Larry. And she can try to explain all behind the race. She has a lot of experience, you know about it, and now like a partner on the director of the race. No, yeah.

Larry 1:19:58

Hi, Michelle. Welcome to the podcast. Hey, Larry, thank you. Yeah, so um you you have a background in Texas, I believe. So where where and when are you going to be holding this race? Tell us a little bit about it.

SPEAKER_06 1:20:12

Um, so basically, yes, we do have a background, or I do, um, especially with Ultraman. I was um out there, I can't remember what year it was, but I I was there for the two years that they put or they held the Ultraman 5115.

Larry 1:20:30

And um it was pretty Ultra 520.

SPEAKER_06 1:20:35

520, you're right. Yeah, because it was with uh with Steve Brown. And we were out there for two years and it worked pretty nice. And I'm not quite sure what the reason was why they stopped it, and it it didn't continue until now. And last uh, no, during the summer, me and Von were out there doing uh ultra trail run um and down in South Texas, it's called Junction, it's near Kerbal. Um, and we were just thinking how cool it would be to bring back uh a long distance race, um, and also putting a race in the US and bringing all the community that is already involved with Vans um past races. We thought that it would be nice that we could put um or merge two different uh countries and race. Uh you know, it I we just thought it would be cool. So we found the perfect spot and we already have people working with us and trying to get all the permits and stuff. So this race um hopefully will be held on May 2023, um, down in the very nice and hilly south part of Texas. So most people think Texas is flat, but it actually has a small little place down in the south that it's pretty hilly. So it'll be nice, fun, hot, hilly, and long.

Larry 1:22:07

What are you looking at as far as the course? Like, um, where's the where's the what is it gonna be a lake swim or what are we looking at?

SPEAKER_06 1:22:15

So very interesting. There's not many um lakes or natural lakes in Texas. Most of them are man-made, but there is a river which is very popular. It's called Guadalupe River, and I'm not quite sure um how far it extends, but it crosses a big part or a big chunk of Texas. So um it goes through Kerbal, which is the city or village where we're uh putting on the race. Um and it's pretty cool because there is already a 70.3 race there. So we're just kind of like trying to like readjust the distances within the route that already exists.

Larry 1:23:00

Do you have a website where people can go to register when that does open that you want to share with the listener?

SPEAKER_05 1:23:06

We we start with uh to put the information at the UltraMeg Series uh page.

SPEAKER_06 1:23:12

Okay. That's like the main site, and then we also have um an Instagram page um where people can find us. It's uh ultra PX515.

Larry 1:23:26

Okay. So yeah, if people are interested, then they can just find you on the Instagram and send you a direct message so that they can be on that priority list when registration opens up.

SPEAKER_06 1:23:35

Yes. Actually, Larry, we um we we opened the Instagram page just to kind of get things started, and we received so much interest in the race that I'm pretty sure it's gonna be a really, really good race. We have um, I mean, it's not gonna be hard to get people into it. There's a lot of people who are interested, so it's pretty cool to see how that's uh coming along. Uh like I said, all we're waiting is for the city permits. We already sent in all the information they needed. Um and yeah, once that is open, then it's the green light in the go for us.

Larry 1:24:15

Nice, excellent. Well, uh I guess also because you guys are our big Instagram users, is that the best place for people to follow along with the race coming up here in Mexico if they want to get their results coming in?

SPEAKER_05 1:24:30

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Larry 1:24:31

Now now is the main way or the main via to find information to to give the the correct communication with the athletes and the people who who want to be involved on on this kind of secta, or like and and hopefully we're gonna see uh a video on your Instagram of Steve King arriving in Mexico and getting his welcome.

SPEAKER_06 1:24:59

Oh yeah, we're excited to have him over. I he he I I I actually met him for the first time in Ultraman, um, Texas. That's when I met him first. I was just starting to get into triathlon uh and it just seemed pretty cool. He seemed a pretty cool person, and up to this day, he's still pretty cool. And so we're very pleased to have him over.

Larry 1:25:24

Yeah, yeah. Okay, well, guys, hey, thanks a lot for for joining me today and and working on this preview for your Ultra MX race and letting us in on a little bit of the information of the upcoming Ultra Texas 515 as well. Uh appreciate your time and and thanks for coming by.

SPEAKER_06 1:25:43

Thank you.

SPEAKER_05 1:25:44

Thank you too, Larry. See you soon and keep in touch for more information.