S4E6 -- Ultra Brazil 515 Race Director Alex Luna

Alex Luna, one of the many “race directors” of the UB 515 joins me today to speak about the 10 year anniversary of the Ultra 515 race in Ubatuba, Brazil.

We discuss the history of the race in Brazil and its connection to the roots in Hawaii with Curtis Tyler.  Alex shares his experience with the sport and the lifelong friendships that have come from it.  Finally we discuss this year's edition of the race and what to expect from its competitors.

You can follow the UB 515 on  Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/ub515ultramanbrasil/?hl=en

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• UB 515
• Ultra 520k Canada
• Ultraman Hawaii
• Ultraman Canada
• Ultraman Florida
• Ultraman Australia

Shout outs and mentions in this episode:

• Alexandre Ribeiro   
• Sergio Cordeiro
• Vanuza Maciel
• Paulo Calil 
• Lucy Ryan (S2E5)
• Jane Bockus (S1E4)
• Cory Foulk
• Nick Mallett (S2E12)
• Curtis Tyler
• Lesley Tyler 
• John Collins
• Andrea Luna
• Miriam Luna
• Anitta Luna 
• Andrius Luna 
• Fabiano Peres
• Luiz Rissato
• Denis Crozariol
• Marcio Takeushi
• Rafael Ferreira
• Raphael Zagury
• Rubnei Alexsander
• Sandro Tanaka 

___________________________________________________________

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
Email : 515Ultraman@gmail.com

Transcript

Larry 0:35

On April 14th to the 16th, this race is celebrating its 10th anniversary. We discussed the history of the race and the Ohana that has created this 515 race. You know, it didn't take long in speaking with Alex to figure out that he truly lives the values that Curtis Tyler used to create the original race with Aloha, Ohana, and Kakua. Throughout our conversation, Alex continues to go back to those values in his stories and how they have changed not only his life, but also those of the athletes that attend the UB 515 year after year. I hope that you get as much out of this conversation as I did, and I certainly enjoyed talking with Alex. Today we are going to go into the southern hemisphere to speak with the race director of the UB 515 in Brazil. On April the 15th, they will begin their 10th anniversary race. Welcome to the podcast, Ben Vindao, Alexander Luna.

SPEAKER_02 1:44

Oh, thank you so much, Larry. How did I do with my Portuguese there? No, your Portuguese is doing fine. And I I want to uh apologize in advance for my poor English. Uh thank you so much, you know, in name of the race directors, of all the race directors of UB515, you know, for opening for us such an important space to talk about, you know, the race that we love, which is the Ultra Man race, you know, the 515 business race. And it's awesome for us, you know, to be here and chill the experience and say a little bit, say something about, you know, uh a Brazilian experience.

Larry 2:21

Yeah, yeah, that's no, it's it's it's great. And and I've actually experienced that firsthand. Uh I went down to the Olympics in 2016 to to cheer on some some friends that were competing down there. And uh I know that you have a very beautiful country and the people there are very hospitable and and friendly, which um I you know I I I was in Rio, um and I believe um you're you're probably in a region a little bit closer to Sao Paulo for the race, you're kind of halfway in between or something. Can you tell us a little bit about the region you're in? Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 2:59

Oh yeah. So um I live in Rio de Janeiro, you know, but the race, um the first time that we did the race, we started in uh in a beautiful city called Parachu, and uh uh which is pretty close from you know from the border of the state of Rio de Janeiro to the state of Sao Paulo. You know, so originally the first uh race we started um the athletes swamp in Parachu. So we went all the way down to Rio Janeiro and it finished you know in the city of Rio Janeiro. It was really nice, you know, really cool at that time. But today, now, you know, uh for this uh 10th edition, we're going to do the race all uh in just in one city, which is Ubatuba, which is 70k uh kilometers away from Parachi, which is in the state of Sao Paulo. So we changed that because it was in the in the in the view of logistics, it was really, really challenging for us, you know, to start the racing in Parachip and uh to go all the way down to Rio de Janeiro, you know, a lot of logistics, a lot of uh uh nothing, we say it in Portuguese not a constant, you know, have to deal with a lot of of different cities and a lot of different authorizations. It was a nightmare, logistics nightmare, you know, Larry. So we decided to do all our other racing in uh in Obatuba, which is a beautiful city. I hope you uh you have the chance to come down. I already invited you and I want to do this again now. We would love to have you here with us. Well, thank you as a race director. Please please please consider the possibility in the near future.

Larry 4:43

I I can consider the possibility when I retire from teaching. Otherwise, okay, it's a it's a big cost. I understand. Yeah, yeah. So what is your course going to be like then? Is it is it hilly, is it mountainous, is it flatter? What what what tell us a little bit about your course?

SPEAKER_02 4:58

Well, we have a a very sad swim, you know. So um so we have a um uh a swim course that is on a kind of a bay in in Ubatuba, which is uh uh uh closed, you know. So we have four boys, boy one to boy four, you know, it's one kilometer, so back and forth, two kilometers, and the athletes go do that you know five times.

Larry 5:25

Okay. And then and then what's it like for your bike course and and your run course?

SPEAKER_02 5:29

So the bike course is is pretty hilly, you know. It was a bike course that was uh actually uh what we say the Costa Verde is that really, which is that you know uh area of both states of Rio Janeiro and Sao Paulo. We call it the Green Coast, which is very scenic, very, very nice. So you have you know all the forests on one side and all the beautiful beaches and this and the seashore on the other side. So it's it's really, really uh uh hilly, you know, it's uh it's uh uh uh uh rolling rolling hills, you know, of course. And uh for the first day after they have swamp, they go from Ubatuba to Parachip. Then they go back, and that's exactly 140, 145k. Okay, you know, and for day two, they start from Ubatuba and they go, you know, on the direction of Parachipy, they go by Parachit, and they go in the direction of a city called Angra dos Reis, which is really beautiful, and then comes you know, a mountain. You know, it's a short mountain, uh only about 20k, but it's it's pretty heavy, you know. And we have three tunnels, three very old tunnels, you know, which are very wet and a lot of holes, you know. There are there are approximately you know 200-year-old tunnels, and that gives a kind of a you know a little magic uh to that to that day two. And they they go down from the third tunnel from the top of the mountain, and they then we finish on Parachu. And believe it or not, that's exactly 276 kilometers, you know. Yeah, that's that's really really important for us. Yeah, and that's day two. So we finish, everyone finishes in in Parachu, and then you know, after uh the last competitor or the last participant arrives, and then everybody jumps into the car and we go all the way back to Ubatuba, and then on the third day, you know, the double marathon, we created a course that is all around the city of Ubatuba. It's very scenic, also, and we have about you know um 25Ks of the the 84Ks. It's like a trail run, you know. Uh not as much as it is in Canada, which is a beautiful, uh beautiful course, running course, but it's just like, you know, and then we have it also about a three kilometers, very steep, you know, hill. And that's uh just after the first marathon, and then they come back to the city and they go all the way back and forth uh all this the shore that's the it is on the city, you know. So it's it's pretty cool.

Larry 8:10

So they're kind of running along like a seawall along the city.

SPEAKER_02 8:14

Yes, exactly. Thank you. That's it, you know. And then you know, we have the support, yeah, we have the support of the population, so it's uh the city that it's it's pretty cool, really, really nice. No, great, yeah. So well, but but again, I'm sorry, so through the years, you know, we kind of refine you know the courses, you know. Uh and of course, you know, uh you make a lot of mistakes, you know, and good things also, and you go kind of refining, you know, the course. So I think that actually we we have a very challenging course. I think that if we can compare, I think that we have for a swim, we have a very friendly course. Uh, but the bike course and the run course is pretty challenging. I I would say that our our second day of bike is pretty challenging. And the third day of the marathon, um, it's uh it's very, very uh you know, rolling heels or so. But we have we're lucky enough, you know, to have a lot of shades, not very different from from Hawaii, and that helps a lot the athletes, you know, on the third day.

Larry 9:23

Yeah. And and what are temperatures normally like down there? And is it is it uh the the tropical heat that you're you have down there? Is it is you know, like what what what's the conditions like?

SPEAKER_02 9:33

Well, uh we UB515 starts uh I mean it it it we organize it uh by the beginning of autumn here in Brazil. So it's I think it it's it's mild, you know. In in in in in degrees, I would say that um we go around 34-35 Celsius here in Brazil. It's hot, but we know, but we're used to it here in Brazil. So uh I would say around around 34-45 Celsius degrees.

Larry 10:05

So that's that's that's not mild for most of the world. That's that's hot.

SPEAKER_02 10:09

Yeah. But but uh we're used to it, you know. Yeah. So we uh most of the participants, you know, the others are from Brazil, so and they and they go through uh their basically, you know, the the the biggest part of their training goes through the the summer here in Brazil, which is much more harder. So it it it helps a lot for us to do in the autumn. And that's one of the reasons why we opted to to do it uh in in April.

Larry 10:44

Hey 515 fans, there's another race in April that you might want to follow as well. Next weekend on April 7th and 8th, the Ultra MX515 non-stop is taking place. So that's Van Sanchez putting that one on. So good luck to all the competitors down there. In the next part of my conversation with Alex, we talk about his Ohana. Although he is the main race director, everyone who helps out with running the UV515 is also given that title. And I think that goes to show a little bit about how they approach their race. Now, we were saying that this is going to be your 10th anniversary race, and I know that you probably have a little bit of history you would like to share about some of your your races previous to this. And if you could, within those those sharings, I would love for you to tell us about some of the other race directors that you have involved with your race because you do have some you have some big names and heavy hitters in the in the Ultraman world uh down there helping you out and organizing this race. So uh can you tell us a little bit about some of the people involved in your race and how they came to be involved with the race?

SPEAKER_02 11:59

Sure, definitely. Well, uh, before I tell the history, we have we're lucky enough to have Alishana Hibieru with us, you know, which I obviously um I'm really passionate about it, but I think it's the goat so far, you know, for for men. You know, and we have sexual. Yeah, yeah, yeah. A record still to be broken, you know. And um and we have Sérgio Cordeiro, which we love, you know, which is the guy that put the ultraman in the map here in Brazil, even before Alexandre. Alexandre took it to another level, you know, but the the entrepreneur of the Ultraman here in Brazil was Sérgio Cordeiro. And uh we have Vanusa Maciel also, which helps us a lot, although she's not a race director, but she's always in contact with us, always giving you know a lot of feedback. And actually, we have we are a number of 14 race directors, and we have been together since the start. So now everyone knows exactly what to do, so it's it's pretty cool, you know, and uh to see you know how um how confident we are to do uh this race. But I can tell you, Larry, every year we have a challenge. Yeah, so you know, so every year that we leave that okay, this is gonna be a uh an easy edition, we'll have no problem. So, you know, every time that we think about that, like that way, uh something happens. And we have been challenged a lot, especially the last three years in the region of Ubatuba, there was a very, very, very um uh heavy rain, and there was the the the road literally fell apart. So it was the first time, and that was exactly one month before the race. So we we we rushed to to Ubatuba, you know, to see how the conditions, and it was the first time we did a circuit race, you know, for the first, the second, you know, for the bike lag. And it worked perfectly fine because you know um the the the 90th edition, the 2022 edition, um was the year that we had the most tattooed athletes. So I think that that the the the change in the course what one month before was wasn't a problem for those athletes, you know. But what again to your question, we have you know people like Alessandri, Sergio Cordero, and Paolo Calio, you know, that you maybe probably had heard yeah, yeah. Actually, I of that caliber.

Larry 14:33

Yeah, I I have something I actually want to play for you. Uh back in season two, episode five, when I interviewed my ex-wife Lucy, she was trying to get into bad water at the time. And in order to qualify for bad water, you have to do other races to qualify. So she decided, well, I'm gonna go do Brazil 135, because if I do that one race, I can qualify and I don't have to do two 100 mile races or something like that. Um, so I just want to play a little clip for you from that interview, if I could.

SPEAKER_03 15:07

Cut to the chase and just do the one that'll really get me in there.

Larry 15:12

So I signed up for that. And and this ended up being one of those times where the ohana of the Ultraman family came in really handy in your career because you were able to let people know that you were going there, and you were suddenly finding yourself being hosted by a man who did the race in Ultraman Canada, that is, in 2008, right?

SPEAKER_03 15:35

Paulo Pelil hosted me and uh he's a doctor in Brazil, and I met him and stayed with his lovely family. They were beautiful. He took me in, he was fabulous, he paid for everything and didn't let me pick pay for anything. He got my crew together, and one of my crew, Sergio Cardero, when we went to the breakfast, there were people coming up to him like he was a rock star, and I'm like, oh my god, I have him as my crew. So that was great.

Larry 16:06

Yeah, so I think that kind of plays a little bit to the hospitality of Brazilians, you know. Like maybe tell me a little bit what you think when you hear that story.

SPEAKER_02 16:18

Oh well, um as a Brazilian, we really try to be, you know, to give the best of our hospitality. And uh and when I hear what Lucy said, you know, I I I really can immediately connect, you know, with uh with Paulo Calil and Sérgio Cordero. And uh and I I I have the privilege you know to meet both of them. You know, I I knew Sérgio Cordeiro um you know for for years and I've you know seen him in the media, you know, in the newspapers here in Brazil. And and and you know, it was funny because I I got to know him while I was training. So, you know, I was I was uh training my bike in a in a in the road which which is 100k away from my house, you know, and then passes this guy's flying, you know, and then he stops ahead, asks if everything's okay, and then I immediately recognized him, you know. So he did a thing that you know he was training for ultraman at the period. So he he just stopped, you know, and did all my training, you know, in my speed, you know, he was talking it down, you know, his experience, and that's Sergio.

Larry 17:38

And Sergio, he's he's done like 10 Ultraman races and multiple decas around uh all over the place. Like he he's probably one of the most seasoned triathletes in the world.

SPEAKER_02 17:53

Yes, yes. Uh Sergio, I think he has done a bit more than than 10 because only UB515 he has done eight.

Larry 18:03

Okay.

SPEAKER_02 18:04

Yeah, eight races. So this this year now in uh this edition will be he will be with us as a race director. But I think he has a few a few you know uh ultra races in his belt.

Larry 18:16

And uh maybe maybe it was 10 uh maybe it was 10 world championships that he's done.

SPEAKER_02 18:23

Yeah, I think so. Yeah, he has been in Hawaii a few times, has been also in in uh in Canada a few times. Uh but recently he has been focusing more on the in the Utah distance races, you know, and that made him even more uh uh a hero for us, a national hero for us in Brazil. So we have uh Alisson Ribeiro for the Ultraman races, and we have Sérgio Cordero for the Utah, Utah, you know, distance races as you know, three irons, five irons, deck of irons, double deck irons, those things that we okay. Like this is crazy, you know. And uh about Paulo Calil, it was a funny story because um I met him in the sport, you know. Um we were doing a uh half-iron business race um many, many years ago. And then um it was in in uh northeastern city here in Brazil called Floriano called sorry, called Fortaleza, very, very hot, you know, 45 uh Celsius, 46 Celsius. And then we were you know back at the end of the race, you know, we were probably the last one, and we began to talk with uh with each other. And then you know, six months later we found ourselves again in the same situation in a in a race in in Brazil, and uh, you know, about uh in São Paulo, I'm sorry, and about you know, uh seven or eight months later, and that was maybe one year uh after we met for the first time, I went to Florianópolis, and you know, for one of those coincidences of life, we stayed at the semi pousada, which is a small hotel, and then we got to he looked at me and he said, Look, man, we gotta be friends, you know, because this this this has a this has a reason to be happening, so we gotta be friends. And since then we become friends, and then we started to you know to to do, although he lived in Sao Paul and I in Rio de Janeiro, you know, we we started to combine our races up until we did Ultraman. He did Ultraman Canada in 2007, and I he invited me to be his his captain, and I uh it was me and his wife, and and that was the Ultraman experience, you know, that you know that affects all of us when you you wouldn't have lived, you know. And then um that year, the year later in 2008, we went to um to do Ultraman Hawaii. And then back in 2007, that's in that race where was I met Jane Bacchus, you know, which so wonderful, wonderful, wonderful person. I mean, um I think what a privilege to to know Jane, you know. And then um after we came back from the Ultraman Hawaii in 2008, uh well I'm I'm I'm probably I'm advancing some things, a few things, but that that was the race, you know, when UB 515 started. You know, that was the Ultraman Hawaii race where we where the first idea of doing a race in Brazil started. And it didn't start with me, it started with Paulo Calyu and it started with Alisand Rivir. Uh they both had the intention, the idea of doing uh of putting an Ultraman race here in Brazil, but they didn't know about it the each other's initiatives. You know, I Alisand has one initiative, Paulo has a second initiative, and then you know, as the time go uh went go through, go by. You know, we got to put those those initiators. So they were both initiating uh a five fifteen race in Brazil without knowing the other one was doing it at with is exactly exactly exactly what's that, you know. And Paulo, can can I develop that that history that story? Please, yeah, yeah. So Paulo, uh uh in 2007 I got to know you know Cory Folk, which is you probably know it's an another Ultraman legend, yeah. Yeah, I mean, you know, Ultraman and Iron Man legend. I mean, it's it's uh it's such a privilege to know Corey in every sense because what a wonderful human being. I mean, what a wonderful human being.

Larry 22:41

Yeah, yeah. I think I think uh if if I could, I I think he's done like 36 Ultraman races, yeah. Um 32 Iron Man, 23 times at Iron Man Hawaii. Yeah, he he knows his way around a championship.

SPEAKER_02 22:57

Oh, definitely, and uh he jokes a lot because uh I think that Corey is uh we have counted. I mean, finishing, I don't I don't recall if it was 23 or 24 races, Ultraman finished races, and then we say it's that he's a uh a world uh record of finishing ultraman races, but you know, but he jokes also about the fact that he's also a a world record DNF for ultraman races.

Larry 23:25

Yeah, he might be up against Nick Millette for that one.

SPEAKER_02 23:28

Yeah, yeah. Wow, Nick, I love Nick. He's such a wonderful person. I got to know Nick in in 2007 or so, and we got in touch. We keep in contact since then. But um, but Paulo Kalil and Corey Folk, they were they were very connected to each other from that you know that period. And then they they started the idea of putting our Ultraman race here in Brazil. And um in that time, I wasn't aware of the project, you know. Paulo took uh uh Paulo told me that, you know, involved me about uh a year after they they you know were talking about the project. And then Paulo contacted me and said, look, um I'm happy I have this project here in Brazil, you know, Corey to do it to my grace. And um I have been talking to Corey, but it, but I can't I can't go on with it. You know, he's a doctor, you know, he has at the time he had three kids, a lot of work. Uh but I think you you you could you could um uh maybe you know team up with Corey and put that to put that, make that happen. And the fact is, Larry, that uh my my idea and what I really wanted to say to Paula was no thanks, and I had other things to do, but I just couldn't say no to him. And I was thinking, wow, I said yes. How how am I gonna get out of this? You know, really, really, I really wanted to get out of it because you know I had a lot of things to do. I have my kids, you know, you know, work, I came back to work, you know, those things that we we do, you know, in in in everyday sense. But then Corey called me, you know, and and we became chatty. So once in a while we made you know some uh Skype, you know, videos, uh video conferences, and we talked a lot. And uh and that really began in me, you know. Um I began to think, yeah, maybe we could do, maybe we could do it. But my background, you know, Larry, as you mentioned before, uh, my background is projects. My corporate life basically made it, you know, as a project manager.

Larry 25:44

So and what's what sort of what sort of uh discipline are we talking about here where you're a project manager?

SPEAKER_02 25:50

Oh now basically in IT and technology's for all so no so uh I uh as a project manager, you know, you you see the whole scope of the project, you know, you have a very um technical way of seeing things, you know, and the activity, the produces and the activities, you know, all the the links between them, right? You know, it's kind of boring, I I I confess, you know, but I like it. But it it's it's kind of you know, all the things depend of each other, right? And after maybe, yeah, maybe almost two years, you know, about talking to Corey, he said to me once in uh in a video conference, look, Luna, I'm getting old. Are we gonna do that, this or not?

SPEAKER_01 26:39

Right.

SPEAKER_02 26:39

You you please feel free. Please, absolutely free. I love to talk to you, you know. We're we're brothers now, I know everything about your family, you know everything about my family. But what about the project? Are we going, are we going with it or not? So please feel to tell me that you don't want it. And um I I at that time I have done some of homework, you know, about the projects, you know, putting in a spreadsheet, you know, those Gantt shards, typically from projects. And I opened my Gantt chart. Look, Corey, it's really hard for me, you know, because we gotta get some sponsors and see those activities. And he just listened for me for five or six minutes, you know, about my my uh the reasons for not the difficulties that I was having. Yeah, yeah, thank you, the objections, exactly. And he said, Can I speak? Definitely, yes, man. And with all that Hawaiian wisdom, probably I uh I was talking to Corey, probably I would listen to the same thing from Curtis or from Jane, you know. And they he said, Look, um man, if you keep on thinking that way, the event will never happen. You gotta let the event happen. And that was very, very wise, you know, and that was a turn point for UB515 to have. You know, I said the F word F-word, and I said, okay, let's do this. You know, so I began from from up ahead to backwards. So we we we put on the dates, and then let's see how we're gonna do it. You know, there was one thing in in parallel to all that story time, uh also Larry, was that I was doing my my masters and uh I I had to stop uh training because I was going to lose my masters, you know, for for what we call the the dissertação, the dissertation. And I I had to stop to training to do my master's. And I literally stopped from training from one day to the other. And during that period, which was around six months, my my brother went to uh to do his first Iron Man here in Brazil. And in the marathon, he he he really got tired. So I went to jog with him a while. And I was prior to that, I was you know, feeling Larry a lot of a lot of tired. So I thought to myself, wow, I just stopped training and I I um I don't know how to say it in English, but just condition really happy, really fast, you know, really fast. I I began my my condition, I lost my conditioning. Right. You know, my um and then uh I went to while my brother was uh walking the marathon, I I went to do some jogging with him, and I felt not tired, but I felt something different. You know, I never had uh never felt before you know the the pain in the chest, you know, the pain in the heart. So that I I I when I came back to Rio Janeiro, I immediately began doing uh a lot of exams, heart exams. And then I find out, Larry, that uh a very important artery, which is named in Portuguese DA, that was 100% uh obstruida. You know, so I I could just have a heart attack at any time. You know, so from the the the day that was I I found out that one day and the second day I went to surgery and uh I put uh uh what called stance you know in the heart, and that changed everything there. Changed everything. So this situation that I'm describing to you now and the talk with Corey, you know, they took uh uh they were around the same time. So they they they are really connected to the story, you know, the history of UB515. Because if I didn't have the problem, heart problem, probably I would be, I don't know if I'll still now, but probably I will still be running Iron Man and Neutroman races, you know. And uh the fact that Cario gave me that insight during that period, you know, uh was uh was very, very uh crucial for UB 515 to happen. Because I was really you know um uh emotional about and the real things that are important in life, yeah, you know, Larry. You know, and we have when we have such a and it wasn't it wasn't a huge you know health problem. You know, fortunately for me, it was something that was really solved in a short, you know, very easy way. But despite that, it makes you think about the priorities in life. And that uh again, that with the fact that Corey from the word of Corey, so we did the first UV 515. And we did a very small race in Parachi, as I described before. And one thing that I really recall Jane saying to me, and Corey saying to me also, uh, was look, uh try to have some very experienced ultra-triathes, you know, so so they can participate in your first edition, and they give can give you a lot of feedbacks uh from what's going on. So from that you can improve the race. And that was exactly what we did, you know, and that was back in 2014, and we had Sergio Cordero, Venusa Maciel, you know, and other people that already had been in in Ultraman, Hawaii, in Ultraman, Canada helping us. So that's when that's how UB 55515 happened.

Larry 32:28

And and you mentioned this briefly, just you you kind of brushed over his name. You also had Curtis Tyler uh giving some help here too, like the the granddaddy, the father of the entire sport.

SPEAKER_02 32:43

Yeah, yeah, you know, that was a bridge that was built uh by Corey, you know, because they're they're very very close to each other, you know, Corey and Kurtz. Zas Corey is also to Jane. And uh, you know, uh after I got involved with with um UB15, you know, I began to see about all the history of the race. You know, that's what typical you know project managers do, you know, trying to understand everything that goes around the project. And uh Corey said, Look, I'm I'm gonna put you in contact with Curtis, I know him very well. So I don't know if you have talked to Curtis. Yes, Larry.

Larry 33:21

No, that's that's on my own.

SPEAKER_02 33:22

Oh Larry, you have to. Yes. Oh, you have to tell me. Maybe you can set that up for me. Yeah, definitely, yes. You can kind of yeah, you have to talk to with him and Leslie, you know, because his wife, he doesn't, she doesn't like to take credit, you know. But people say that, you know, uh uh behind Curtis is Leslie, which will really put the race in for the the ultramen race in place for the for the first time.

Larry 33:46

Yeah. So and then we should just explain that maybe for for people listening that maybe don't know the name Curtis Tyler. It's like he originated the race in 1983 in Hawaii with a couple of his buddies.

SPEAKER_02 33:58

Exactly, exactly. Um, we used we always say that um if Iron Man has Colonel John Collins, Ultraman has Curtis Tyler. You know, so he he he is the absolutely he and Leslie, you know, are the father and the mother of what what what is Ultraman, of the Aloha, the Ohana, and the Koku spirit. So Corey built that bridge for us, you know. And I I remember uh that of I think it was in 2016 that you know uh we went we and we went in, we talked to it was me, Corey, Curtis, and Leslie when I got to know them in uh in uh in a video meeting. And uh I was you know immediately, immediately, you know, um astonished by his words and his and his his wife words also because you know he really I think that he more than represents what is the Aloha Gahan Kukhua. I think that he is those three words, you know, he and his wife. Obviously, you have that also in Jane and all the people that you know uh work with the with ultramen races or 515 races all over the world, but it began with him. So we cannot deny that. And was it was awesome that you know that that uh Corey um created that bridge for us and Curtis and Leslie and Corey, they went for for our 2017 edition as well as for our 2018 edition. One of the things you know that we all as race directors, I think that got us most more emotional is where is when was when uh in our 2017 award ceremony, you know, and uh Curtis was speaking to all of us, you know, and he said that um he expected that the seeds, the Ultraman seeds would you know would uh would germinate in in another country. And he thought that maybe that would happen in the American continent or in Europe, but he would never guess that would happen in Brazil. So he he was he was very, very happy to see that you know that could happen in in any country. For the first time in Brazil, he was expecting that that happened also that in other countries, and that was was awesome to hear uh that from him. And um, and since then we we we we keep in contact. And uh he was, you know, Corey uh Curtis and Leslie was as always are very kind enough, you know, to participate in now in via via video conferences in our in our you know symposiums and awards and awards, you know. So it's very nice, very, very good to have them. And obviously, all of us, race directors and athletes, we love to hear them and to see them participating, even even if it's by video conference with us. So it was a as a something that we we didn't plan and come to came to happen for the first time in 2014. And as we look back back now there, you know, to see uh for us as Risk Direct, and I speak for myself mainly, is to see, and I really never thought about that before saying this to you, but what a privilege, I mean, to to get to know uh Corey, Curtis, Jane, Leslie, and Alexandre, and Sergio Cordero, you know, and Vanduza, and uh, you know, Nick, you know, all those athletes, you know, that have involved in in Ultraman and now talking to you. So uh it it I think it's really it's worth you know all the all all the the troubles, you know, the challenge that we face, you know. Yeah, because we we uh I don't I don't believe that like us that uh uh uh uh ultra distance race, you know, 515 race, the race organizers did that for money. It doesn't pay it doesn't pay the RBOs at all, you know. And uh my wife told me a couple of years ago that if I spend more money from our from our savings rather than from the the the what the athletes freeze, she would divorce me.

Larry 38:46

So uh I I've heard a very similar story from Steve Brown. Um his his final kick at the can was was a similar story. Um there the the wife was also saying Maria, she's like, you know what, you can't keep subsidizing these races for these to come and do this stuff.

SPEAKER_02 39:06

Yeah, yeah. Yeah, but despite that, you know, well, um Larry, after you know, looking back and and and have the access, you know, got got to know people through through the from that very familiar, you know, that live this race, you know, and and also some, you know, Larry, to see the transformation process with the athletes go through um since uh starting when they when they candidate themselves, when we're talking with them, and the training process, you know, during the race, and to to to live that experience every year and to see those faces, you know, crossing the line on day three.

Larry 39:49

Right.

SPEAKER_02 39:49

So far, it's it's worth so far, it's worth it's it's very energizing for all of us.

Larry 39:54

Well, when I go back to the races every year, it it's for that reason. It's it's to see those new people that come and experience it. And and that's one of the reasons why I wanted to be involved with the the race directing as well when I was um back for a few years there. And it's yeah, it's and and it's amazing that like you say that you get to experience it firsthand from Curtis as well, because he's the one who was the Ohana Kakua Aloha. You know, this is gonna be the foundation of the race, exactly and the way that those have spread around the world to Brazil and Mexico and the UK and Israel and Russia and where all these races are happening now. Yes, and it's and it's all based back to that, you know, the AOK. And it comes back to that once people get that feeling and they experience that, they just they feel like they need to go back and give it to their country and then they they need to share it more.

SPEAKER_02 40:56

Yes, yeah, exactly. So that exactly, thank you for saying that. That was exactly what happened to us. And we always say, you know, Larry, that here that for UB515, the the AOK experience, you know, uh the AOK experience, uh, it's that that the UB 515 or triathlon, I know it's a cliche, it's not a way in itself, but it's uh it's not not an end in itself, but a way, you know, to achieve that. And we always say to the athletes that you know, UB515 uh will be dated in their lives. I mean, it will pass, you know, 2008, 2014. And like like um Ultraman was you know dated for me, if I'm using the correct expression. Um but the values, the AOK, they remain, that's the legacy of the event, you know. So that's why we do that that the race, you know, to see it's much more, much more than the athletes thanking us at the end of the race, you know, but it's to to live those that transformation process, you know. Uh, even when we talk to athletes that done the race uh four or five years ago, you know, they say how much that it was transforming for them. And for us at UB515, and I believe that mainly for every race that 515 race directory, we we understand, you know, that we are just um we're just have we're just supporting, we have a role of supporting, you know, because the main actors are the athletes, you know, and we always say that to that to them that if they if they believe that we give you know energy and happiness to them, uh us as race organizers, uh we have we receive much more from them than we give to them, you know. If I make myself clear, if you understand what I'm saying. Absolutely. Yes. So every year, you know, despite the fact that it is uh, you know, I believe that some race organizers will see this podcast, as I have seen most. It's very challenging, you know. Uh we don't live uh by that, you know, because everyone has its work, you know, it's built to base at the end of the month. And we mainly work on these races, you know, at night and uh on the weekends, you know, but it's worth, it's worth learning. It's worth, you know, and that all based on that foundations of the AOK, um, which was created by by Curtis and Led.

Larry 43:40

Right. You know, I couldn't have agreed more with Alex on that point. That's one of the reasons why I wanted to be a race director as well back when I was in Ultraman Canada. It's that opportunity to spend time with these people. And again, year after year, I go back to the race and and want to meet more of these and People that are part of this race. And Alex is clearly one of those people. In the next segment, we learn a little more about Alex as an athlete and how his family is all involved in the UB 515 organization. And then in the final part, Alex is going to give us the heads up on the field in this year's race. And if you speak Portuguese or can read it, you might be able to stay up to date with the race through their social media. You know, I would like to get into a little more of your background as well. You've touched on it a little bit, uh, but we've been talking about all these other people involved at your race and and and you're like giving them all their props and whatnot. But uh let's let's hear a little bit more about you. Uh you've done Ultraman Hawaii, you've done Ultraman Canada. Give us a little um review of what your race history has been and and what what are you currently doing, or are you doing anything as far as racing and training?

SPEAKER_02 45:00

Well, uh I because of my heart condition, I cannot stop to train. You know, I have to always uh be I I love the try-way, you know, the try the try a lifestyle. You know, and uh my family, you know, my wife, my kids, my I have an 11-year-old daughter, she has been involved. We have pictures with her involved in UB515 since the beginning, my mother and my brothers and sisters. So we all live, you know, the the triathlon um way of life. But I started as a swimmer, and I have to tell you, I I swim badly, I bike badly, and uh and even more badly, but I but I love their lifestyle. And I always like loved the train, the training. I I really enjoyed the training, you know, the long the long bike rides and the long runs. So uh I began as a swimmer and and I started in triathlon pretty late, you know. That was um I was uh by my late 20s, you know, 28, 29 years, because uh it's an expensive sport. So um after I began work, you know, got about to find my way in the corporate world, you know, had my place, could buy my, could afford my bike. So I started um in triathlon because a friend of mine, which with Paulo, which is not Kalute, he told me, look, you you you swing kind of good, wouldn't you like to try a triathlon? So I know I laughed at him. Are you kidding me, man? Don't I would never do a triathlon? You're saying bike rion, yeah, or swing, biking, and running. And but then he said he insisted very much. So I I went to do a first sprint triathlon in Copacabana a long, long time ago, which I believe it was 250, um, 5K and 2K. And that was so transforming. And all everyone that experiences that and it was uh it was transforming. I I I I fell in love with with triathlon. And at the first race, I you know, I got my helmet was you know uh borrowed, the bike was borrowed, everything, you know, the swimming goggles was borrowed, you know. Yeah, and then uh yeah, and then I I started to to to to I I really wanted to train, you know, and then I talked to a friend which is a physiotherapeut, physiotherapist, you know, he said, look, no, man, and no, no, you gotta talk with a professional, professional, uh teacher, which is physical education. So he introduced me to Alishandre. That's where I got to know Alishand Ribeiro. Oh, okay. So Alishand Ribeiro was my first coach. And then obviously, naturally, I began, you know, increasing the distances. But those were was those were the old days, you know. So to do my to do my first Iron Man, it took me five years, you know. It was a different school, you know, then. Um, now it's uh it's very common for the athlete to do his its he or hers first triathlon as an Iron Man. I'm not saying it's right or wrong, I'm not in that discussion. I'm just saying that my time, it was different. You know, you really had to to build the increase in the distance.

Larry 48:24

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 48:25

So I did, Larry, yeah, a lot of sprint, short distances, you know, Olympic distance. And then I went to the the the the 113 races, and then I got to do my first Iron Man, which was in Brazil in 2002. You know, that's when I got to to see Paulo, Paulo Calil. Yeah, and then and then I began, you know, I I did a few Iron Man's. Uh I did 10 Iron Man's, you know, nine M dot uh brand Iron uh races and one that is a 226, let's see what exists here in Brazil. And then I was um in my late 30s, you know, I think it was 39, you know, and then uh net I I came to meet my wife, and at the moment that I saw her, I I knew I would like to marry her, you know.

Larry 49:19

And uh and did you meet her at a triathlon?

SPEAKER_02 49:22

No, I'm at work.

Larry 49:23

At work, okay.

SPEAKER_02 49:24

At work, yeah. And uh and uh I I knew it and it was you know kind of funny, Larry, because from the day that I met her and uh I I knew that my that triathlon would change in my life, you know. I I wouldn't be able to train and to live triathlon as I lived for you know 20 plus years. You know, uh it was just a routine, you know, train twice a week, twice a day, you know, early in the morning, swim at night, and do you know the the long bike trainings at Saturdays and the long runs on Sundays? It doesn't matter if you had you know a race, you know, a close race or not, you know. And I knew that would change. So uh I was at that time very close to Paulo Calyu and he was going through the same process. And then he said, look, I I I gotta do Ultraman. So he went to Ultrain Canada, and that that's where I got the experience, neutral experience. And Paulo at the the third day, you know, by the 10th kilometer, he broke. Now he hit the wall. And then and and then I I I although I have done you know a few a few marathons and I have done one 50K race here in Brazil running, I never had done before a 74K um running, which I which I did with him. And that day was very, very, you know, very important for me. So because I had to do in that race, to have to have that race, the experience of being, you know, the importance of the Aloha di Ohan Koku as a as a captain or as a staff. And I got to know in the third day the experience of somehow being an athlete because I ran the almost the entire marathon with him, you know. So uh at the end of day two before that, the day three, we were at the I don't recall the city, it's a small city that ends at Princeton.

Larry 51:36

Princeton.

SPEAKER_02 51:37

Yeah. Yeah. And at the only one restaurant, I mean, very small restaurant, and we we were all there, and I was really excited. And Jane was sitting in in a table close to mine, and I told I I looked at her, Jane, can I go to Hawaii? I didn't know anything about the process, anything. And she just with all that, you know, you know, she's such a novel person, you know. She uh Jane's a queen, you know, she has a she she she looked at me and said, I think maybe that she thought makes him I think that she thought that this guy doesn't know anything about you know the the candid, you know, the the the the the how to do an iron ultra man, but she looked at me and said, yes you can. And yes you can. And uh in 2008, that next year, I married. And um uh I said, Paulo, look, Paulo, it's gotta be 2008, or uh or I won't be able to do uh in the near future. And then uh while I was on honeymoon, I was in Rome with my wife, and then you know the phone rang, it was Paulo, and it was night at Rome, and he said, Look, Yona, uh I talked to Jane, we can go to it in Hawaii, but you gotta do, you know, you gotta go into the the website right now, do it now. And and my wife, she just said, I I can hear you guys. So that's how it came to be. So that's uh uh uh I I went to do you know Ultraman Hawaii in 2008. So that's that's that's my story as an athlete.

Larry 53:26

Wow, that's yeah, that's great. And and as you were saying before, your entire family is now part of the organization with 515 for for Brazil, including the children, correct?

SPEAKER_02 53:38

Oh yes, yes, they do. Anita, which is my she's she's very excited about it now. And one thing that is so nice to see is how she um please allow me to say that, you know, she she participates, you know, so she gives her opinion about the materials, even the prices, the timing, you know. She she she she's in my master tax task, so she'll know all the jobs that have to be done, the to-dos have been done. You know, it it's it's very it's very nice. And my mother always that she she when I talk to her almost every day on the phone, she asked, so how things for your G515 this year? Do you need anything? Do you need any help? Is there any any athlete that any has injured? So it's it has it is something that has literally come into our lives. So we ask ask the other rest of our directors also, because you know it's uh I'm sorry, uh, so we are in 14, so we are not only for real journeys, we are from different parts of Brazil. So uh for one week every year, we just stop everything that we do, you know, and we have this calling from Ubatuba, and we go there, you know, and and we have a lot of fun, and a lot of improvisation also, you know, lots of improvisation, but we have a lot of fun, and and if and for that weight, I never thought about that also, but I think that maybe in in in some way, UB515 is a way for us, you know, our 14 to to to get in touch with in person with each other, you know, once a year.

Larry 55:19

Yeah. And with your with your kids, what what sort of sports are they into? Are they into triathlon? Are they in the other sports?

SPEAKER_02 55:27

Or no, no, no, they're not in triathlon, but both are in swimming. Okay. Both are swimmers.

Larry 55:33

Start them there like you did.

SPEAKER_02 55:35

Oh, yeah, if they want to. My my my daughter, she swims pretty good, you know. And uh, I just you know, I don't force anything, but she she now she's now seeing about running. You know, she's only 11, but I think it's pretty cool. So maybe I think that maybe at some point they will give it a shot and let's see what happens.

Larry 55:56

You know, you you you got enough bikes lying around the house that you can lend her one?

SPEAKER_02 56:02

Yeah, definitely, yes. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And uh, I think she she she will bike pretty good because you know she she has a bike, and I can see you know by her position, and she's very competitive. And uh let's see, let's see how it goes. But I think that the most important thing, you know, Larry, is that the uh living experience is the importance of sports. You know, that's that's really really important. If they go, no, if they decide to go ahead with it, that's fine, you know. But one thing that I have I'm really um I have really the preoccupation, I think that's how we say that in Portuguese, with them with them is you know, to see to show them how the importance of sports. You know, it doesn't matter winning or losing, that's not the point, you know, but it living the sports values. And uh we're lucky enough to have that in uh in uh in the way that uh EUB15, the ultraman with the AOK values, you know uh they can experience. And I think that makes them not not better, but it is different from up from other kids. Makes them enrich. Yeah, yes, exactly. Thank you. Exactly. You know, and uh it's not better or worse, but from from my observation, you know, for their friends, you know, and they are in uh in uh the other kids, you know, are very in a very competitive um environment. I uh it's important for life, you know, you know, but I think that uh uh that I stimulate them to be competitive, but I also stimulate them, you know, to live the uh the values of the sport. So it's kind of always the importance to have the balance between those those two factors. Yeah.

Larry 57:52

Well, you know, I would like to get on and talk a little bit to you about this year's race in the in the field in the race this year. You know, we were talking earlier about how the seeds kind of grow and they they spread out around the world. And and your race is mainly a regional race with a lot of Brazilian athletes. You've had a few internationals come in from time to time, but um, you know, not a lot of athletes can afford to travel to the USA and be part of the Ultraman brand. So you're providing a great service for them there in Brazil, and uh that's that's great that you do that for your countrymen. So tell us a little bit about these people. Do you have any internationals coming in this year? Who are your who are your you know, alumni that are coming back to race with you? Who's new that's exciting for you to watch and that you've been in contact with? Tell us tell us about your field.

SPEAKER_02 58:40

Yeah, so um one thing that Curtis uh and Corey uh always say that is very important for us, you know. Um it is important for us to have people that have been in this race already, but it is it is also important to bring new people, you know. So this year we're lucky enough to have you know um uh 30 participants and only five are have been the previous races, you know. So 25 of them, you know, are newcomers, which is very, very good.

Larry 59:12

That's gonna be an exciting, exciting way to watch that unfold, then yeah.

SPEAKER_02 59:17

Yeah, exactly. And one thing, Larry, also that this race is is uh it will be very interesting for interesting for us to observe is that um in all the previous races, we had names like Ivan Albano, we had names like Thiago Menusi, which are which are regional you know uh athletes here in Brazil, but they're very good, very competitive, you know, uh uh very strong age groupers. But this year we don't have, you know, uh how do you say someone that's certainly will win? I don't know. I I know that very special favorite. A favorite, thank you, exactly. We don't have a favorite. So I I think it's uh this year, Larry, for you know, for us, it's yeah, and I was talking to that with about that with Alexandri and and uh my brother Andrews, uh, that we just can't predict he's gonna win because it's it's uh it will be literally a very average, you know, um uh kind of athlete, you know, both on the men's side and and the women's side. Obviously, we expect the Vanuz, you know, Habunas is a very experienced athlete, and you know, she she has a very uh very good chance of of uh of being the first uh female to cross the 33 finish line. But in general, we are we're very uh excited about this year because we don't have a favorite, you know, and let's see how that comes. So it will be uh a very fair race for everyone, differently from the other years that we we had a favorite and those those favorite wants.

Larry 1:00:55

Right. Do any of the racers have the experience of past racers coming along the crew for them?

SPEAKER_02 1:01:03

Oh yes, we have uh uh some some racers that have been here before as staffs or captains. Um Fabiano is one of those. He has participated in our year uh last year's race, and he has crewed two or twice before. And we have um uh uh uh and I think that maybe Fabiano has a great chance, uh shot. And um we have um two other people that has been that has screwed before, and now they're coming as you know as uh uh as racers, uh as athletes, and um that is also something that um the okay value brings to us because a lot of people that have been crewed before, now they're coming uh as athletes, you know, so they have experience. And also in the same way, Larry, uh we have three athletes that have been injured during this training, and we really always invite them to be with us, you know, in the race. You know, so we're lucky enough to have some partners, a hotel partnership in Lubatuba, so we can provide them their stage, you know, and we always joke with them that we pay very good, we give them a t-shirt and a and a and a cap. And uh and uh uh it's very common for athletes that have been formed race to come back to help us organize uh uh the race. Uh Luis Gissat is one of them, Alexandra Constantin is one of them also. They have been before as athletes, now they come as race directors, organizers. So we kind of very we're very worried to stimulate those people, you know, to if they come, can come to the race. I like these these three injured athletes, right? And uh two of them will come with their families to help us uh at the race.

SPEAKER_01 1:02:54

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 1:02:55

And then hopefully come back the next year. Oh, yes, definitely, yes, yes, definitely, yes. Because one thing is to have the experience in in you know in organizing, the other thing is to come as an athlete. But uh, but what what have what we have witnessed here in Brazil, and I don't think that's different from other 515 races, is that it is very oh, I have the Renato Marcelo also has crewed before is coming out as an athlete. So I I think it's fair to say that every year about 10 to 15 percent of the athletes uh have crewed before, which I think is a very good ratio.

Larry 1:03:34

Yeah. And and how can people that are listening now follow your race when it when it starts to happen? What what do you guys do for um live race updates or day of race updates and where can they go to find those? Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 1:03:49

Yeah, we they can everyone can check us at our Instagram and our uh uh page. Um and we we have uh uh a social media director. His name is Sandra Tanaka. He has been with us you know since 2015. Unfortunately, it would be he he everything you know would be uh would be said in Portuguese, speaking in in Portuguese. But I think that it will be pretty easy to see the dynamics. And Tanaka does he does a brilliant job, you know, it doesn't stop from you know from 5 p.m. up until 7, 8 p.m. You know, so everyone can check out. We'll be happy to to see, you know, and and change your you know, experiences and even tests uh in our Instagram page.

Larry 1:04:40

Okay, good to know. Um, well, you know, I I really appreciate you coming and sharing the history of your race for the listeners, and hopefully, maybe some of them have now been inspired to maybe give you a call and and come down and check it out as well. Um, it's it's been a pleasure to to speak with you today, and uh your English is excellent. You had nothing to worry about there. So um that's I was worried about that. So you know, yeah, no, it was absolutely fantastic. So uh oh. Thank you for coming on.

SPEAKER_02 1:05:17

Now, my I I I would like to thank you, Larry, you know, and uh I'm really being honest, you know, the other race directors know that I'm here, that I will have this conversation with you. And uh I really thank you, you know, for letting us share the experiences of UB515, which I think is a very familiar experience with the other races that are organized around the world. And uh thank you, really. I'm really being honest, thank you, you know, for putting up those the 515 uh podcasts, you know, because you you know you have the intention to create this great ohana, you know, uh despite different cultures. It doesn't matter if it's Israel, Hawaii, or Florida or Australia or Spain or Poland, you know, to put those everyone together with us with uh these these common values, these common shares, that you know, the aloha, the ohana, kukua, there are beyond you know any cultural cultural differences, you know. So thank you. I I thank you, you know, for putting that up and uh for letting us to participate of it.

Larry 1:06:27

Oh thank you. Thank you for saying that. That's great. So I hope you enjoyed that conversation with Alex. You know, the more I speak to race directors from outside of North America, the more I realize that this A-O-K has spread around the world. And the people that are putting on these regional races really do feel it and live it. And it's great that it has spread so much around the world.

Mary Jo 1:06:56

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