UB515 Race Preview (2026) with Alex Luna

In this episode, we travel to Ubatuba, Brazil, to catch up with Alex Luna, one of the driving forces behind the UB515 ultra triathlon. As the race enters its 13th year, Alex shares the origin story of how a small group of legends—including Alexandre Ribeiro and Corey Folk—brought the Ultraman distance to Brazil. We dive deep into the "Aloha" spirit that defines the event and discuss the logistical and emotional preparation for the 43 athletes set to take on the 515km challenge.

What you will learn from this episode:

• The Power of "Just Letting it Happen": Alex recounts the advice from Corey Folk that finally launched the race in 2014.
• Course Logistics: A day-by-day walkthrough of the swimming, cycling, and running stages through some of Brazil’s most scenic coastal and mountain roads.
• Community & Legacy: How the race serves as a transformative process for both athletes and staff, fostering lifelong connections.

Athlete Dynamics: A breakdown of the 2026 field, including a record number of female participants and the veterans returning to defend their numbers.

Follow the race on Instagram       UB 515 Website 

Previous appearances by Alex (S4E6) (S5E9)

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• BR145
• Fodaxman 
• IM Brasil

Shout outs and mentions in this episode:

• Alexandre Ribeiro
• Paulo Calil
• Cory Foulk
• Sergio Cordeiro
• Curtis Tyler
• Leslie Tyler
• Steve King 
• Andrius Luna
• Sandro Tanaka
• 75 – Bernardo Tillmann
• 78 – Erick Duarte
• 99 – Aline Luftmann
• 135 – Fabiano Peres
• 147 – Dejalmo Almeida
• 149 – Evandro Dutra
• 169 – Marcelo Noia
• 187 – Juan Armenteros
• 200 – Eduardo Filho
• 208 – Pedro Walfir
• 220 – Igor Maciel
• 225 – Luciano Bressy
• 233 – Rian Tavares
• 236 – Rafael Aragon
• 241 – Rubens Gonçalo
• 244 – Cléber Santos
• 245 – Rodrigo Gregório
• 246 – Diogo Brumm
• 248 – Ana Heide
• 249 – Luiza Machado
• 250 – Marcele Salaverry
• 251 – Diego Vidal
• 252 – Julius Bomfim
• 253 – Kildare Cardoso
• 254 – Juliana Ennes
• 255 – Fabi Silva
• 256 – Tatiana Debiasi
• 257 – Dankar Maridor
• 258 – Rodrigo Arraes
• 259 – Rafael Ruhl
• 260 – Julio Tiliaque
• 261 – Kalleb Potenza
• 262 – Mauro Lima
• 263 – Flavio Santos
• 264 – Gabriel Brás
• 265 – Fernando Oliveira
• 267 – Victor Latarulla
• 269 – João Paulo Morisson
• 270 – Wagner Nishizawa
• 271 – Renan Delavald
• 272 – Pamela Oliveira
• 273 – Roger Barroquello
• 2

Transcript

Why This Preview Drops Early

Larry 0:28

Thanks everybody. Today's episode is getting a fully released so that you have enough time to listen before the start of the 13th edition of UB 515 is coming. This is the first of two back-to-back episodes that are race previews. Today we're traveling back to the southern hemisphere in the country of Brazil to speak with one of the race directors of UB515. We have had this guest on before to talk about their race, and I'm very pleased to have him returning today to give us a race preview for 2026, happening in just a couple of days. This episode is coming out a few days early to give people a chance to familiarize themselves with the athletes prior to the race. Joining me from the race city of Ubatuba. Welcome back to the podcast, my friend from Brazil, Alex Luna. Welcome.

Alex 1:27

Hey Larry. Thank you for the invitation. It's a pleasure for me uh representing all the people that organize UB515, which I'm in Brazil, to be here with you talking about the race. And it's just around the corner, five days from now.

Larry 1:45

Yeah, yeah. Just before we were recording, you are showing me some of the stuff you're getting ready and your race briefing room and all that stuff. It it looks like you're you're ready to go.

Alex 1:56

Yeah, we are a lot of things to do in these five days race uh prior to the race. We have uh race directors, organizers coming all over from Brazil. We got uh I came from Rio de Janeiro. Uh I think I mentioned you that it's uh actually I live in Rio Janeiro, but the race, no, it's it happens in Batuba, as you mentioned. It's a six-hour drive from Rio de Janeiro, and just like me, I came from Rio de Janeiro, and there's people coming from São Paulo, people coming from the northeastern country, uh, a lot of places from uh Brazil. Um people are coming down to Batuba to organize and and participate in the race.

Larry 2:38

Yeah, and and this is your 13th race you're running this year, is that correct?

Alex 2:43

Exactly.

Larry 2:44

Yeah, yeah, the lucky, lucky 13.

Alex 2:48

Yes, we hope so.

Larry 2:51

And and you start off with an opening ceremony on April the 9th, and race first day of racing is going to be April the 10th.

Alex 2:58

Exactly.

Larry 2:59

Yeah, and and the last time you were here, it was for your 10th anniversary. So it's been a couple years since we spoke about your race. That long, yeah, yeah. So that was back in season four, episode six, where people that want to go back and pick up the stuff that we discussed in that one, then we don't have to discuss all the same things again this time. Uh, they can go back and do their homework and and hear about your course and and the things that we talked about at that time and a little bit more about you. Um today I want to highlight the athletes that you have coming and hear a little bit about your your race. Can you go back and give us like kind of the quick version? I think we talked about this last time, but how did the race get started in Brazil? And and who was the um originator or who were the originators of of the idea to have a UB515?

How UB515 Started In Brazil

Alex 3:50

Sure. Um the idea of uh putting up a race in Brazil came obviously by the experience of running Utraman Hawaii. Um I've been there already. Um obviously Alexandre Ribeiro, uh which uh it couldn't be no different here in Brazil. We consider the the greatest of all time, you know Traman, man's obviously, man's version, and um Paulo Calil, another Brazil, and Cory Folk. So Alexandre, Cori Folk, and Paulo Calil, a dear friend of mine who've been in Hawaii for three times, they thought about putting up the race here in Brazil. And uh but as the the idea was mentioned, people got back to their lives and it just didn't happen. But they kept talking uh among themselves about the race, and then Paulo invited me to join and in the organization, and I I just I wanted to say no to him, but I didn't have you know the I I couldn't say no to him. You know, actually Larry, I think I mentioned this before, I didn't want it, you know. But Larry's a I mean, Paul is a very dear friend of mine. He helped me so many times previously in my life, and I just couldn't say no to him. I said, Oh my gosh, I'm gonna put that this thing up. And then I started to to be closer to Corey folk in Alichandra, yeah. And then one day, two or three years after the first idea of putting up a race, I was in a meeting with Corey, and he said, Look, man, we're gonna we have to put this thing up. Uh I'm getting old and I want to race in Brazil. And I my professional background, Larry, is as uh I always work in projects. So I've had I've had a very linear way of thinking about things, you know, activities, previous activities, you know, all the stuff that has been put together. And I was mentioning that kind of things, those stuff to to Corey in the same meeting regarding all the difficulties that I was having. And he just said, um, you're never gonna do the race if you think that way. You're never gonna let the race happen if you think that way. And I think I've mentioned this before to you, and then he said this phrase that it I recall just like it was yesterday. Just let the event happen. So then I ripped my projects uh books, and I just put then we put a day to happen, and then it just happened, and that was 2014. And literally, it was just like that. Obviously, uh this is our 13th year, and we we worked very hard to know to organize better race to give the athletes uh the best experience they have and they can have. And uh we got to know people through these years, you know, that got very, very involved in the event. And I think I mentioned that before. So sorry again for saying that, but this event happens because of uh mailing 15 people you know that comes all over from Brazil to organize the event and give their best the event to happen. And it's it's and we still uh so far, we still hear that call from Batuba to come here and organize the event. And every time, every year that we finish the race, you know, Larry, and we you know, we we have make we have birthdays every year, we get older every year, you know. And then when we do a debriefing meeting, uh and we look to each other's really, we really do look at each other and said, We're gonna do that this again next year. And then we recall the faces of the athletes when they cross the finish line of the third year, third day. And it's uh absolutely transforming. And uh you just don't get tired of it, you know. That uh we saw in 13, I mean in 25. It's not the same thing that we saw in 24 and in 23. Every year is different, yeah. So that really energizes us. So that's so far what uh keeps us going through through the event. And and going backwards, Alex, Corey, Paulo, you know, they're still very, very close to the race. Yeah, so yeah, and here we are for 2026.

Larry 8:46

Those are those are some real legends too in the in the Ultraman world. Like Corey's done over 30 races, over 35, I think. Alex has won Hawaii six times, seven times, something like uh six times, yeah.

Alex 9:03

Yeah, he's been there nine times and he's won six times. Yeah, they're truly legends.

Larry 9:09

Yeah, and and the other legend that you have, uh that's part of your race, of course, is um eternal number one.

Alex 9:18

Oh, yes, definitely. Yeah, and he's here with us again. He will be race director again. Yeah, uh, we call him a little kid, the 72-year little kid. Uh-huh. We love him, Sergio Cordero. Yeah, and uh he still keeps on racing, you know, a multiple wire man distance races.

Larry 9:42

Yeah, I I saw last year, last year he did the DECA, the continuous decay as the oldest person to complete that at 71 last year. That is amazing.

Alex 9:53

Yeah, he's a wonderful person, he's a true legend. I mean, it's uh it's a privilege, an honor, you know, for me and other people is to to um to be very close to these legends, you know, Corey, Sergio, and Alexandre, yeah, and to see them obviously uh as the great athletes they are, but to get them to know them as people as well. Of course, yeah, you know, and that's so wonderful, you know. And they and all you know, the interaction that we have them with them and them with us, you know, truly friends, and you know, we talk about we drink beers together, we hear the stories, and and that's the legacy of the sport, man. Yeah, that's that's about it.

Larry 10:36

And and and what does it do for your athletes that come in? Like you've got your your Iron Man athletes and your ultra marathoners that are coming in and doing UB515, like doing Ultraman for the first time. To have these legends there present while they're racing and and helping them out and uh taking care of them, like it must bring such a vibe to your race. Just how's that go for these people? Are they in shock and awe? Because they know who these people are.

Alex 11:06

Oh, yes, definitely. They do, they do, and um they're very pleased to set to see Sergio Cordero. You know, they're very pleased to see Alex when Alex comes, and Corey, you know, yeah, and um we had the opportunity also for two years to receive here by an uh initiative by Corey. We had to receive here in Brazil Curtis and Leslie Tyler, you know, which you know very well.

Larry 11:32

The founder, yeah.

Alex 11:34

Yeah, and um the people when they met them, you know, it's was like and it was really like for us to meet an icon. So uh when they get to know these people delivering their kids or meeting them during the courses, it's it's great. And uh here in in Brazil, we also have the uh we have uh I'm saying that with really humility, but uh we have our uh icons here in Brazil like Eric Eduarte and Fabiano Pérez that I'm looking here, uh the the the the uh our our website and these guys that you know Fabian, for example, he'll be racing this year. He has one, and he will be helping us to deliver the kids, the athlete kids, you know. And and that that's that's when people see Fabiano and then delivering the kids and hugging them and explaining them, yeah. The they really feel, you know, I believe they will really feel very happy, and they go, like, we are Fabiano. I think you'll be in a race, yeah. Are you giving me my kit? Yeah, yeah, it's it's cool, it's it's it's great. It's awesome.

Aloha Values In A Brazilian Race

Larry 12:47

Yeah, the family uh uh effect. Yeah. How how would you say that what you're doing in Brazil is unique? Like there's the Ohana, the vibe of of racing a 515 race, but what do you think makes Brazil's race unique when it comes to that vibe and what you guys present?

Alex 13:10

Uh that's a very important question. I think that um what keeps us going so far and is that we truly believe, really, really believe in the Aloha and the Ohana and the Kokua. And uh we really try very hard, you know, not in an acting way, but in a way of being, really, really, uh to uh as organizers, uh to put to act like according to those values, those principles. Uh when we talk to the athletes during the selection process and in each interaction that we have with them, obviously during the event. Um Thursday now is a very, very special day, which is the the opening ceremony. And we see uh not only in the in the first timers, but also in the veterans, we see their insecurance, they're very anxious, very anxious. So we hug them, we say welcome, we tell them that everything will be fine. If we follow the rules, obviously, principally the the the safety rules, you know, the rules that you know the uh the the controllable variables, variables, you know, that we control. Yeah, we act according, then it will be a very safe race and a very you know, lots of fun. But uh I think it's the Aloha de Ohan. We just don't put it in the you know in our website. We truly believe in that and we really act with the athletes according to that, you know. Yeah, but uh the it from us for us from the from the organization, Larry, it's just on the Thursday and during those those contacts with the athletes, our action, our interactions uh it's it's just a sparkle, you know. The fire lits up uh if the athletes receives, if they accept that as truly as true. So I think that I I don't I don't think it makes us unique, you know. I I'd rather say that it was make us really loyal to the principles of Aloha, Ohana, and Kukua, you know, that custries and the other founders of foreign Hawaii um founded that event on. And we incorporated that here in Brazil, and we we use that with as their legacy, but with our own personality, you know. Um I think I think it's that, you know, to treat people according to the law of Juan Coco very warmfully, you know. Yeah, yeah.

Larry 16:00

And and I think all Brazilians do that. I you know, I oh yeah, I did get a chance to travel to Brazil during the Olympics when it was down there, and uh everybody was so lovely down there.

Alex 16:10

Oh yeah, yes. We have a lot of problems here in Brazil, uh, but uh we are very warmful people and we like to greet people, you know. That's uh we see interactions and connections as a very, very important uh part of our lives. That doesn't make us better or worse, just makes what we are. You know, we think the connection, the human connections are very, very important, and that really comes to uh to match perfectly with uh with Ultraman, because you know the founders of these events, you know, why they really wanted the connections you know to be created and those connections to be uh bigger and more perennial than the event itself. Yeah. So that's the one thing that we really mentioned. The legacy of these events uh for the athletes is to get to go uh through uh the process of training for ultra men uh to have deeper insights, you know, to get to know each other, uh, I mean, uh uh yourself more uh deeply, you know, and and through that become a better person, you know, through the all the areas that you have in your life, in your personal life, your as a husband, as a father, as a professional. And the event really and and I think that's the second thing that makes us maybe I don't know, unique, but makes us what we are is that we we don't think that this event is the most important thing of another trauma. I mean, obviously it's important, but the process is more important than that. And what what we want is that these events like 2026, you know, to be um registered in their histories, but the legacy of the event be much more bigger than the event itself or itself. Yeah, yeah. The connections are the values of Allah, you know, and uh it's a cliche, but but the triathlon and the event not uh an end in itself, like we always say, but a way to bigger thing, bigger and more informed things, uh like I mentioned before.

Larry 18:26

Yeah, and and I think that's uh a testament to the number of people that come back to your race year after year.

Alex 18:33

Oh yeah, yeah, definitely, Larry. And uh and we have these people coming back not only as an athlete, but you see all the race directors, and I don't know, not all, but you know of the 15, maybe eight are previous racers. You know, people come back as race organizers or they came back as staffs, you know, just or they came, they come back just to watch. Yeah, no, we have a lot of people that have been in the race previously, uh as athletes or staffs, and they come back each year to be with us. It's it's a thing that we really stimulate to happen, you know, Larry. And it's it's it really does happen, and it's uh it's a wonderful thing, also.

Swim Bike Run Course Overview

Larry 19:17

Yeah, yeah. No, that's that's it's great that that you have that legacy for sure. Um let's let's move on and talk a little bit about your course. Um, you did move the race to this location. We talked about the course previously, so people can go back and listen to that other episode. But just the you know, the quick rundown of the course. Tell us about some of the beautiful parts of it and the the design, where it goes uh each day, and uh yeah, just give us the quick rundown for it.

Alex 19:46

Okay, so um mainly the all the course are located, our base is here in Ubatuba, São Paulo, and we have uh a swim that is uh happens in this on a beach called the Periquia Sul, which is the name of a fish in Brazil, Indian uh name. And it's uh we have a five uh 2k loops, and it's very secure. It's uh it's a bay, summer circle bay, very protected. Uh we don't have great waves now. Uh we have a small swell. Uh last year it was the worst swim 2025. It was the worst swim we ever had, you know, because there was a full moon, and you know, the waves, yeah, it was a full moon. So uh the swells were really strong, but it's a very scenic, beautiful place to swim. And obviously, you have to swim on the course a few times, and you see the mountains one side and the green sea on the other side. So it's uh we always simulate the athletes while if they uh can, if they want to, to have a go stop and while they're you know hydrating or uh having their nutritions just look around and get those uh the energy of the place. So it's a five-loop um swim course that I mentioned. Then after that, in the first day, obviously, there's the 120, 145k of bike, which is from Ubatuba to Parachi, which is a colonial city, very, very beautiful. So and they come go from Ubatuba to Parachi and they'll go back to Ubatuba. Second day is the 276 uh bike uh lag, which starts here in Batuba, goes through Parachi, it goes in the direction of a city called Under the Jesh, and then they go out of the main road, climb up uh uh a mountain, uh 11k uh uh up to a mountain to a city called uh Ryu Claru, and then they go back all the way down to Parachu. And the races on the second day is the only day that it doesn't finish, start uh finishing in Ubatuba, it finishes in Parachu and then. And everyone after that day two is finished, we all go back here to Batuba, which is a 71k kilometers uh ride. And then we have on day three the 84 uh point four uh double marathon, ultra marathon that starts here in Perikia Sul, where the the the beach the swim is happens, and then we go to the road, main road, and then we go to what we call here in Brazil a Bisno Road, which is made of gravel, it's a 25k stretch, and they go back to Perikiasul and they they pass through the uh very close to the finish line, but they're still on 60k, and they have to run more 24, and that goes really uh the shore here uh of of Batuu and the beaches, you know, um very, very scenic, very beautiful. Then they go uh uh 12k, they go back to 12k, and then they finish at Pericasu.

Larry 22:58

Yeah, you you give them that that that little bit of hope of you're near the finish line, but then you have to do an output.

Alex 23:03

Yeah, yeah, yeah. It's it's it's very uh very powerful for us and for them also, and and also it helps us in a sense of uh uh to know every people, you know, everyone that has gone through 60k right and how they are performing. It's it becomes more much more safer, you know, yeah, and and happy. And then when they cross the finish line, we have a tradition here in Brazil. You know, as you know, you know, we love beer, love beer here in Brazil, and everyone, each one of them receives a glass of beer, a huge glass of beer. You know, that we obviously we uh we benchmarked it from roof, and we wanted them to have here in Brazil. It's a tradition, everyone drinks beer. And as also happens in Hawaii after they cross the finish line, we tell them that they have to go back to the water to finish the cycle, right? So the race and then the event starts to the water and it must finish on the water also, and then they go to the water to have their final bath on the dive on the on the beach.

Field Size Women Growth Newcomers

Larry 24:10

Yeah, nice, beautiful. Um, so the other episode that you joined me for was season five, episode nine, and that was the round table discussion. And we we had a bunch of you know uh race directors and Steve King and you know long time racers come and talk about the state of the ultra triathlon. And and at that time we were kind of discussing that you know, numbers are starting to drop, and people are finding it's too expensive to to take part in these events. But your race continues to get good numbers. Uh, you have 43 people this year racing. Um, so things are going well down in Brazil. Um, congratulations on that. Let's uh let's let's talk about some of these 43 competitors that that are coming to your race.

Alex 25:03

Actually, it was supposed to be a more, it was to be 47, but as you know, you know, um unfortunately it happens and it's predictable.

Larry 25:13

Yeah.

Alex 25:13

Uh the two months prior to the race, you know, when you get the increase of the volume of training training, mainly the run, you know, it causes some injuries, and then we have four people that were injured during that uh that cycle, the last cycle of two months. So we had to come to Port of Fruit.

Larry 25:34

Yeah, well, it's still a great number. 43 is going to be a lot to keep track of for you. Um, what's your breakdown of male to female competitors this year?

Alex 25:44

We have 35 men and we have eight women. It's still it is still a long way for us to have to try to get to 50-50, but it's our record of uh women participation. We have eight women. Oh, eight women. Yeah, it's awesome. We we're really, really thrilled, excited with that. And um we have a lot of newcomers. 60% of our the athletes are newcomers, you know, starting out, and uh it's great, also, you know, and especially on the on the female, there's uh a 62 62 year old Louisa, okay, and which is very, very strong. She's the oldest of the event, and uh she's trained by Bernardo Tuman, which is one of the competitors also. And he's he has tell told me that she's very, very strong, and and we should have a look at her because she should probably on the women's side will perform very, very, very good.

Veteran Numbers And Top Contenders

Larry 26:45

Oh, awesome! Good, good, good. Okay, well, let's uh let's take a dive into these competitors. I would like you to introduce them for us. Now you do a cool thing there where you keep your numbers, and so you go from number one or number zero, I believe you have. Um number zero, yeah.

Alex 27:04

Is Alex number one, Sash Patior?

Larry 27:08

Yeah, yeah. And then the numbers are continuing up. But if people come back, they they get their number back, they get their same number. Uh, so that's how we can recognize your 15 veterans that are in the field. So uh I have a screen that I'm gonna bring up for people on YouTube that shows your website, and we can take a look at each of these people. So uh starting with number 75, do you want to introduce number 75 for us?

Alex 27:36

Yeah, sure. That's Bernardo Tillman. He's my coach also, and he is um with him from his coaching. There will be nine people with him.

Larry 27:47

Oh, nine athletes.

Alex 27:49

Yeah, nine athletes, yeah. And he is has his it's his fourth participation in Ultra U B515, and wonderful person. He's from Rio de Janeiro, and uh his background is has been the ultra running and race advent uh race, uh adventure racing, also, and he has uh a uh a very strong background, wonderful person.

Larry 28:16

Yeah, so with that background, with that background, do you think that he would be one of the contenders to uh try and take it this year, or is he just there to compete and have fun and support his athletes?

Alex 28:29

Bernard would be one of the top contenders if he had more time more time to train. Okay, definitely, you know, but he has uh I don't know how to say this in English, Astesoria. Uh he he he he coaches a lot. Yeah, he has more than 300 athletes coaching, so that consumes a lot of time, but definitely he will be uh would be one of the top contenders. But I I believe he will be on the top five finishes, mayor finishes. Definitely he will be.

Larry 28:58

All right. Well, I think by looking at the the resume of the next athlete, number 78. Um, this is probably another staple of your scene down there. Um he's he's got to be someone that you're you're looking at closely as well.

Alex 29:14

Oh, definitely. Eric has won before. Um he should have won two times, uh, but he didn't win the first time, and we we joked with him and he recognized recognized that because he he um he didn't um on the ultra marathon, he didn't how how we say that he didn't uh he gave all he had on the first marathon. Yeah, you know, he didn't he didn't he did it with the heart, he didn't do it with his brains. If he raced it with his brains, you know, he would have run won the race.

Larry 29:49

Okay.

Alex 29:49

He had a uh 40-minute lead, and all he had to do is to administrate that lead you know during the race, but obviously he bumped right up on 50k. Uh but he's a very strong contender uh this year. Uh I think he has some injury uh issues, they're not really relevant, but he mentioned to me some injured uh issues. But his his biking is very, very strong. So uh I think that he would be one of the first top contenders. Let's see how he will uh finishes uh the bike leg and and see if he he's older now and how he's gonna manage the ultra marathon. Yeah, but definitely he will be on the top of three. If everything goes well, he will be on top three.

Larry 30:37

Okay, yeah. And and probably one of the contenders for the female side, uh, another former champion is number 99.

Alex 30:45

Yeah, Alini is a wonderful person. He's back, she's back. Uh, she's a wonderful person. What you see in the picture, she's always with that smile on her face, no matter what happens in the course. You know, she always smiles, but she's also very strong, you know. So she's she's very you know uh steady. Uh oh, definitely we have to look at her on the top five.

Larry 31:10

Top top five for the entire race, including the no for the women. Oh, for the women, okay.

Alex 31:15

Yeah, yeah.

Larry 31:16

Fabiano up next, number 135.

Alex 31:20

Yeah, he has won uh one time, he's 49 years old now. He told me that last year would be his last year. It wasn't because it wasn't because uh he had some stomachal issues, and he he told me afterwards he didn't do his best, so he's coming back, he has training a lot, and it would be wonderful to see Eric and him, you know, on on the head of the race to see how it goes, the the dynamics between the two. And we have also Rafael that we're gonna go through still. Uh, but it will be a wonderful race between Eric and Fabian.

Larry 31:59

Oh, great, yeah. Okay, and then next up is number 147.

Alex 32:05

Dejalmo. Yeah, Dejalmo is from Kurichu, but he's coming back, he's one of the race directors that I mentioned. Uh, he's also obviously he'll be in the race on the athlete, and he helps a lot of the help has a lot on organization. And he you know, he's one of the biggest enthusiasts of UB515. Uh he's very steady, and uh, I believe he's he's gonna always finish uh very well the race.

Larry 32:33

Yeah. And um for people watching on YouTube, all of your athlete photos have people sticking their tongues out. What what is the background for for for that reason?

Alex 32:46

I don't know exactly when it happens, I don't know what when it started. I'm sorry. Uh, but it goes back to 2014. I think just one per I think we just asked them to do a picture of them smiling and a second picture of the tongue, and then it becomes a tradition, and then organically it came out that way, you know. So most of the pictures that we we take, we don't even ask have to ask people no more. You know, when they cross the finish line, we just ask them to take a picture and just stick their tongues out, and it becomes a tradition.

Larry 33:21

Yeah, that's nice. All right, well, let's pick it up with number 149.

Alex 33:27

Yeah, Evandro, he's also come back. It's his fourth time here in UB15, and he works with insurance in Kurichibo. Wonderful person. Uh he's married with Magla, and uh his wife is ultramarathonist, and he lives sports, and a very wonderful person that comes to enjoy UB15 every year.

Larry 33:51

Excellent. Uh, next up is 169.

Alex 33:56

Marcelo Noya. He's from Rio de Janeiro. Uh, he's it's his second time. Um, wonderful person, also. He has a uh he works in retail, owns a couple of stores, and wonderful person also coming comes back coming back to enjoy.

Larry 34:14

Yeah, and the other thing for for people watching on YouTube or that come and check out your website is you have a but baptismal name for each of the athletes. How do how do they receive that?

Alex 34:27

They love it, actually. You know, um, just like we we understand that they have to uh uh what we call their internal numbers, and no other athletes will receive that the we understand that because we we really do emulate uh the Hawaii principles, you know. We do emulate that, although we live in Brazil, we have a wonderful uh culture here in Brazil, and we recognize that, but we do emulate, yes, we do emulate uh you know the Hawaiian culture, and we give them a uh a Hawaiian name and a UB5 name, and that's his name in in in Hawaiian. And if you if you come down a little bit, scroll down, yeah. Uh his name in English, oh it's not translated for you, yeah. It's uh brother who is enthusiastic with life.

Larry 35:26

Okay. Brother who's enthusiastic with life, yeah. And and who's who's choosing the name? Are you are the are the racers choosing their names? How do they get their name?

Alex 35:38

No, we we when we interview them, you know, we talk we we hear obviously when what they're saying to us, and they also fill a form, and we ask them to feel you know to to write through uh uh uh freely what they think about the event, what they think about life, how they see lives, and we just pick it up from there. Okay, but we we choose here.

Larry 36:02

Yeah, um, yeah, I'm not sure why on my computer. Sometimes it it automatically translates the Portuguese for me, and other times when I click on somebody, it doesn't translate.

Alex 36:15

It does, yeah.

Larry 36:16

I don't know. All right, well, we got somebody that is not representing Brazil up next, number 187. I believe he does live in Brazil, but representing Spain, is that correct?

Alex 36:28

Yeah, exactly. Well, actually, he has lived in Brazil, he's gone back to Spain now. Okay, he's one of the Bernardo Tumans uh coached by Bernardo Tumans. He lives in a city close to Barcelona, and it's very, very tough for him to train because it's winter there. It's kind of you know below 15 Celsius, very, very hard. You know, he has been here before, his second attempt. Hopefully, it will be everything will be fine for him. And uh, so uh we're really expecting Juan uh to finish the race this time. He has trained a lot, he has shared in uh in a um WhatsApp group his training, only his indoor training, and it's very challenging for him. And we'll be here for chat to cheer up for him.

Larry 37:18

Excellent, yeah. And and how many like you your race is mostly regional, it's mostly Brazilian people that come. Uh oh yeah. How how many do we have that are being represented from outside Brazil this year?

Alex 37:32

Other than actually, we have two. We have Juan, and we have um Duncar, number 257, he's from Switzerland.

Larry 37:41

Okay, well, we'll get to him then.

Alex 37:42

He stays, but he's 15 15 days of the month, he stays in Brazil, 15 days he's he's in Switzerland. He owns restaurants here in Rio Janeiro, there in Rio Janeiro. So um part of his time, part of his month he's in Switzerland, part he's here in Brazil.

Where To Watch On YouTube

New Athletes And Standout Backstories

Larry 37:58

Oh, excellent, cool. All right. As we have been mentioning, this episode is available on the 515 YouTube channel. If you've not had the opportunity to check it out yet, I recommend you do. You can watch this episode and see all of the athletes that we are talking about. It will also be the home of the upcoming UM Australia live stream on May 9th, 10th, and 11th. In the next episode of the podcast, I'll be speaking with race director Jeff Morris to preview that race. While you're on the YouTube channel, check out the live stream from last year and be sure to subscribe. Now, back to my conversation with Alex. Uh well let's look at number 200 next.

Alex 38:46

Eduardo Filho, he's from Bahia, very strong. Um, he has a uh he's a coach, works as a coach, has a lot of athletes also. Uh there's one athlete that he trained as coming for the race. Um wonderful person, wonderful person. Enjoys the ultra man way, he just wants to finish.

Larry 39:06

Yeah. Okay, and number 208.

Alex 39:13

Pedro, he's from north from Brazil. Uh he's a geologist. Uh, he's uh teaches at university, he's uh has a doctorate, postdoctorate, and knows everything about geology, and it's his third uh ultraman. It's great. He has four kids and he brings down everyone, brings down his kids, his wife, yeah, his parents. It's great. There comes a lot of people with him. It's very, very fun.

Larry 39:43

It's wonderful to get to is his family younger children or old enough to help crew?

Alex 39:48

Oh, yeah, younger children. Oh, yeah, yeah. I believe the the oldest uh is not 18 yet.

Larry 39:54

Okay, yeah. It's always great when the when the athletes have a full family there with them and and experience.

Alex 40:01

Yes, yes. And then we got Igor. Igor was supposed to be with us last year. Unfortunately, um a month prior to the race, he lost his mother. Okay, so obviously he couldn't go, uh he decided not to go through the process, but he's back this year, and he's coached by Banuza Maciel. Banuza has won two times UV 515. Yeah, and uh it's great for us, you know, to to have him back. So he's coming to finish the race.

Larry 40:34

Oh, excellent. Okay, and then number 225.

Alex 40:40

Luciano, he's from uh Salvador, Bahia, northeastern from Brazil. He's a doctor. Uh he's coming back very, very strong. Very strong. Uh, I will be, I think that Luciano will be alive, uh, probably on the top 10.

Larry 40:59

Okay, yeah. Top 10. And then we have number 233.

Alex 41:08

Oh, Hianzinho, uh, great guy. Uh, he came, he's from the financial market here in Brazil, but now he's become a uh a TikToker, a uh okay, yeah, uh on Instagram. He has more than one million followers. What?

Larry 41:27

Let me click on this.

Alex 41:29

Yeah, check it out.

Larry 41:33

It's not a link. What the link is not working.

Alex 41:39

Oh, yeah. But let me but you can I'll I'll check him out later. Yeah, check out then. And uh he has uh uh uh history background that is wonderful. He has uh I don't know if I'm saying that in correctly in English, obesity. He was very obesu, you know. He know he lost a lot of weight uh during the process of iron, ultraman. And he likes to share that with people, he likes to be an inspiration for people, you know, who looks for more quality of life, you know, a healthy life through sports. Wonderful person.

Larry 42:19

All right, and number 236.

Alex 42:22

Hafa, half Aragon. I think this one, this one is the man, the one that I mentioned before when we're talking about Fabiano Neric. Uh, I think we have these three three guys that will be competing on the head of the race, which would be Rafael, uh um, Fabiano and Eric. Okay. Uh Hafa last year he finished on the second day as first place. You know, he has a very strong bike also, but he didn't perform, he got sick during the ultra marathon. Uh, and he's very focused. And like Eric and uh and uh Fabiano, he he's coming to uh to win. Yeah, and to try to try the win. So again, it will be very, very uh excited to to see the dynamics of the race, you know, the head of the race, yeah, watching these three guys.

Larry 43:19

All right, uh number 241.

Alex 43:27

So he's a chef. He works in a hotel. Yeah, he was a chef. Last time that I talked to him, he telled he told me, Look, I can't I can't talk to you right now because I'm cooking for the president. Oh, I said, oh, the autumn hotels president. No, no, no, the Brazilian president. He here, he's out there, I'm cooking for him. I'll talk to you later. Wonderful guy. He brings his uh his families, his family, his two kids, his wife. And he just uh a couple of months ago, he ran. A uh ultra marathon, wonderful ultra marathon here in Brazil called Br1545. That's uh 145 miles. Okay, and uh very, very strong race.

Larry 44:13

And I saw another race um listed by a number of your athletes. Um, it was called the Fodox Man.

Alex 44:23

The Fodex Man?

Larry 44:24

Fodex Man. Yeah, what is that race?

Alex 44:26

Yeah, wonderful race. Yeah. Uh the Fodex Man is a uh is a iron distance race that happens in a in a state called Santa Catarina, and it's uh the biggest challenge is the climb, the 180 uh kilometer climb. It's called I forgot the name of the mountain, but it's very, very hard. People don't use time trial bikes. Usually they use you know um um normal bikes, as we can say. Yeah, it's very hard, very, very hard.

Larry 45:02

Yeah, so that's that's one of the ones that my bucket list to do it one day. Okay, good. Yeah, that's one of the ones that people use as a as a I if I can do this, I I I'm getting ready for for Ultraman.

Alex 45:13

Yes, yes, yeah. Usually Fodac is used uh as a uh as a proxy to Ultraman.

Larry 45:21

Yeah. Okay. Well, if I if I'm correct, that is all the people that had returning numbers, and we're gonna be uh stepping into the to the new racers now, is that right?

Alex 45:31

Exactly, all right, exactly.

Larry 45:35

So number 244.

Alex 45:37

Yeah, now we have uh Kleber Santos, he's he's from Brazilian, capital city, uh the capital of Brazil, and he's a policeman, and uh he has done some races before, but he's very excited about from me. He's just coming to to have enjoy, have fun, and uh but by the nature of his his um his special forces from the police, so he has done yeah, a lot of a lot of things, you know, you know, very challenging physical things.

Larry 46:09

Excellent. And number 245.

Alex 46:12

Greg Rodrigo Gregorio. He's uh from Sao Paulo, he's he works for Dell Computers, and uh you know, just coming down with his family. He has told me just I just want to have fun, joy that I'm joining the process, just want to be there with you guys. So hope to see and hug him soon.

Larry 46:31

Yeah, yeah. And and your race location, it's kind of halfway between Rio and Sao Paulo, is that correct?

Alex 46:38

Actually, we're we're closer to Sao Paulo.

Larry 46:40

Closer, okay.

Alex 46:41

Um, where where Ubatuba is in the state of Sao Paulo, which the capital is Sao Paulo, and it's a three-hour drive from Sao Paulo and from Rio de Janeiro, it's a six-hour drive, so it's closer to Sao Paulo.

Larry 46:53

Yeah, all right. Uh let's 246.

Alex 46:59

Yeah, Brun. He has come to this in this event before. He he was captain of the an athlete called Andrea. Uh a dear friend of ours, dear friend of ours. He's uh uh artist director. Uh Andrea is the person that rebranded the UB 515 logo, you know, all our communication. And uh Jiogo was his captain, as I mentioned, he was his captain. Now Andrea is coming back as captain of Jogo.

Larry 47:31

Ah, perfect. Yeah, yeah, it's great. And and do you find that you get most of your athletes uh come as crew members first to check it out?

Alex 47:43

Not not necessarily. We got a few athletes that come from new uh from as as uh previously um staffs, you know. Yeah uh but not necessarily the most of them.

Larry 47:59

Okay, yeah. Well, let's take a look at athlete number 248.

Alex 48:05

Anna Flavia, she's from Rio de Janeiro, trained by um Bernardo Tillman. Uh she's she's coming from she just finished, I mean, she finished last year Iron Man Hawaii. Very strong contender. Okay, very strong contender.

Larry 48:24

And then we have somebody holding uh looks like the Olympic torch, number 249.

Alex 48:31

Yeah, it is Louisa. She's uh a little girl, as I mentioned before. She's our 62-year-old, she's from Rio de Janeiro. Louisa has a wonderful story. She she was uh she's an Olympic athlete, baseball. I mean uh volleyball, I'm sorry. Volleyball in the 80s. Yeah, so she she's she knows what is uh how to act like you know, uh uh a very strong athlete, Olympic athlete to give her all our best. And definitely Bernardo told me that she's she's putting that all that uh uh experience into her in the training for Ultra Man. And I think that Luiz is a very strong contender for the for the win with the women's women's field. Excellent.

Larry 49:17

And number 250.

Alex 49:20

Yeah, Marcelli, she's from Rio Janeiro, also. She's also a coach, but she decided to be coached by Bernardo. Okay, and uh, yeah, yeah. And uh she said she told me that you know she's she's just a wonderful person, she's enjoying very, very much the process. She just wants to come into the race and be in the race and be part of it, you know, enjoy the process. And like Alini, you see the smile on her face, she's always like that.

Larry 49:49

Yeah, okay, and number 251. We got a serious photo here.

Alex 49:56

Yeah, very serious photo. Diego, very nice guy. She's he he he he he's the youngest uh of the field. I think that Diego has is 23 years old, and uh Diego has only done one triathlon before. Okay, and uh he's coached by Bernardo Tumann. Uh and Diogo wrote us a letter, and I'll share it with you afterwards. Okay, you know, very long letter, uh telling us uh why he wanted to do Ultraman. Um told us all the training that he has done and trying to argue with us, I mean uh convince us that uh we should give him a shot in Ultraman.

Larry 50:47

Oh yeah. Even though he had the smaller resume, he's he's got a lot of things.

Alex 50:51

Yeah, yeah, and we all we are always very concerned about that, you know, Larry, very you know uh because obviously uh the guys and the women who have been through a iron process, you know, we expect them to you know to to get go through in no easier way through the ultraman process, which is you know bigger, and um Diego hasn't been through an Iron Man before, right? But we talked to to uh Bernardo, and Bernardo told me that he what he mentioned in the letter is just like he was, he is really so we we talked to him, you know, we interviewed him, talked to Bernardo, and uh so in we decided to let him in uh the race. And Bernardo has told me, and I talked to Diego, uh you see him strong, he's really, really thin now, and he has has gone through the entire process of training with Bernardo with no injuries. So uh we're looking forward to see him cross the finish line.

Larry 51:56

And do you have any hard and fast rules about who can apply, like what the resume has to be? Do uh is this just an exception in this case because you trust the coach, or generally, do you have like you have to finish an Iron Man and under 13 and a half hours you have to have a you know an ultra run? Like what what are your rules around that?

Alex 52:18

Well, we've benchmarked that no sol from Hawaii, and um it's it's not um how do you say uh it's something that we use as a as a reference, right? Because I've as I mentioned before, um we look for we look to see people going through uh an ultraman process that has been through a Iron Man process before, you know. Usually people that come to Ultraman, as you know, yeah, um it's people who will uh you know three, four, five, six, eight Iron Man races, you know, that want to experience something different. Yeah, usually that's the paradigm of Ultraman. What we have noticed uh here in Brazil, oh Larry, um and I don't know, is that is something that when you do a next uh episode of your web of your podcast and we talk again with the other race directors, if what we're observing here in Brazil is the same thing that's happening on their countries, but we have we we are observing that there are people with less iron with a cycle, let's say that uh slower, uh uh smaller in uh in Iron Man, trying, attempting to go to Ultraman. And we stimulate those people to see, look, you have two iron men, you have three irons, don't you think that you should stay more, you know, go through some iron before uh coming to Ultraman, you know. Uh but uh answering your your question directly, it it's it's not a rule in itself, right? It's a benchmark that we use, a reference that we use, but we have some exceptions. Jogo is one of those exceptions. You know, uh uh at the finish of the day, what we do is treat each person individually. So we have to talk with the people, we have to see their motivations, we have to see their backgrounds, we have to see who they're coached by. Uh why do you want to do this race? Is it for vanity? Is it for personal challenge? Is that what it is? You know, and uh we do obviously when we approach the people to talk with them about that, we have a lot of humility, we have all the respect, you know, but at the end of the day, we understand that we have to do that as race organizers. We have the responsibility to put in this race as people, you know, that we see that going to go through the process, you know, and won't suffer. And again, we don't decide for people, but we have the the prerogative, you know, as race organizers to see uh in the the best way we can and then what I'm motivating those people, those persons to to to go to participate on the race. Yeah, so it's it's not a rule, but it's a benchmark. We use it as a reference. Yeah, a 14-hour Iron Man finished previous week.

Larry 55:06

Yeah, fair enough. All right, let's go back into the uh into the athletes here. Number 252.

Alex 55:14

Yeah, Julius is uh is uh uh he lives in northeast also. He's a police officer also, and uh when he he he sent us his picture uh to uh to put on the website, you know, we just put his picture and we cut off those late that lady which is on his right side, and he said, Look, can I ask you one thing? Yeah, sure. What do you want? Can you put my my the picture with me and my mom? Uh and I said, sure, why not? We can put it. And then he told us a story because you know, when he was born, doctors told his mother that he wouldn't survive a week. And he has a yeah, he had a lot of health problem, uh, health issues, and uh and but he obviously he survived. Yeah, he had some problems, health issues during his when he was young as a baby, and he was young, eight, nine, ten years. And his mother was always by his side, always inspiring him, uh, putting him to do sports, to swim, you know, to do martial arts. And his mother he said, Look, uh, mama that's will be with me in Ultra Man. Oh uh, I want her, uh I want her in the picture, and obviously he said yes, and that's that's a wonderful story that he has. He uh he always mentions his mother, and I'm really looking forward to meet her. Yeah, uh on the yeah, he's just coming to to to enjoy his time.

Larry 56:41

Yeah, okay. Um number 253.

Alex 56:46

Kiu Kyoderi, yeah. Kyoderi has been here previously before as uh captain, staff captain of uh Alex Pinheiro, which will be uh uh who will be uh race director with us, and he's coming, you know, uh to enjoy his time uh here in Ultraman, but he has been uh staff before.

Larry 57:09

All right. 254, another one of the females, Juliana.

Alex 57:16

Yeah, Juliana's psychologist, she's a sports psychologist, she's from Rio de Janeiro, trained by uh Bernardo Tillman. Uh she has done, I think, a couple of iron's, but she prefers ultra trail running. Okay, and very strong ultra trail runner. And uh I think that we can expect a uh a regular swim, regular bike, but on the run, if she puts up the right mix, uh she will she can become a top contender, maybe top three of the women.

Larry 57:51

Okay, so looking for her on the run day.

Alex 57:55

Yeah, that's Fabi. She's from Rio de Janeiro. Yeah, Fabi Silva, wonderful person. I today I talked to her, and uh, she's from Rio de Janeiro, works in a TV network, and she's very excited, very, very anxious. Uh, it's uh absolutely normal. We try to calm her down, calm her down. Uh, she's dealing with uh some injured. Uh she had an injure uh um during the training, and um she had to train mainly on flat courses, but we have a you know uh very healy course, right? So it will be very challenging for her, you know. But I I told her, let the pain come when it had to come. So let's go.

Larry 58:49

Enjoy that pain, yeah.

Alex 58:52

Yeah, exactly. All right, oh Tati. Tatiana, she's a doctor, she lives in Garupaba, wonderful surf city in the south part of Brazil. And as you can see, she she has been a couple of times in in Hawaii. Uh as I told you, she's a doctor, and Tati may surprise us. You know, she has told me that she's coming to to have a good time, but let's see how her mix works up in during the race.

Larry 59:22

Oh, yeah, she might just uh get a little too competitive and start going for it, huh?

Alex 59:26

Yeah, yeah.

Larry 59:28

I I think she's she's actually uh podiumed for her age group as well, right? At the Iron Man distance, yeah, yeah, yeah.

Alex 59:34

She's very strong. Yeah.

Larry 59:36

All right. Uh 257, we got the international here.

Alex 59:41

Yeah, Duncar from um Switzerland, as I mentioned before. Uh, he's also trained by Bernardo Tillman. And uh Duncan, uh, as I mentioned before, he's from Switzerland, but he lived 15 days each day, each month here in Brazil, 15 days in Switzerland. And uh he told me it's crazy to train because sometimes it's very hot in Brazil, sometimes very cold in Switzerland. But he told me that his uh his training is all green. I mean, I think that Bernardo told him to do, he has done. Uh he's really thin, as you can see, he's like that. And uh let's see, let's see how it comes out.

Larry 1:00:20

Well, if he's if doing training in Switzerland as well, I'm assuming he's going to be ready for your your Hilly course.

Alex 1:00:26

Uh yeah, yeah, definitely. Yes.

Larry 1:00:29

Strong, strong biker, I'm guessing, as a as a European racer.

Alex 1:00:32

Yeah.

Larry 1:00:33

And then number 258.

Alex 1:00:36

Rodrigo. Rodrigo, we got a lot of police officers in this race this year. Um, he's also from Brasilia. He's a police officer. He has had done Iron Man a few times, like uh Fabib. Very, very excited, you know, um, anxious, which is absolutely normal. And he's just coming to have fun.

Larry 1:00:59

Excellent. And 259.

Alex 1:01:03

Yeah, Hafa. Um, Hafa is from Rio Janeiro, also trained by Bernardo Tillman. He's a coach, also, he works in as a coaching, but he decided to be coached by um Bernardo. I met him recently. We didn't know each other, but he we just we I was at the school of my kid, and then I'm he I was using a UB515 shirt, and then he he he reached me and I didn't recognize him because he has a he's not his boat. He shaves his head. Oh I didn't recognize him and said half. And then I met him and he was he he was telling me about the process, he was going through the training, and he's he said one thing that was wonderful. He told me, Look, I think that the race will be wonderful, but if I couldn't race right now, I will be very happy through all that I've been through up to now. So that's very powerful. That's very important.

Larry 1:02:00

Yeah, he gets it. Yeah, all right, number 260.

Alex 1:02:05

Julio. Julie's from Sao Paulo, you know, he's a business owner, also, and um he's got gone has gone through some iron's. The profile is very similar to our other athletes, has gone through some iron, and he told us he wanted to experience something different, you know. Yeah, uh, he has been has done a lot of uh uh Iron Man Brazil, this Florianopolis, which is a wonderful race. But he he he said, Look, I want to try something different. I have some friends have done uh Ultraman that have been in Ultraman Brazil, and uh I'm just repeating what he said. Okay, uh everything's all all of them say that it's a good race, you know, very exciting race. People are warmful, so I want to I want to give it a try. Excellent.

Larry 1:02:53

Uh 261.

Alex 1:02:56

Kalebin. Uh his kid uh was born three days ago. Oh, congratulations! Yeah, yeah, was born three kids ago, his first kid. And uh Caleb's a wonderful person, he's a coach, he's from Sao Paulo. And uh uh I I asked him how he was doing previously to his kid. Uh was born, how he was dealing with the pregnancy of his of his wife. Yeah, and uh his answer was wonderful. Look, uh, I trained while she's sleeping, you know. And and uh every time she's awake, yeah. I'm asking her, Do you need something? Do you want something? Can I help you with something? You know, but he has a very strong Iron Man background, he's a very good finisher, finisher at Iron Man Brazil. So uh he said that he'd done to me that he's done 70 percent of his training. I think it's fair, uh it would be fair enough for him to finish, which is his main is his main goal, right?

Larry 1:03:54

Okay, uh 262.

Alex 1:03:59

Yeah, Mauro. Mauro is from Bahia also. Uh same profile. I think Mauro has seven Iron Man's, a lot of ultra distance races in in in ultra trail. Uh he's coached by Eduardo, number 200, that you mentioned before. So Eduardo told him about about the race, yeah, and he's giving a try, wonderful person, bringing down all his family.

Larry 1:04:26

Oh, good, good. 263. Flavio, he's a fireman. All right, we got policemen and firemen.

Alex 1:04:38

Uh yeah, he's a fireman in Sao Paulo. He's uh uh he has three kids coming down to very, very strong, very strong, as you can see, you know, and uh he's a wonderful person, very, very funny. Everything that he says makes us laugh. And he was one of the best interviews that we had. It was very funny. Oh good.

Larry 1:05:02

When when you do those interviews, is it like a panel of you on a Zoom meeting together with the athlete, or do different race directors, you call all of your staff race directors, do you each take on a number of athletes and and and farm that out to different people?

Alex 1:05:20

Yeah, uh, very good question. Um I I participate in all the interviews, meet uh Andrius, which is my brother, and we always ask different race directors to participate if they can. You know, sometimes they can't because we do that those interviews during the weekdays, you know, at night after work. Yeah, because we all we all work.

Larry 1:05:41

Wait, you have a day job? This doesn't pay your life off.

The Shared Thread And How To Follow

Alex 1:05:45

I do. I do have a day job, I have a paycheck, I have a boss, and uh uh and uh we usually do that. But I I uh me and Anders, we always participate in all the interviews, and it's it's really important to go through this interview. really really important and I've I I think I've mentioned that before to you because uh we have to see the uh I I forgot this question in English the proposal you know uh we to tell the athletes uh why we organize these events and uh the the biggest question the most important question I mean uh we make to the athletes is why do you want to participate in this event and sometimes this the answers you know it it it converges other times it diverges right so it converges it's good if it diverges it happens sometimes the the the athlete itself during the interview said look I I appreciate what you guys are telling me but I I I prefer not to go no to go on it's okay for us yeah but again we make the connection so it's good it's okay excellent all right number 264 Gabriel Braz he's from Sao Paulo again same profile just want to finish the race very very also very I think that Gabriel was the longest interview we ever made was almost two hours no was describing his background he was telling about his family that was so exciting about doing the the ultra man and uh people that have his he's have uh talked about previously before and have talked about him about the event and uh just want to come down have a good time excellent 265 oh fernando Fernando is from um uh northeast brazil tocantins very rare northeast brazil he's uh businessman he has a solar panel factory you know which is is uh a cutting edge solar panel uh uh factory here in Brazil and he he had a car accident two months ago oh no while he was racing by training i'm sorry and uh he he didn't uh break anything fortunately but he had i think it's harsh have you say in english hush uh road rush yeah when you fall down the road and you get a lot yeah yeah yeah road rash yeah exactly all road rashed but uh fortunately he lost his bike had to buy another one uh but he's coming down coming down uh we asked him do you really want to do this yes i want to do i have all the flight tickets with my three kids i'll be there right then yeah um speaking of bikes what what are your rules on on bikes do you let the athletes swap bikes for different parts of the course or do they have to stay on their one bike no no we do we do we do uh let uh athletes swap their bikes if they want to uh there is no particular part of the the course that they can do that they uh they they they can do that anytime they want uh but on the on day two before the mountains we have a checkpoint uh so everyone has to stop there everyone yeah because we're the athletes is not allowed to be um supported by its teams during the 11k uh stretch okay because it's just one lane going up and just one lane going down yeah so they have to receive their food and the and the hydration you know to go it uh to have to go by it by themselves and if they want to change uh the bike from time trial to a uh uh a road racing bike they can do that but uh they can change their swap their bike any anytime they want okay yeah do you find that a lot of athletes do swap bikes to get up the mountain no no no no uh most of them continue on their time most of them do the race on their time trials bike and most of them continues on the go up to the mountains on their time trials i would say that last year uh we had 41 athletes four changed soccer bikes yeah 10 all right athlete number 267 Victor uh he's always with that wonderful smile he is a business owner in Sao Paulo City he's he claims that and I'll I'll have to go there to check it out that he's he is uh he he owns a restaurant a pizza restaurant and he said to me you have to come down because I have uh my pizzas is the top three pizzas in in Sao Paulo yeah um wonderful person very very excited about the race and uh Victor yeah Victor I'm gonna meet you in person that's that's interesting that he says top three most people when they want to brag they say they're the number one yeah yeah because you know sawn paulo is is we have a wonderful restaurant pizza restaurant and I think the top three is very very good okay athlete 269 john paulo another policeman he's a sergeant for the military policeman here uh in Brazil in Mato Grosso and he's coming down with his father his father will be his uh chief of staff and his wife and his three kids and just enjoying the process and going and just looking to be in the race you're gonna have to have a special award just for the uh the service police and the fire yeah yeah that's a lot yeah what what do you do for your awards uh do you have special awards that you give out like the Ohana Koku award type of thing do you carry that tradition on or do you have your own Brazilian um version of it yeah uh we give an award for each athlete you know uh a plake yeah you know uh but we do have uh an award that we give we observe during the event you know how the the dynamics you know of the staffs uh uh if they help each other and we always observe one team you know that you know um is kind of an outlier right and uh and then we give that team uh an award okay you know yeah we do have that yeah excellent okay uh let's go on to 270 Wagner yeah Wagner is uh he's from Sao Paulo he's very cool guy very you know um how do you say that economics in his words in his speakings in the very monologue what he says he says in really deeply really really meaningfully you know and uh he's a chiropractic I don't know if I'm telling you correctly chiropractic yeah chiropractor yeah exactly chiropractic yeah in Sao Paulo one of the best in Sao Paulo you know and you have to book three three months ahead 12 months ahead is is he's always um uh a lot of people want to be uh you know um yeah adjusted yeah treated by him yeah yeah well maybe maybe some of the athletes will be coming to him in between yeah to get a little adjustment yeah all right uh athlete 271 Renan he's from Garopabo so he's from uh that's a city from the on the south he's a surfer no very strong surfer he's a um he's a um real estate entrepreneur there okay uh his background is from is from surfing but he has done a couple of iron um he has a kid a five year old kid which is coming down with his wife to to from Brazil and just wanting to have a good fun good time in the race excellent and two so yeah you know Pamela has a a wonderful story she sent us an email last year she said look you you just have to uh I just want to be in the race and she has done a couple of iron i just want to be in the race i want i i do whatever you guys want me to do in the organization just just give me please you give me some space to to help you guys and we said sure you you can come down and she came with uh uh where she lives and it's uh eight hour uh she came by in a motorbike eight hour driving how to riding her bike yeah motor her her motor bike eight hours from where she lives yeah and uh she helped us a lot last year in organization and this year she comes on that as excellent and 273 Rogério is just like the typical profile wonderful guy he's an entrepreneur in Sao Paulo uh wife uh has a wife two kids uh very hard for him to to train and but he has done a few iron you know 12 11 hours iron i think he will perform very good in the format wonderful guy excellent and uh last but not least 274 yeah he's coached by Eduardo number 200 and he's called Dr. Crazy uh yeah Dr.

Larry 1:15:34

Crazy because he's very very funny very very funny everything that he says you know yeah he's a wonderful person he's he has such a strong light you know and Eduardo has told me as a doctor you know he makes he does a wonderful work you know helping people you know um you know um social working you know you know it's it he's a wonderful person excellent that's amazing just having coming down to have uh some fun you know yeah great well alex we've we've just looked at 43 different athletes they come with 43 different stories and 43 different crews uh 43 different paths to get to that starting line and reasons to do so you've you've you've done an excellent job of sharing you know some real insights to each of the people what what do you think is if you were to look back at this what are what would be a common thread what is it that that that's bringing these people to your race I think is that they we have a responsibility in what we say that the process will make them uh if they let uh not the race not the event the process uh will make them can make them better people better persons yeah I think that that is the the the common thread you know the common sense of those people um but when they hear that from other people as being in the race uh as athletes or staffs because for the staffs these events you know also leaves uh can give them a legacy yeah but I think it's that you know they have to be they they if they let um they permits they can be you know better persons after this event the event will the event will pass right you know we want the event will pass but the legacy uh will make them better fathers mothers you know workers i mean brothers you know all to the the related areas of their lives yeah well uh again thank you for taking the time to to share all these attributes my pleasure um how can people keep track of what's going on in brazil uh coming up this weekend um what what do we where do we find where do we find the information oh in brazil ub515 if you're in brazil instagram instagram you know we have selectanak our race director which covers you know uh will be there movies i mean films and videos and pictures and through you b515 uh instagram excellent well we'll be sure to be following that and and seeing how this all unfolds for your crew and and and making sure that the all these new racers are going to have that experience that that they're looking for so congratulations to you and your crew for for putting this together for another year and uh we look forward to watching the race thank you larry thank you everyone thank you for the opportunity greetings from Brazil all right obrigado obrigado aloha mahamlo hey if you like the internet