We’ve been trying to keep up Luis‘s summer of competitions, but as usual, the speedster is hard to keep up with. Since we first spoke to Luis, he placed 8th in half Ironman in Acapulco, 1st at the Triathlon De Laval, 4th at the Gatineau Triathlon, and 2nd at the Group Copley World Triathlon Championship in Montreal (races are listed chronologically).
We had the opportunity to ask the triathlete about his recent successes, challenges, and forward-looking mindset.
Q: You’ve been on a hot streak this summer. How do you feel about your race performance lately?
Well, you know, it’s very exciting and inspirational, and for me to compete in Mexico with all my family and friends watching me.
I was not expecting the weather to be at about 40 degrees, so I experienced complications during the running stage of the race. It’s not the place I had hoped to finish, 8th is absolutely great.
Laval was a very different race. Different weather and a different format. Acapulco was a half Ironman. It’s a longer distanced race, so that gave me a lot of endurance for the Laval Triathlon. Laval, in comparison to Acapulco, felt more manageable. I enjoyed the race conditions more, and I’m very happy to have finished 1st.
I’m also very happy to have placed 4th in a Gatineau race this summer. It’s just off the podium, but I’m very happy, too.
Q: You mentioned that you had your family on hand to watch in Mexico. That must’ve been special. Can you tell us more about what made the Acapulco, Mexico race unique?
For the last two years, my friends in Mexico have also practiced this sport. We had been talking and planning to complete in a race together in Acapulco, but of course, it got canceled in 2020. We needed to wait until 2021 to compete, so it was great to finally complete the race with my friends.
It brought all of our families together. I am grateful to have my father, my wife, and my two kids join us. We booked a big house so we could all be together the day before and after the race. Overall, it was a very good holiday. The race was just one reason among many to see my family and friends.
Q: Shifting focus to the Laval race and crossing the finish line ahead of the entire pack, was this your first time finishing first in this kind of competition? What was kind of going through your mind as you crossed the finish line?
It was great—absolutely great. It wasn’t the first time, but the third time in my life that I finished first. This time was a bit different because with COVID not all the racers start at the same time. There was a rolling start with groups of 5 going every 10 seconds. As a result, I didn’t know which place I finished until 20 minutes after I was done. I mean, I was racing with 110% of my body, so I felt like I gave a good performance, but it wasn’t until someone approached me and asked, “Are you Luis? Congratulations, you finished 1st in your category.”
I was very surprised because, as I mentioned, you have no idea during the race which place you are in. In any case, it’s a great feeling to discover that I finished in top place.
Q: Did you face any obstacles or challenges in the races or training? And how did you overcome them? I know you mentioned something like the heat to Acapulco. How did you overcome that? And were there any other surprise challenges that you faced?
Early in the cycling stage of the Laval race, I lost one water bottle, so I needed to adapt and find a new way to manage. I had to race without any liquid in my body until the running part. Little things like that can change your strategy.
Another example is when I decided to wear a different uniform for my race in Acapulco, because of the weather. I had a long sleeves uniform that is perfect for long-distance races, but due to the heat, I realized that I would perform better in a sleeveless jersey. I changed my mind at the last possible moment. These things can happen, and I think it was the right decision to change because I had more flexibility in my arms and also the water is 32 degrees in Mexico, so the long sleeves would’ve made me burn up during the swim.
Q: Do you have a pre-race routine?
Sure. I eat specific foods. Oatmeal cookie, protein bar, and coffee or Red Bull—something to pump me up and get me awake because the races start very, very early. For example, in Laval, the start was at 07:00 a.m, so I had to get up at 05:00 a.m. During the race, Bananas and some gel packs are crucial for getting more sugar, carbs, and electrolytes in my body.
Q: What impact has Blu Element’s sponsorship had on you as an athlete?
Sponsorship is great of course for the financial support, but it’s also an incredible motivator. Blu Element generously invested in costly race registrations, and in the uniform. This goes a long way in getting me prepared for the starting line, but beyond that, sponsor and supporters help give me the extra boost needed to cross the finish line. To me, finishing races is a very big and important responsibility. My family is who I think of first when I need inspiration, but not long after, thinking of sponsors like Blu Element helps keep me going. They put their trust in me to finish a race.
In moments when my body says no, I just think about all the people who have supported me—family, friends, coaches, and people at the company. It helps me to push my body beyond its limits.
Q: Is there anything you want to say to your supporters or to colleagues who will be reading this?
I mean, I’m very happy to receive support from not only the owners and those responsible for sponsoring me, but to all the people who took an interest in my competitions. More people have asked me about my races and my training. In my opinion, if I helped inspire just one person to live a healthier lifestyle, then I’m super happy. It’s very important for me in my life. I have always had lots of energy. But overall, I’m very grateful. I would like to continue to receive support from sponsors like Blu Element, and I would like to reward them with more high-position finishes.
Q: Looking ahead, what’s the mindset going into the next races?
I want to take advantage of our summer. It goes by very quickly here in Canada. There’s only August and September left to race, and I hopefully have another four races. I’m going to run a marathon at the beginning of October—that’s 42 km running only.
I love racing in the summer, so my mindset is to register for different disciplines so I can compete more. I have registered for Sprint distance, Olympic distance, marathons, Half Ironman. They require very different trainings. In theory, if you want to finish top of the pack in Sprints, you should train exclusively for Sprints. So, I know it’s not the best strategy to do all the different races in one season, but it means I need to be versatile. I have to adapt my training to be well adjusted and prepared for my next race. That’s going to be my challenge for the next two months.
In the end, overcoming the challenges I face is not all that different than those of a successful company. I find we both have to adopt mindsets that allow for flexibility and adaptability if we want to achieve our goals.
The team at Cesium wishes Luis all the best in his remaining races this season. His competitive spirit and commitment to fitness and training are an inspiration to our organization.
