Triatleta nas horas de folga, Jenson Button indica a hidratação constante para atletas de alto rendimento. Foto: Divulgação

English racer Jenson Button doesn’t limit himself to moving just his neck and steering wheel when in the cramped cockpit of his Formula 1 race car. When he’s not zipping around tracks at 300 km/h, he’s taking care of his physical shape by lifting weights and doing hobbies like triathlons, mountain biking and hitting the weights.

In a recent interview by British journalists, Button was asked to share a pointer for readers who practice impact sports. He was quick and precise in answering:

“Make sure you’re hydrated; it’s crucial to performance no matter what sport you’re in. Set a goal of drinking 500 mL of water every hour. That how I keep my body hydrated for moments of great exertion,” he advised.

Did you know that your lungs, so vital for getting oxygen to your body during training, are comprised of around 90% water? Jenson Button surely knows.

Atletas na etapa Iron Man Brasil, realizada em Florianópolis: cerca de 4km a nado, 180km pedalando e 42km de corrida, em nome da amizade. Foto: Acervo Pessoal/GRACIEMAG

Numa competição de Jiu-Jitsu, três palavras estão sempre presentes: superação, amizade e homenagem.  Elas também se encaixam na história que vamos contar a seguir.

Competidor de triatlo, o casca-grossa Fabio Samuel Ávila, o “Lixo”, treinava forte para disputar seu primeiro Iron Man – a Copa do Mundo da modalidade – até que uma fatalidade passou pelo seu caminho em alta velocidade. Em julho último, Fabio sofreu um acidente de carro em São Paulo, e está em coma até hoje.

Com o acidente, o praticante de Jiu-Jitsu Ricardo Landim “Foquinha” (Ryan Gracie) e o amigo Caco Figueiredo resolveram levar a cabo uma homenagem e tanto: decidiram competir o Iron Man Brasil, em Floripa, no lugar do parceiro de todas as horas.

Foram oito meses de treinos, luta e sofrimento transformados em homenagens, dedicação e esperança. No fim de maio, data da prova, mais de 20 amigos foram para Florianópolis para torcer por eles, todos com camisetas lembrando o nome de Fabinho e a frase “Juntos somos fortes”.

Foquinha aproveitou o momento para lembrar o falecido mestre Ryan Gracie, também com seu logo estampado na camisa da competição, bem no peito.

“Durante vários momentos da prova, o faixa-preta Foca correu ao lado do irmão Foquinha, dando mais força para ele acabar a prova”, conta outro amigo, Leandro. “Enquanto isso, o Lixo estava no hospital, em São Paulo, mas também vestido com o uniforme da equipe, torcendo de alguma forma. Após muita emoção, dor e cansaço, ambos terminaram a prova”.

Ricardo Foquinha (tempo de prova: 12h44min) e Caco (14h58min) terminaram a prova e já sabiam o que fazer. “Agora chega de corrida e pedal, só Jiu-Jitsu de novo”, gritou Foquinha, ao cruzar a linha de chegada.

“Eu e Foquinha tivemos a maior e mais dura experiência pessoal de nossas vidas, que foi completar o Iron Man Brasil 2012. O corpo chega ao seu limite e só o apoio de pessoas especiais levam você a seguir adiante. Amamos você, Fabio”, comentou Caco, o mais novo faixa-branca da equipe Ryan Gracie, e desde já um dos mais guerreiros.

Athletes at Iron Man Brasil, held in Florianópolis: around 4km swimming, 180km biking and 42km running, in the name of friendship. Photo: Personal archive/GRACIEMAG

There are three ever-present words at Jiu-Jitsu championships: overcoming, friendship and tribute. They also fit the bill for the story we’re about to tell.

A competitive triathlete, Fabio Samuel “Lixo” Ávila was training hard to enter his first Iron Man competition – the World Cup of the sport – until he had a high-speed run-in with fate. Last July, Fabio suffered a car accident in São Paulo and is in a coma to this day.

Because of the accident, Jiu-Jitsu practitioner Ricardo “Foquinha” Landim of Ryan Gracie academy and friend Caco Fiqueiredo decided to pay their unfortunate chum quite a tribute: they decided to enter the Iron Man Brazil competition in the city of Florianópolis in their partner’s place.

They transformed eight months of training, battling and suffering into an homage, dedication and hope. At the end of May, when the race took place, over 20 friends traveled to Florianópolis to cheer for them, all wearing T-shirts with Fabio’s name and the phrase “Together we’re strong” emblazoned on them.

Foquinha took the opportunity to remember the late master Ryan Gracie, whose face also featured on the competition T-shirt, right on the breast.

“Several times during the race Foca ran alongside his brother Foquinha, egging him on so he would finish,” recounted another friend of theirs, Leandro. “Meanwhile, Lixo was still in the hospital in São Paulo, but also wearing the team uniform, in some way cheering for them. After plenty of emotion, pain and fatigue, both completed the race.”

Ricardo Foquinha (clocked time: 12 hours and 44 minutes) and Caco (14 hours and 58 minutes) finished the race and knew just what to do. “Now enough of running and pedaling, back to just Jiu-Jitsu,” shouted Foquinha as he crossed the finishing line.

“Foquinha and I had the biggest and toughest personal experience of our lives, which was to complete Iron Man Brazil 2012. The body reaches its limit, and only the support of special people can get you to forge ahead. We love you, Fabio,” said Caco, the latest white belt on team Ryan Gracie, also one of the team’s biggest warriors.

Paul Barbosa (right) is calling on one and all to help him help young cancer sufferers. Publicity photo.

Paul Barbosa (previously featured here on GRACIEMAG.com) has been teaching Jiu-Jitsu to kids for the last six years. As rewarding as watching them grow and gain confidence has been to the professor at Gracie Barra Santa Monica, Barbosa now wants to do more. And he is asking your help in doing it.

“I have joined the mission to help find cures and more effective treatments for blood cancers in children,” the brown belt explains. “To accomplish this mission, I’m participating in a sports endurance event as a member of The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s (LLS) Team In Training. I will be raising funds to help find cures and better treatments for leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin’s disease and myeloma. I’m improving the quality of my life by participating, and with your support, I can help improve the quality of life for patients and their families as well”

To help Paul accomplish this noble mission, click here to visit his Fundraising Page and make a donation.