My name is Silas Efraim Bezerra de Araújo Pimentel, but most people know me as Sil. I’m originally from the beautiful coast of Natal, Brazil. I moved to the U.S. when I was 13 and this is where my appreciation for running really began. Running has played a big part in shaping who I am as an athlete, but more importantly as a person. My journey has been one of blood, sweat, and tears, but I wouldn’t want it any other way. My progression within track and field has taken me from racing my friends in the streets of Brazil to competing against some of the best in the world.

“There are 3 things that every athlete must understand in order to see success in their sport”

Running has always been a part of my life. One of my favorite childhood memories was waking up to the smell of my favorite black coffee and crackers for breakfast, and running around at the sand dunes near my home. After moving to the U.S. I was recruited by a PE coach to run track, and this is where it all started. I was able to attain a full-ride scholarship to Utah State University for track and field, where I graduated with honors, which led me to where I am today at the University of Utah pursuing a doctorate in physical therapy while starting my own business.
 

Coach Tony. When it comes to hard work and dedication, there is no better father figure and role model.
 

I consider my raw talent to be a gift from God. That is a gift I have treasured and worked countless hours to develop into the runner I am today.

“9:00 PM Sleep and dream about food”

There are 3 things that every athlete must understand in order to see success in their sport: 

-Time management

-Training

-Nutrition

Time Management

Life sometimes can get very busy and crazy, believe me, I know. Every once in awhile I get home from a long day and think to myself, “I’m too tired, and since it’s pre-season training I could easily skip today…” What helps me overcome these types of thoughts is scheduling my workouts into each day. This is what a typical day looks like:

“Invent yourself and then reinvent yourself, don’t swim in the same slough. Invent yourself and then reinvent yourself and stay out of the clutches of mediocrity… it is your life and its history and the present belong only to you.” Charles Bukowski.

-4:50 AM Get up and eat

-5:30 AM Coach the newbies and eat

-7:00 AM Physical Therapy School and eat, eat, eat

-3:00 PM Coach the newbies, and eat

-4:00 PM Run and eat

-5:30 PM Lift and eat

-6:50 PM Dinner/Study/Social Life

-9:00 PM Sleep and dream about food

This is how I structure my day-to-day, but I also make sure to have a good life balance, which includes time for a social life and some leisurely travels.

“When these types of days come at me, I just grab my RUNs or X3 earbuds and focus on the task at hand.”

When life gets crazy and I have to workout on my own, I can always count on my dog (also named Tony) to be my training buddy.

Training

One of the biggest reason for my success is the trust I have in my coach. At times it can be tough coming to track practice after a long day of performing clinical work, and your coach asks you to pull 5×300 meters at 40.5 seconds out of your already exhausted legs. However, because I trust him and his philosophy, I make it happen. Music has been very influential in my life. When these types of days come at me, I just grab my RUNs or X3 earbuds and focus on the task at hand.

A preseason week of training for me may look like this:

Monday – 10×60 @ 80% with 80% HR Recovery

Tuesday – 3×150 @ 90% with 80% HR Recovery

Wednesday – 20×200 @ 30.80 with 1:48 minutes rest

Thursday – 4×300 @ 40.5 with 4:18 minutes rest

Friday – 5:20 mile, 4×60 meter springs, and drills

Saturday – Block starts

Sunday – An easy bike ride (my favorite low impact workout) or a 60 minute walk

All of my workouts are planned for me to peak at a specific time, and trust is a must in order for me to see success. People often don’t see the road, only the results, and this is what the road looks like… painful!

“…just like training, you eat for your sport.”

Nutrition

Running can be considered my number one passion in life, with food coming in as a close second – A VERY close second. I really, really like food. I have learned that there is more to food than meets the eye. When I first started down this path in college I tried to eat very healthy with a very high fruits and vegetable diet, and even though I was excelling, I now know I was not my best. In college I was probably not eating more than 2400 calories a day, and now with help from professionals I consume around 3800 calories a day. Since this change, I have improved in all of my events. I often get sick of eating, but just like training, you eat for your sport.

We all have gifts, find yours and work to develop it. There is a quote by St. Jerome that goes, “Good, better, best. Never let it rest. ‘Til your good is better and your better is best”, so be your best and do what it takes to power your passion!
 
These songs are the power songs that I intertwine with my playlists in order to fuel my mind as I destroy my workouts:
 

 
We also want to hear your stories. Share your motivation for running in a short story and hashtag #whyirunjaybird on Instagram for a chance to win weekly prizes including earbuds and a chance to be featured on our social channels. We’re inspired by every type of runner, so don’t hesitate to share your passion with us. To the parent that wakes up early before sending their kids off to school, the beginner seeking to finish their first 5k, and the marathoner looking to set a new PR, your passion inspires more people than you’ll ever know. Share your stories with us and #runwild. Find more info about the This Is Why I Run series here.

Keep in touch with Sil!