Featured Athlete: Mario Da Silva

 

* Name: Mario Da Silva
* Website: http://facebook.com/mario41075
* Age: 38

* What is your day job, and do you have other hobbies?:
I’m the 2nd shift (2pm-10pm) Supervisor at Ryerson Steel in Devens Ma.
The ONLY thing I like about it is that I get to do all my training runs in the AM, while thee sun is up!

I really have no hobbies to speak of, unless you consider running in many races of any type a hobbie. I spend as much time with my little girl as possible and the rest of my time is taken up by Work, Training runs, Weight training and living a fitness lifestyle.

* When did you start obstacle course racing? Tell us about your first race
I guess you can say I started June 25 2011 when I decided to Run in the Warrior Dash in Amesbury Ma.
I saw the ad for it in Men’s Health and figured why not it looks like fun.
It was really cool running through and over obstacles all the while trying to get to the finish line through the most mud I’d ever seen in my life! It was a Blast!
I completed the race with a time of 37:15, at 1st I was like this was fun but my time was horrible of course I was comparing it to a normal 5K time.
Once I spoke to a bunch of people I realized my time wasn’t bad at all. so i decided to sign up for a few more OCR’s.

* What was your biggest accomplishment at an obstacle course race? What made it your biggest accomplishment (overcame a fear, injury, disability etc?)
My Biggest accomplishment was completing the Spartan VT Beast in 2012 with a time of 5:06:23, because I had completed the VT Beast the previous year 2011 in 6:18:06.
I signed up thinking if I can run Marathons and Half Marathons it shouldn’t be too bad; and it kicked my ass!
So I vowed to do some serious OCR training to come back and better my time, had I not waited 20mins for a life vest my time would’ve been better than 5:06:23. I got Inked, for coming back and improving my time by a little over an hour.

* What attracts you to obstacle course races? Why do you keep coming back?
I’m attracted to obstacle races because I love the challenge of the courses, the thrill of running, the comradery and friendships you make at these events. That’s what keeps me coming back.

* What are your training and/or diet routines? Do you have other athletic pursuits?
My training consists of a lot of running, long runs and short speed and hill work. I also weight train a few days a week keeping it heavy. I do circuits with heavy weight to keep my body confused from getting bored.
My diet is pretty strict, No Deep Fried Foods, No Beer, No Fatty Meats, No Pastries, Breads and Pastas. No Soda. I live on Fruits, Veggies, Lean Clean Meats, Fish, Protein Bars/Powders and Tofu. On rare occasions I’ll splurge a little but never ever with Deep Fried, or McDonald’s, BK, Wendy’s or Sonic. *Abs are 80% diet%
Other than Obstacle Racing my other Athletic pursuit is Road Racing and Marathons after all that’s where my love for Obstacle racing started.

* Were you always athletic? If not, what athletic changes have you made to keep up the obstacle course race lifestyle?
I haven’t always been athletic. Far from it, I was a beer drinking, 2 pack a day smoking, McDonalds Eating (breakfast, lunch and dinner) 210lb slob!
When my little girl stated crawling I was playing with her and within 15 maybe 20 minutes I was winded and went outside for a smoke. As I was standing there smoking away
It clicked! If I’m this tired crawling around with her what the heck’s going to happen when she stats walking and running? I put out the cigarette and quit right there and then.
As overweight as I was I took up running the next day to curb the urge to smoke and to start changing my life for the better. It wasn’t easy by any means, it was Horrible, Brutal, but I stuck with it and today 8 years later I’m proud to say I’m a lean 155lbs that can run Marathons, Spartan Beasts and anything in between then drive home after the event.

* Who, alive or dead, would you invite to run an obstacle course race with you?
I’ve got nothing on this one.

* Tell us a fun fact about yourself that we may not know!
In my spare time, what very little I have I enjoy watching Movies. Action, Adventure, Comedies, Mystery and Dramas. I don’t get into who’s playing the roles and don’t watch movies because of who’s in them. If it sounds interesting add it to my list. I don’t watch Television because of all the commercials, with Movies/DVD’s I can just stop it go to bed and resume it the next chance I have time.

***Peanut Butter is my Kryptonite (Naturally More, Traders Joes Unsalted, and any Natural Peanut Butter)***

* What are your goals? Next race, next season … what’s in your future?
My Future goals for 2013 are to Run a Strong (3:00/3:05) Boston 2014 Qualifier, Run a good (3:10/3:15) finishing time in the Chicago Marathon, Complete the Spartan TRIFECTA and Complete the Ultra Beast. As for 2014, Complete the Dopey Challenge running in all 4 races. Run the BAA Distance Medley & Marathon, and Complete the Spartan TRIFECTA. But above all else continue living a Healthy and Fit lifestyle.