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Dr. Fábio Santana | Masters Athletics

@faithandspeed

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49 | Master Sprinter 🇧🇷🇩🇪
Started sprinting again at 45.
Still getting faster. ⚡
🌍 Road to Worlds 2028 | M50
✝️ Faith • Speed • Purpose

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I’m 49.

This year I ran 59.22 in the 400m hurdles.

But right now, the goal isn’t another record.

It’s rebuilding.

Strength. Patience. Recovery. Learning to listen to my body.

In 2027, I move into M50.

Then comes Finland. 🇫🇮

And in 2028, the World Masters Championships in the Netherlands. 🇳🇱

I don’t know how far this journey will take me.

That’s exactly why I want to document it.

The good days.
The setbacks.
The training.
The faith.
The races.

How far can we go?

🌍 Road to 2028 starts here.

Faith & Speed ⚡

#RoadTo2028 #MastersAthletics #400mHurdles #LifeAfter40 #FaithAndSpeed taken in Aachen, Germany by @faithandspeed

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25

a month ago

Why Faith & Speed?
I love training, competing and discovering how fast I can still become.
But Jesus is part of my life — so He’s part of my athletics too.
When I win, I want the victory to point beyond me. When my name stands beside a record, I hope someone remembers Jesus.
And if anything you see here ever makes you curious about Him, my door is open.
No religious label required. You don’t need to agree with me.
We can simply talk.
No pressure. Just a conversation.
✝️ Faith & Speed ⚡

#FaithAndSpeed #MastersAthletics #Jesus #Faith #Purpose taken in Aachen, Germany by @faithandspeed

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15

15 days ago

When I was 25, I ran 800m.

Today, at 49, I run the 100m and 200m.

Most people assume that getting older means slowing down and moving to longer distances.

In 2023, I decided to do the opposite.

Not because it was easy.
Not because it was common.

Simply because growing older doesn’t mean we have to stop challenging ourselves.

100m:
2024 → 12.15
2025 → 11.82
2026 → 11.62

200m:
2024 → 24.49
2025 → 23.65
2026 → 23.38

Still learning.
Still improving.

And grateful to God for every step of the journey.

⚡ Faith & Speed

#FaithAndSpeed
#MastersAthletics
#SprintTraining
#HealthyAging
#TrackAndField taken in Aachen, Germany by @faithandspeed

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181

5 months ago

I’m 49.

I’m not trying to turn back time.

I’m not training to become the athlete I was when I was younger.

I’m training to discover what I can still become.

Some days are fast. Others are about patience, recovery and rebuilding.

But the journey isn’t over.

**And neither is yours. ⚡**

#FaithAndSpeed #MastersAthletics #HealthyAging #SprintTraining #NeverTooLate by @faithandspeed

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a day ago

**SAME EXERCISE. TWO ATTEMPTS. 👀**

I recently shared a video of this band-assisted plyometric exercise, part of my French Contrast training.

A couple of friends noticed things I hadn’t paid enough attention to — including differences in how I was loading each leg and the position of my right foot.

So I tried it again, paying closer attention to my movement.

But here’s my question:

**Can you spot any differences between Attempt 1 and Attempt 2?**

And coaches, physios and fellow athletes: what would you work on next?

Still learning at 49. ⚡

#SprintTraining #FrenchContrast #Plyometrics #MastersAthletics #FaithAndSpeed by @faithandspeed

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3 days ago

**54 → 59.22 → ? ⚡**

When I was younger, I ran the 400m hurdles in approximately 54 seconds.

Years later, I returned to sprint training at 45.

This season, at 49, I ran 59.22 — a Brazilian&South America Masters M45 record. 🇧🇷

I’m proud of that achievement.

But there’s a question I can’t stop asking:

**How much faster can I still become?**

I’m approaching 50. My body isn’t the same as it was 25 years ago. And after a season dealing with injuries, I know that progress requires patience.

I’m not trying to turn back time.

I’m trying to discover what’s still possible.

First, recover properly. Then rebuild. Then race.

I don’t know what the stopwatch will say next.

**But I’m going to find out.**

🌍 Road to 2028 | M50
✝️ Faith & Speed ⚡

#RoadTo2028 #FaithAndSpeed #MastersAthletics #400mHurdles #MastersSprinter by @faithandspeed

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5 days ago

**The pre-season workout more sprinters should consider. 🌲⚡**

Sometimes, the smartest way to prepare for speed is to stop chasing it for a while.

Yesterday, we trained in the forest.

Not by accident.

We deliberately chose a more forgiving surface instead of spending another session on the hard track.

**The workout:**
🏃 2 × 5 × 150m uphill
🌲 Forest trail, approximately 3% incline
🚶 Walk-back recovery
⚡ Moderate, controlled intensity

**Why?**

Because pre-season isn’t only about getting stronger and faster. It’s also about preparing your body to tolerate the demands of the coming season.

For me, that means:

**1. Choosing the surface wisely.**
A suitable forest trail can offer a different running surface from the track, although softer doesn’t automatically mean safer.

**2. Building conditioning gradually.**
Ten controlled uphill repetitions provide a conditioning stimulus without requiring maximum sprinting speed.

**3. Respecting recovery.**
After dealing with a hamstring injury for much of this season, I’ve learned that patience is part of training.

**4. Earning the next step.**
There will be time for faster sessions, spikes and maximum-speed work. But I don’t need to rush there today.

I love sprinting. I love competing. And I still want to discover how fast I can be at 50.

But there’s something I often tell people who feel inspired to start training:

**BE KIND TO YOUR BODY. ❤️**

Listen to it. Challenge it progressively. Give it time to adapt.

Because the goal isn’t just to run fast in your next session.

**It’s to keep running for years to come. ⚡**

Faith & Speed

#FaithAndSpeed #MastersAthletics #SprintTraining #PreSeasonTraining #HealthyAging taken in Aachener Wald by @faithandspeed

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8 days ago

**It looks easy. But trust me, it isn't. 😅**

Why do I keep doing this everywhere?

Because this little exercise has become an important part of my recovery.

What you can't see in the video is how hard I'm pressing my heel against the wall. It's an isometric exercise, and those 15–20 seconds take real effort!

I've been dealing with a hamstring injury since March. It affected almost my entire competition season.

Then my friend @isaiah_p.jumps showed me this exercise. I wish I'd known about it earlier!

Now, after months of rehabilitation, I'm finally getting closer to feeling like myself again. ❤️

I can't say one exercise made the difference on its own. But this has become a valuable part of my recovery routine.

**Thank you, Isaiah, for taking the time to help me. 🤝**

Sometimes the smallest things make a big difference.

And apparently, I can do this one almost everywhere. 😂

⚡ Faith & Speed

#FaithAndSpeed #MastersAthletics #HamstringRehab #SprintTraining #Consistency by @faithandspeed

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12 days ago

Masters athletics is about more than age.⚡

It’s about believing in your goals — no matter when you start, and no matter how many years are behind you.
Different generations. Different experiences. One shared passion. ❤️‍🔥

And maybe one of the best things about Masters sport is the friendships you build along the way — friendships that cross generations and bring athletes together through the same love for sport.

Never stop believing in what you can achieve.
Your age is just a number. Your goals are still yours to chase. 🏃‍♂️⚡

This is Masters athletics. ❤️‍🔥

#run #trackandfield #mastersathletes #runningcommunity #believe taken in Runnersworld by @faithandspeed

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14 days ago

Same drill. Same slow-motion speed. Two very different reps. 👀
What changed?
Coaches & sprinters — what do you see?
Drop it below if you’re confident. 😏👇
Faith & Speed ⚡

#SprintTraining #SprintMechanics #AccelerationTraining #TrackAndField #MastersAthletics taken in Aachen, Germany by @faithandspeed

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17 days ago

When I started sprinting at 46, I wasn’t trying to prove anyone wrong.

I simply wanted to see what was still possible.

Four years later, I’m running faster than ever.

If you’re wondering whether it’s too late to start...

It probably isn’t.

Start where you are.

Be patient.

Trust the process.

And never stop believing that improvement is still possible.

Faith & Speed ⚡

#FaithAndSpeed
#MastersAthletics
#SprintTraining
#HealthyAging
#NeverTooLate by @faithandspeed

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4 months ago

49 years old.

4 races.

3 gold medals.
1 bronze.

This weekend, I competed in the German Masters Championships in the 100m, 200m, 400m and 4×100m relay.

🥉 100m — 11.68
🥇 4×100m — 43.88
🥇 200m — 23.59
🥇 400m — 53.57

The bronze medal in the 100m mattered too.

I missed silver by just 0.01 seconds — and ran my second-fastest 100m ever.

Our relay team also broke our own regional record with 43.88 seconds.

The times mattered.

But this weekend, winning mattered more.

Not just winning races.

Winning the battle against the idea that age has already decided what you can become.

Still improving at 49.

Grateful to God for every race, every teammate, every opportunity.

Faith & Speed ⚡

Which result would you have been most excited about: the 11.68 in the 100m, the 43.88 relay, the 23.59 in the 200m, or the 53.57 in the 400m?

#FaithAndSpeed
#MastersAthletics
#SprintTraining
#HealthyAging
#NeverTooLate taken in Grenzlandstadion by @faithandspeed

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3 months ago