Tec graduate, Guinness Record holder, and example of life

At the age of 21, Víctor Raúl Solis Garavito was diagnosed with Lyme disease, a bacterial infection contracted from the bite of an infected tick that has physical and sometimes psychological consequences.

According to a Mayo Clinic report, Lyme disease can be difficult to diagnose at the outset, as many symptoms resemble those of the common cold or other illnesses.

Some people develop a fever, but it can also lead to a trip to hospital for more serious effects, such as facial paralysis, epilepsy and muscle damage. Some patients can even develop quadriplegia and heart disorders.

This Tec graduate in Organizational Psychology spent several months in hospital with joint and muscle pain, loss of speech and sight, and unable to walk. He even came close to death.

After diagnosis and proper treatment, and with his Lyme disease now under control, Victor, who’s also a Tec professor, decided to work at the same hospital as the doctor who saved his life as a way of saying thanks.

RUNNING GAVE HIM BACK HIS LIFE

It was there that he found hope for life in running. He says that one day he saw a statistic published at the hospital that gave him back his desire for life after struggling against this rare illness.

“Many in Oncology have cancer because they smoke. The statistic said: “for every cigarette you smoke, you lose 3 hours of life, but if you do one hour of exercise, you gain one day of life.

“I don’t know whether it’s true or not, but I said: if something is offering me more life, I’m going to take it. Running is movement, movement is life. Therefore, I want to live longer, which is why I started running, to live longer,” he says.

New York, Boston, Chicago, and Berlin are just some of the (more than ten) marathons he has run. Six of them are the most important in the world. He also holds a Guinness Record for the Mexico City marathon in 2017.

This year, he’ll be competing in next month’s Tokyo marathon. 52 days later, he’ll be running in Boston.

“Setting goals is important, but the effort is even more important. My goal is the effort. If I try hard and work enough during training, the goal accomplishes itself,” he emphasized.

AN UNUSUAL GUINESS RECORD

His Guinness Record came to him after finishing a marathon (42 kilometers and 195 meters) in the fastest time dressed as a cardboard star, which was painted yellow and made by him and his friends.

“I’ve always wanted to run in something that meant something to me, and a star was significant because of my last name of Solís, and the sun (Sol) is a star.

“Everything was born out of a crazy idea. When I was a boy, there was a program called “The Guinness Book of Records”. I would watch it and then go to the park and do the things I saw on the show,” he pointed out.

He says that it was back in 2017 when he arrived at a point where he asked himself: “What can I do? What do I have to do to make myself and my inner child happy? What kind of record can I achieve?”

He remembers that back then it was popular to run marathons dressed up, which gave him the inspiration to do so, even though there was already someone who held the Guinness Record for running dressed as a star.

“I thought that if he ran the marathon in 4 hours 40 minutes, and I run a marathon in 2 hours 40 minutes, I was sure I could do it faster dressed as a star.

“Running while wearing a cardboard star was not easy. On the contrary, it was the worst thing in the world. I was sweating profusely, suffered heat stroke, and anxiety and claustrophobia attacks. When I finished, I threw up my body weight in water,” he explained.

What’s more, the back of his Guinness Record is filled with signatures. This is because what inspires him and spurs him on are the people who’ve contributed to his life: his parents, friends, university professors, and students.

“I don’t think the record is mine alone. The name Mexico appears four times. This record belongs to Mexico. I didn’t do it on my own. I managed it thanks to everyone who helped me along the way.”

“Everyone’s contributed to helping me get up and run every day. I thank them and asking for their signature is just one way of acknowledging them and letting them know that they’re a part of this,” he said.

TEC PROFESSOR AND EXAMPLE TO HIS STUDENTS 

Nowadays, Victor collaborates with the Life and Career Center at Tecnológico de Monterrey, where he gives conferences and talks to students about employability.

“As a good Tec graduate, I’m an entrepreneur. I have a company I use to help people find the job of their dreams. 

“I give talks and classes here at the Tec on employability. For instance, I’ve given a talk about social media and LinkedIn,” he pointed out.

The Tec figures large in the life story of this graduate and entrepreneur, and he carries the institution’s logo with him in every race he runs.

“I run with the Tec’s logo not because someone asks me to, but because it holds a lot of meaning for me.

“I am the Tec. It was here that I met many of the people who have helped and supported me in everything I’ve set out to do. Wearing the logo is a kind of recognition for all those people. It encompasses them all,” he said.

As for his health, he says he is at the best stage of his life.

“I’m currently fitter than ever. I’m 32 years old and have just made the decision to change my lifestyle, to live a more mindful lifestyle. I’m a non-vegan plant-based athlete, and I do yoga every day,” he shared.

In conclusion, this marathon runner leaves a message for all those people who, like him, dream of breaking a Guinness Record.

“You have to allow life to surprise you and work toward everything you want for your future. It’s important to have small tangible dreams so that all this work you’ve done coalesces and fulfills a bigger dream.

“It’s never too late to go after your dreams. Dreams are what give us life. Sometimes it’s complicated. If you forget about these dreams, then what does life give you?” he concluded.

READ MORE NEWS AT CONECTA: