Can I not just continue a bit more I thought, but no, I knew the answer to that\u2026 No, no matter how heartbroken you are, the answer is no (again, Johan just showed me how you can go to the starting line of the Comrades Marathon and make the correct decision). Dankie coach. I stopped\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, what now? What next? Well, ahead of me lies the Salt Pans Ultra Marathon in Botswana that I entered for. Another major and technical event that I was also dearly looking forward to. So it was full speed ahead, recovering from the flue, training, getting the final bits of gear and logistics ready for SPU. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
And there, out of the blue, comes an email from Riana: Are you able to participate in the BU Champs if there is an opening.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n HELL YEAH!!<\/strong> – was my exact words. Other words went through my brain but I jumped up from my dining room table and ran around my house with my family thinking I have finally gone to the looney bin I was that excited!! Even just for a chance to participate!!!<\/p>\n\n\n\n And sure enough, a few days later my spot in the team was confirmed. My heart was full, I was so grateful and so honored to be part of the team. To present Namibia in this lovely sport we do as a hobby was just beyond my comprehension. My heart was absolutely full \u2013 no other way to describe it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But first \u2013 off to Botswana to SPU. And wow, amazing and spectacular it was \u2013 absolutely breathtaking to run over the Makgadigadi Salt Pans and see nothing on the horizon no matter which direction you look! Brutal, however, it was absolutely brutal. Running on soft, muddy and uneven terrain, facing blistering winds in 40\u00b0C temps and with water points more than 15km apart\u2026 Yeah, it was rough on the body. Mr Harvey Lewis himself half passed out a couple of kilometers before the end and laying on a bed in the medical tent next to him he also confirmed; this was one of the toughest races he has ever done! But, again, a little bit more grit was built into the body.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Returning home, after a few rest days, being rehydrated, refueled and still filled with some sense of accomplishment of the enormous undertaking that one just took on, I ran the next Saturday in a race. Just a 10k. What is 10km after what I have already done this year\u2026? It\u2019s like a warm-up, seriously, what can go wrong.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Then everything went wrong.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The world as I knew it collapsed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Just 2km into the run I severely pulled my left calf muscle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n SHIT!!! There\u2019s only 2 weeks left before the BU Championship!!<\/p>\n\n\n\n I immediately stopped running, knowing not to try and push through this injury. This was an old injury, I know this guy, and it\u2019s not that bad, a few days rest and I will be ok. Walking back to the starting point, waving to everybody I overtook\u2026 Yeah\u2026 I was brought back down to earth at the speed of light.<\/p>\n\n\n\n So, rest we did, went to my trusty physio upon which many issues were picked up (and fixed) and lekker \u2013 we\u2019ll be up and running soon. I even went back for a second physio session just to ensure all is well. Strangely, all did feel well while walking. Awesome! I must be healed. So Sat morning (1 week before BU Champs) I went for a test run. 700meters down the road and\u2026 SHIT! I can\u2019t run!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Limping home I knew I had to make a dreaded call to Riana and tell her I can\u2019t run at the BU Champs\u2026 Well, I could go and try, but it is just not fair to the team. This is BU Championships \u2013 countries<\/strong> ran against each other, not just individuals. My heart was broken again. After months of dreaming to participate in this event, it all came crashing down. And it came crashing down why? Because I thought I\u2019m superman. Rest and recovering is mos for sissies. (Yes Johan, I can hear your voice in my head\u2026)<\/p>\n\n\n\n Got home. Took a shower. And then I knew I had to call Riana, only I couldn\u2019t face talking to her. So I sent her a voice message\u2026 It\u2019s done. It\u2019s over, but I vouched that I would be there and I would most definitely come and support the team \u2013 for sure!!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Later on Sat I got the reply \u2013 the teams are locked, no more changes can be made! Ah flip! Now I messed up even more, now I\u2019m letting my team down again by me trying to be so selfish to try and sort an injury I should have known can\u2019t just be fixed in two weeks\u2019 time. What now?? Rest rest rest and then rest some more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As the days came closer I was pondering should I even pack my gazebo? It was just going to be a waste of time. In the week at work I forgot something in my office, turned around to run back quickly \u2013 and I couldn\u2019t run! So it\u2019s pointless to even take a chair to the BU Champs as I won\u2019t even complete 1 lap. And no, you can\u2019t just walk a loop at Backyard Ultra, you have to run at least a little bit to make it back in time, I\u2019ve done the math. So what to do?<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cPrepare for rain<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n That\u2019s what I heard in my mind and in my spirit. Again the words <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cPrepare for rain<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n The famous words Angus Buchan heard from God. Angus went on to plant and prepare for a harvest in the driest of season, against all odds and against all scientific wisdom. And it rained\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n Ok, so, prepare for rain. I packed the gazebo. I packed my race fuel. I packed the stretcher \u2013 I packed it all!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Come race day, I didn\u2019t run around anywhere, I didn\u2019t even run back into the house when I forgot something \u2013 I was too scared to even try and run!<\/p>\n\n\n\n So there I stood on that starting line with my heart so proud to even be standing there alongside my best running friends with our Namibian shirts on \u2013 not knowing if I can run even 1 meter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 3 \u2013 2 \u2013 1 Ding Ding Ding Ding! Off we went!!<\/p>\n\n\n\n And I\u2019m running!! Slowly, yes, but I\u2019m running!! Taking the first walk break, taking it easy, in last place but that\u2019s fine, that\u2019s not what matters. What mattered was that I\u2019m running, moving forward and fast enough to make it. I\u2019m going to make at least 1 lap \u2013 I know it!! YES!! Thank you Lord!!<\/p>\n\n\n\n As I turned to make the final stretch back I could feel the calf is not happy, but it\u2019s not pulling into the \u201dun-runnable\u201d state as previously. I can keep going! As I went around the final corner I saw my wife eagerly and anxiously awaiting my return. I nearly cried\u2026 <\/p>\n\n\n\n Great, made it back to the kraal in 52 minutes. AWESOME! I got a massage on my calf quickly, filled up with nutrition and, as I found myself all alone in the back, grabbed my music and off I went.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 3 \u2013 2 \u2013 1 Ding Ding Ding! Off we go for round two!<\/p>\n\n\n\n This time round things weren\u2019t as easy. The pain was getting worse and worse. Flip, things were getting real sore now. The soft sand was not kind to me, not kind at all. Walking up the black mountain was real tough, the pain that shot through my leg was next level, but I knew I had to carry on. From the front, my fellow team members came past \u2013 each one giving a warm greeting, a big smile and amazing encouragement. They absolutely carried me through that second lap! I had to do it, I had to keep going for them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Again, coming around the final corner, half of my morning running squad was waiting for me, shouting encouragement, and again I nearly cried… Back at base, I loaded up with nutrients, rested a bit, and received a lot of encouragement from everyone around that really filled my heart to the brim. <\/p>\n\n\n\n 3 \u2013 2 \u2013 1 Ding Ding Ding! Off we go for round three!<\/p>\n\n\n\n OH OH! Things are not right, things are really really not right in my calf. Oh flip the pain!! Jeepers \u2013 it ran from my calf, up through my hamstrings into my back. Can I move? Yes. Can I run? A few meters at a time, but yes. Can I make it at this pace? Yes I can! THEN DO IT<\/em> – I told myself. Trying to block the pain I kept myself busy with all sorts of memories of my family, our amazing beach holiday a while back, and playing air guitar and air drums to the music I\u2019m listening to. I\u2019m alone mos \u2013 and I really don\u2019t care now who laughs at me!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Coming down from the black mountain things got really bad. It was really really tough and sore. This was getting stupid. I know I wasn\u2019t going to lose my leg but the pain sure made it feel that way. What\u2019s the time? What\u2019s my pace? How much distance is left? Can I make it back in time? Yes I can. COME ON!! You can do it!! Pain is temporary. Move it!!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Why am I doing this? Like really? Why am I doing this? Because running is AWESOME!! Because running people is AWESOME!! Because running is free. It takes you to a happy place nothing else can. Pick up the pace \u2013 MOVE IT!!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n As I crossed the road and started walking the last few up hills, I could see on my watch I would make it. It was going to be close but I\u2019ll make it. Awesome, at least three laps for the team!! I\u2019m so so sorry it\u2019s only 3 laps, but I was so grateful for these 3 laps that I again started crying \u2013 I can\u2019t explain the emotions running through me. As I approached the final few corners of the course, Johan was waiting for me and I couldn\u2019t contain myself once more. I was so grateful to have been able to at least a few laps, but so sad that I let the team down. But I made it. I made 3 laps, but I knew that this was the end, this was getting stupid, and that made me sad as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Nog enetjie.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Nee ek kan nie! Dit is te seer Johan! <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Kom, net nog enetjie. Daar is tyd. Drink gou iets.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Even if you time out, just try one more!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Ok\u2026 Ok… Sweets \u2013 please get my arm warmers<\/em>!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Off runs my dear wife as she brought me my arm warmers. Ok, here we are again on the start line. An emotional mess, in pain and I suddenly felt an encouraging grasp on my left shoulder. I never knew who it was, but now I know\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n 3 \u2013 2 \u2013 1 Ding Ding Ding! Off we go for round four!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Flip jou Johan, flip jou!! Can\u2019t you see how in pain I am?? Can\u2019t you see that I\u2019m hurting myself?? I\u2019ll show you, I\u2019m just going to walk this one and time out and then it\u2019s done for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I was mad, I was cross, I was sad. I was everything.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Soon the entire Namibia team came from the front passing by and giving me such great encouragement. They filled me with such energy!! Ok, let\u2019s run. EINA!!! No, I can\u2019t, I can\u2019t\u2026 Ok, let\u2019s walk, let\u2019s see how fast I can walk. PUSH IT HENNIE PUSH IT!!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n And walking I did, as fast as I could. Down the hill, through the sand as fast as I could. What\u2019s my pace? No way, it\u2019s not working\u2026 I\u2019m not going to make it. Ok, well, I tried. I tried. Let\u2019s just walk back easily with my head held high and just time out and let it be done for.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n When I got to Black Mountain (just over half way) I was on 30 minutes\u2026 30 minutes Hennie \u2013 you can make it!! But how, it\u2019s uphill?? Shut up you can make it!! Are you going to do this whole loop for nothing?? Come on!! You can finish this loop for the team!! Push it!! Pain is temporary!!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n As I crested the Black Mountain I started running, and I kept running. I felt like Forest Gump \u2013 run Forest run!! J<\/p>\n\n\n\n I told myself not to stop running, no matter what \u2013 YOU ARE NOT GOING TO DO THIS LAP IN VAIN! And I thought to myself, if I can finish this loop, in this pain, maybe, just maybe I can encourage someone else in the team to maybe push themselves a bit more than they think they can. And that single thought kept me going. I ran down the hill, I ran across the plains, I ran through the river, I ran over the road until I came to the up hills where I looked at my watch and I saw I was going to make it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n And so I walked, all the way until I made it to the end (in time) with my heart full knowing that I gave it my absolutely everything. And I came back to my team still giving me such encouragement. I just cried.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Another additional piece of grit built into me \u2013 for another day, when I will surely need it again\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" By Hennie Lacock This is a story that starts way after the story actually played out. This story starts when I saw a photo of myself where in an instant, I was filled with the most overwhelming emotions, reliving exactly what I was going through at that time and seeing the photo \u2013 it just hit me that the photo looks exactly the way it felt. Earlier in the year, the legendary Johan Bronkhorst informed me that there is some sort of special Backyard Ultra on the horizon and that it may be held in Swakopmund. Without knowing any details whatsoever \u2013 I immediately knew that I wanted to be part of it, DOES NOT MATTER WHAT IT ACTUALLY ENTAILS! As more and more news came, it transpired that the Backyard Ultra World Championship will be held in October and that Namibia would also enter a team of 15 runners. Again, I just knew that I HAD to be part of this team. To be on this team, however, one needs to finish in the top 8 in the 2024 Brandberg Backyard Ultra in Uis. Right, goal firmly set!! My first goal however was to run my first Comrades Marathon in June, after which the BBU would be held in August making for perfect training preparation. I completed the Comrades within the time I have set myself; I wanted to do a bit better, but man \u2013 Comrades really exceeded my expectations in exactly how tough it really was! Well, good lessons learned, some more grit was built into me and now we rest, recover and start training for the second major goal of the year \u2013 BBU top 8 to qualify for BU Champs! All was going well, no injuries, nothing holding me back for training and preparing for BBU. After running 2 x BBU\u2019s I also deemed myself well experienced and were zoning in in refining the last bit of detail for a successful run\u2026 Only to catch a flue days before the event\u2026 The first one for the year, despite dodging fellow runners that got sick earlier in the year (Johan missed Comrades due to flue) and despite boosting myself with Vitamin drips, Fizzies and even tant Koek se boereraad. In hope of a miracle, I still packed and geared up for BBU, watching and monitoring my health closely. Come Friday evening of the BBU after settling in at the camp in Uis, things were looking positive. Resting HR was stabilizing, HRV scores were increasing \u2013 things were taking a turn for the positive! Dosing myself with everything I could possible dose myself with and having had a good night\u2019s sleep I got up on Sat morning feeling fresh and ready \u2013 Goal: Top 8 here I come!! The first lap started off well, feeling great, refreshed and I could tell my legs just wanted to run. Chatting and meeting new BU runners along the way (Danni) taking things easy, man, I was in good spirits – things were going klop disselboom! Until lap 5 about\u2026 Suddenly the body started to indicate he doesn\u2019t like what\u2019s going on. HR started spiking, breathing became more arduous and fatigue started to set in. Now already? Are you serious? I\u2019ve just warmed up? I put it out of my mind and put it down to the heat that is starting to rear its head. At the turn around point of lap 7, however, things took a very sudden turn for the worst\u2026 HR was spiking so much it looked as if I\u2019m busy running an 800m sprint and I knew I can\u2019t keep this up. I absolutely would have done anything to qualify for the BU Champs, I was so SO SO excited about it; I couldn\u2019t stop talking about it, I couldn\u2019t stop asking questions about it \u2013 I even dreamt about it in my dreams at night! Can I not just continue a bit more I thought, but no, I knew the answer to that\u2026 No, no matter how heartbroken you are, the answer is no (again, Johan just showed me how you can go to the starting line of the Comrades Marathon and make the correct decision). Dankie coach. I stopped\u2026 So, what now? What next? Well, ahead of me lies the Salt Pans Ultra Marathon in Botswana that I entered for. Another major and technical event that I was also dearly looking forward to. So it was full speed ahead, recovering from the flue, training, getting the final bits of gear and logistics ready for SPU. And there, out of the blue, comes an email from Riana: Are you able to participate in the BU Champs if there is an opening. HELL YEAH!! – was my exact words. Other words went through my brain but I jumped up from my dining room table and ran around my house with my family thinking I have finally gone to the looney bin I was that excited!! Even just for a chance to participate!!! And sure enough, a few days later my spot in the team was confirmed. My heart was full, I was so grateful and so honored to be part of the team. To present Namibia in this lovely sport we do as a hobby was just beyond my comprehension. My heart was absolutely full \u2013 no other way to describe it. But first \u2013 off to Botswana to SPU. And wow, amazing and spectacular it was \u2013 absolutely breathtaking to run over the Makgadigadi Salt Pans and see nothing on the horizon no matter which direction you look! Brutal, however, it was absolutely brutal. Running on soft, muddy and uneven terrain, facing blistering winds in 40\u00b0C temps and with water points more than 15km apart\u2026 Yeah, it was rough on the body. Mr Harvey Lewis himself half passed out a couple of kilometers before the end and laying on a bed in the medical tent next to him he also confirmed; this was one of the toughest races he has ever done! But, again, a little bit more grit was built into the body. Returning home, after a few rest days, being rehydrated, refueled and still filled with some sense of accomplishment of the enormous undertaking that one just took on, I ran the next Saturday in a race. Just a 10k. What is 10km after what I have already done this year\u2026? It\u2019s like a warm-up, seriously, what can go wrong. Then everything went wrong. The world as I knew it collapsed. Just 2km into the run I severely pulled my left calf muscle. SHIT!!! There\u2019s only 2 weeks left before the BU Championship!! I immediately stopped running, knowing not to try and push through this injury. This was an old injury, I know this guy, and it\u2019s not that bad, a few days rest and I will be ok. Walking back to the starting point, waving to everybody I overtook\u2026 Yeah\u2026 I was brought back down to earth at the speed of light. So, rest we did, went to my trusty physio upon which many issues were picked up (and fixed) and lekker \u2013 we\u2019ll be up and running soon. I even went back for a second physio session just to ensure all is well. Strangely, all did feel well while walking. Awesome! I must be healed. So Sat morning (1 week before BU Champs) I went for a test run. 700meters down the road and\u2026 SHIT! I can\u2019t run! Limping home I knew I had to make a dreaded call to Riana and tell her I can\u2019t run at the BU Champs\u2026 Well, I could go and try, but it is just not fair to the team. This is BU Championships \u2013 countries ran against each other, not just individuals. My heart was broken again. After months of dreaming to participate in this event, it all came crashing down. And it came crashing down why? Because I thought I\u2019m superman. Rest and recovering is mos for sissies. (Yes Johan, I can hear your voice in my head\u2026) Got home. Took a shower. And then I knew I had to call Riana, only I couldn\u2019t face talking to her. So I sent her a voice message\u2026 It\u2019s done. It\u2019s over, but I vouched that I would be there and I would most definitely come and support the team \u2013 for sure!! Later on Sat I got the reply \u2013 the teams are locked, no more changes can be made! Ah flip! Now I messed up even more, now I\u2019m letting my team down again by me trying to be so selfish to try and sort an injury I should have known can\u2019t just be fixed in two weeks\u2019 time. What now?? Rest rest rest and then rest some more. As the days came closer I was pondering should I even pack my gazebo? It was just going to be a waste of time. In the week at work I forgot something in my office, turned around to run back quickly \u2013 and I couldn\u2019t run! So it\u2019s pointless to even take a chair to the BU Champs as I won\u2019t even complete 1 lap. And no, you can\u2019t just walk a loop at Backyard Ultra, you have to run at least a little bit to make it back in time, I\u2019ve done the math. So what to do? \u201cPrepare for rain\u201d That\u2019s what I heard in my mind and in my spirit. Again the words \u201cPrepare for rain\u201d The famous words Angus Buchan heard from God. Angus went on to plant and prepare for a harvest in the driest of season, against all odds and against all scientific wisdom. And it rained\u2026 Ok, so, prepare for rain. I packed the gazebo. I packed my race fuel. I packed the stretcher \u2013 I packed it all! Come race day, I didn\u2019t run around anywhere, I didn\u2019t even run back into the house when I forgot something \u2013 I was too scared to even try and run! So there I stood on that starting line with my heart so proud to even be standing there alongside my best running friends with our Namibian shirts on \u2013 not knowing if I can run even 1 meter. 3 \u2013 2 \u2013 1 Ding Ding Ding Ding! Off we went!! And I\u2019m running!! Slowly, yes, but I\u2019m running!! Taking the first walk break, taking it easy, in last place but that\u2019s fine, that\u2019s not what matters. What mattered was that I\u2019m running, moving forward and fast enough to make it. I\u2019m going to make at least 1 lap \u2013 I know it!! YES!! Thank you Lord!! As I turned to make the final stretch back I could feel the calf is not happy, but it\u2019s not pulling into the \u201dun-runnable\u201d state as previously. I can keep going! As I went around the final corner I saw my wife eagerly and anxiously awaiting my return. I nearly cried\u2026 Great, made it back to the kraal in 52 minutes. AWESOME! I got a massage on my calf quickly, filled up with nutrition and, as I found myself all alone in the back, grabbed my music and off I went. 3 \u2013 2 \u2013 1 Ding Ding Ding! Off we go for round two! This time round things weren\u2019t as easy. The pain was getting worse and worse. Flip, things were getting real sore now. The soft sand was not kind to me, not kind at all. Walking up the black mountain was real tough, the pain that shot through my leg was next level, but I knew I had to carry on. From the front, my fellow team members came past \u2013 each one giving a warm greeting, a big smile and amazing encouragement. They absolutely carried me through that second lap! I had to do it, I had to keep going for them. Again, coming around the final corner, half of my morning running squad was waiting for me, shouting encouragement, and…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1216,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[32],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1230","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-byu-world-team-championships"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/namibiaultratrails.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1230","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/namibiaultratrails.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/namibiaultratrails.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/namibiaultratrails.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/namibiaultratrails.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1230"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/namibiaultratrails.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1230\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1392,"href":"https:\/\/namibiaultratrails.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1230\/revisions\/1392"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/namibiaultratrails.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1216"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/namibiaultratrails.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1230"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/namibiaultratrails.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1230"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/namibiaultratrails.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1230"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}![\"\"](\"https:\/\/namibiaultratrails.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/IMG_4735-1024x683.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n