You might know nothing about the world of Back Yard Ultras but this has genuinely been a story that I was both gripped by and deeply inspired by.
From the outside looking in – watching paint dry or grass grow might be more exciting. My colleague even suggested marble racing might spike the heart a bit more.
The streams were quiet for around 55 minutes of the hour and you would get a flurry of activity around the end and beginning of an hour. For 5 days I watched this at home, on my phone and at work.
A Back Yard Ultra is run at 6.7km every hour on the hour. You can go with any strategy you want – run fast, get more rest, run slow and just find that rhythm.
There is an art to it – one I think you can only develop through doing it.
In the world of Ultra Endurance events, BYU’s have started to pick up a bit of popularity – crazy I know.
It is a purely amateur sport – where athletes at best might get support from brands but no one would make a living from doing this.
To put it into context – I have officially only ever ran 15 laps in this format, and i’ve covered of 20 laps doing a similar format but not having to go on the hour.
These athletes ran for 124 hours. 824km.
Let that sink in.
5 full days.
Sleeping for no more than maximum 10 minutes on an hour if they could squeeze it in amongst all the other logistics that go on.
Scotland to Amsterdam as the crow flies is less. You could maybe just about complete the NC500 loop.
They have to change kit, eat, toilet break, rest, get massaged and these two were even doing interviews by the end.
It is insane what they achieved.
The thing that has stuck out the most though is how understated these two are.
There are some big personalities in the world of BYU and these two have – on multiple occasions – pushed the boundaries, being some of the first guys to break 100 laps, breaking the record previously and now, doing it again.
For around 100 of the laps they ran together.
In the past they have also run together.
In one of the previous races, in his deliriam Ivo got lost in the woods and Merijn went back to find him.
They also decided to finish together when they previously won a race.
I have been reading, and now re reading, a book called Inner Excellence – and it talks about leading with Love, Courage and Wisdom.
These two embodied love.
They aren’t fierce competitors out to smash and destroy – they brought out the best in each other by choosing to do it in love and really got to meet themselves through doing it together.
It is honestly one of the coolest stories I have followed in a while and inspires me to choose love as my default.
It reminds me that the whole point is to have people along for the ride and not push them away.
These two finished the race looking fresh – they hugged there wives and had a group hug.
These two are GOAT status – no question asked – but the way in which they do it is on another level.
Yes you can heal all you want by yourself – but getting to do it together and push each other on with love and true support at the back bone to get the opportunity to push yourself is beautiful.
One more lap is an ethos of BYU and i think it is something that could be taken into our world. Just focus on the thing in front of you – you probably can deal with it.
I released my book and its available for purchase.
It does touch on these ideas but as I’m developing as a person it maybe doesn’t go deep enough on the power of love.
It is somethig I want to explore and choose in my own life and use it for all the greatness it can offer – like breaking world records and doing it with joy in abudence.
