Hang On Run 2023! My home race! I was really looking forward to it with the clear goal of winning the LSR (Long Survival Run), but the preparations didn’t go as planned..
Preparations
The week before Hang On Run, the long survival run in Adegem was on the schedule. A race known for its challenging obstacles. The last time I participated, the race was canceled halfway due to stormy conditions. This year was supposed to be the rematch. Unfortunately, the race didn’t go entirely according to plan as I blew my forearms up on a technical climbing section, leading me to decide to withdraw. Right after the race, I immediately felt incredibly tired and unwell. The next day revealed why—I had caught a flu.
To Start or Not to start
After being sick for 2 days, I started feeling a bit better on Friday. But yes, the LSR at Hang On is 20 kilometers with 122 obstacles. Not the type of run you do when you’re not entirely fit. So, I decided to take it easy on Saturday as well and make the final decision at the end of the day. This preparation reminded me of the OCR European Championships in Italy in 2022. The week before that championship, I unexpectedly fell ill. After trying all possible remedies, I decided to start anyway. I changed my mind set and ended up winning the short course. Sometimes, you can perform well even when you’re not feeling your best.
After supporting a bit on the bike on Saturday, I did a test run in the evening. My legs felt okay, and I regained some more breath. I decided to start and play my cards as best as I could with the hand I was dealt.
Race day
On race days, I have my routine: when I wake up, what I eat for breakfast, when I have my coffee, and finally, how my warm-up goes. I follow these steps and head towards the start. This gives me the peace of mind to start the race well. Today’s race plan is simple: start easy and see how it goes. I intend to pick up the pace on the obstacle blocks, but do not want to force anything. The race is long enough, and anything can happen.
The starting signal goes off, and we vanish into the woods. The first part consists of short obstacles and a sandbag run through the woods. Everything here is familiar terrain; I know every hill, turn, and sandy area. Still, I enjoy these surroundings. What luck that we can train and race here! For many runners, the sandbag loop in this part is challenging, not just because of the distance (700m) but also because you have to lift the sandbag multiple times to tackle an obstacle. Meanwhile, Tom and I break away from the group and continue through the course together. We push each other on nicely.

Swing-Overs
After this part, the real climbing work begins—the long series of obstacles on our training ground that I am so familiar with. 2 lanes of 15 obstacles (mostly swing-over variations) interrupted by a run carrying a car tire. I pick up the pace and manage to build a nice lead. The goal of the race now is to maintain this lead. After a few combinations, my lead becomes increasingly clear. I wonder why I was so concerned about whether to start or not; apart from a bit of sniffles, things are going pretty well.
Feeling Worse
Just before the infamous obstacle block around the lake, I suddenly start feeling unwell—I have little energy and feel weak. All the obstacles are costing me too much energy, and while running, I feel like I’m not making any progress. I realize that this is probably due to the flu—not that I feel sick, but I had eaten very little in the past few days. Probably, the carbohydrate reserves in my body weren’t replenished, and I was now at my limit. Thankfully, I have a lead and take the time to have gels and some sports drink.

During the second round, I tread more cautiously. I don’t feel entirely at my best, so I ease off. I’m somewhat worried for the obstacles, but I manage to tackle them using technique. There’s a small mistake on the combination obstacle. My arms are pumped, and I fall off the short ropes. I retry and complete the rest of the course. I cross the finish line and look at my time: 2:08:18, a fine time on such a tough course and with a significant lead on the others. Teammate Maarten Heerkens finishes 2nd in his very first(!) LSR, and Thom van Cappellen finishes 3rd.
Now onto the Survivalrun in Beltrum. This is THE classic in the Survivalrun world—how much I’d like to win this one someday…
Mooi om te lezen !