The Brandberg Backyard Ultra

It is just after 4 am, a morning in the depth of winter in the heart of Damaraland. The handful of permanent inhabitants of the quaint little town of Uis at the foot of Lady Brandberg are fast asleep, but at Brandberg Rest Camp the supporters’ fires are still ablaze, the excitement is palpable. The two remaining competitors now have 19 laps of the course, some 127 km, to their credit. Will they battle it out to 24 laps?

Moments ago, exactly on the hour, the jingling of a cowbell sent two lone headlamps sauntering towards the Rest Camp’s exit. Both runners knew that beyond the threshold, apart from the gleam of the clear desert night sky, the small circle of light ahead of their feet would once again become the entire world within which they would exist for the next 40 or so minutes.

It is the first Backyard Ultra event in Namibia. The previous morning innkeeper Basil marked off the corral start of the race with spray paint for 23 intrepid distance runners. Now, after 19 hours, only two remain. Who will be the last one standing?

Since its start in the USA in 2016, Backyard Ultra has become a worldwide ultra-running phenomenon. It is an extremely simple concept, yet the pay-offs are manifold for participants and organisers alike. Runners complete laps of the same 6.7 km course, one lap every hour. Once a runner doesn’t make the starting line in time for the next lap, he/ she is disqualified. Until only one runner remains to claim victory. All other participants are woefully registered as DNF (did not finish).

Despite the moniker, a Backyard Ultra is for everyone who wants to challenge him/herself or just spend some time in nature along with fellow runners, without necessarily gunning for the win. Backyarders never leave without a new sense of self.

Riana Scholtz, race director and trail runner, says the gratification of relocating to picturesque Damaraland in 2015 nurtured their family’s desire to give back. Together they hosted the annual Brandberg Rhino Run and Ride for five years as a fundraiser for the Save the Rhino Trust Namibia (SRT). This year will see the second RMB Brandberg Backyard Ultra after the hugely successful inaugural event in 2022. The Backyard weekend at the end of July will again include an auction to raise funds and awareness for Namibian causes such as SRT, Ocean Conservation Namibia and Desert Lion Conservation. The organisers will also collect books to donate to libraries in the local Tsiseb Conservancy.

Forty minutes have passed and the usual sprinkling of diehards takes to the street to await the runners in a guard of honour. André’s tall, lean figure turns the corner first at his steady pace, fatigued but smiling. Another ten minutes. This is the slowest lap for running-machine Frans. Then, with a few minutes to spare to the full hour, he appears. Frans is aching and has made up his mind. This is enough.

It is 5:30 am. The past half an hour saw the race village explode in a feverish frenzy. Media teams, heavy-eyed but vigilant, are on standby, everyone wants to witness the final entrance of the last runner standing. Then, with Chariots of Fire celebrating the end of a long, cold night and the winner’s success, 50-year-old André Ross returns after completing a final solitary, now classical 40-minute-lap. André is the winner of the race, but every runner conquered at least one of his/her own personal demons.

Riana Scholtz

The 2023 event, again hosted by RMB Namibia, takes place on 29 July in Uis. For entering and more information visit www.NamibiaUltraTrails.com or Namibia Ultra Trails on social media.