Belgium may be a small country, but once again, it showed the world the strength of its endurance athletes. Merijn Geerts, Ivo Steyaert, and Frank Gielen decided to stop together after 110 yards, sharing a new world record and leading Team Belgium to a resounding victory in the 2024 Backyard Ultra Team World Championships.

Daniel Westergren spoke with them 35 hours after they finished. Together, they discuss the power of teamwork, the secrets behind Belgium's success, future plans, and much more.

Photo: Caroline Dupont

00:00 Introduction to the Belgian Backyard Ultra Champions

02:11 Post-Race Reflections and Recovery

03:51 Frank Gielen Joins the Team

05:52 Secrets to Belgian Success

09:46 Team Dynamics and Training

20:28 The Importance of Crew Support

22:23 Breaking World Records and Team Achievements

28:09 Pushing Beyond Limits: The Final Hours

30:18 Running Together vs. Running Alone

30:39 Adapting to Different Running Partners

31:14 The Final Hours and Team Dynamics

33:14 Deciding to Stop at 110 Laps

34:55 Reflecting on the Team's Decision

36:54 Celebrating the Victory

39:20 Anecdotes from the Race

41:36 The Appeal of Multi-Day Races

43:40 Lessons Learned from Ultra Running

46:48 Comparing Backyard Ultra to Six-Day Races

52:27 Future of Backyard Ultra Records

58:12 Pressure to Perform at Big's Backyard Ultra

59:42 Concluding Thoughts and Inspirations