Hyrox Pro JHB (the saga of the extra laps)

HYROX JHB report back.

I was nervous — properly nervous. The kind of nervous where your legs shake like you’re giving a presentation… even when you’ve tried picturing everyone naked.That’s called sympathetic overload. It’s a real physiological phenomenon. It’s human.

And yes, it can be managed… just apparently not by me today ( although I do know how...just saying). I knew how much was riding on this race:

Maybe my last shot at qualifying for World Champs in June 2026.

Planning the next 6 months.

Proving that age is just a number.

Showing that my previous achilles tear injury (and the 5 months lay-off) wasn't a dead end.

But pressure does interesting things to a human brain.

On the very first 1km… I ran an extra lap. Not because I wasn’t focused. But because my brain overloaded and hit the “buffering” icon.

I realised the mistake on the SkiErg. I tried to stay calm. I tried to catch up sensibly.

And I DID catch up — because I’m stubborn like that.

And then after the burpee broad jumps…I did it again, 'ala' Britney Spears.

No, not another burpee. I had already done about 60 of those f@**ers.

I ran another extra lap.

Because apparently I do HYROX Plus, not just Pro. And it was Black Friday weekend and it was free. Not because I’m stupid — though I FELT stupid. Not because I didn’t prepare.

But because I wanted this race so badly that my nervous system switched to survival mode, not counting mode. It’s called a brain fart. A highly technical term.

By the time I got to wall balls, my heart was broken. I felt foolish.Embarrassed. Like an imposter. Here I am telling women how to train, prepare, visualise, master your mind…

And I’m out here running laps with a shopping trolley.

But I still fought.

And I finished second — not far behind. But I didn't qualify for World Champs. Congratulations to the winner. I am sure that she was nervous too. It's an environment with flashing lights and loud music. She bought her mental A game.

Yes, I know that it’s only the 55–59 age group. No big deal. But older women do still have dreams, goals, lungs, legs and a competitive spirit. And it's important for me to show other women that ageing (although not always pleasant) is not a death sentence.

So no — today wasn’t perfect.

I made mistakes.

I doubted myself.

I felt embarrassed.

I probably peed in my pants.

But here’s what I KNOW — and what I want every woman to know:

Strength isn’t flawless execution.

Strength is resilience.

Strength is showing up even when your legs are shaking. And no one is naked. Or the wrong people are naked.

Strength is carrying on with a broken heart and a bruised ego.

Strength is facing the parts you don’t want to see — and getting up anyway.

I am only human. I have verified this fact with my mother. She did indeed give birth to me. I was cold, hungry, crying, and very needy. So nothing has changed. We are all human. Even the people born in Benoni (like me).

Today reminded me that being human is part of being powerful.

I didn’t qualify today. But I didn’t fail today. I learned. I grew.

And I will be back.

beING real.

beING relentless.

beING human.

Onwards! Een, twee, drie, ses, nege.

Thank you Hyrox! It's frikken hard. I love it.

Gutted

Wall balls. The devil.