Karel, you’ve become a household name in the world of ultrarunning. But before all the records and accolades, who was Karel Sabbe? What shaped the man we see today?
 

I was a young Belgian who, over the years, became passionate about adventure (in the widest sense of the word). Many adventures shaped me to become the Karel Sabbe everyone knows now. It probably all started with a trip to Israel (that at the time was at war with Lebanon) as a 16-year-old, which was at the time an eye-opening experience to learn about other cultures but also already get to see that Belgium was a safe and quiet place to grow up – but that the world, in general, was more complex (and more interesting and adventurous). 

 

That was followed by many adventurous hikes: GR20 in Corsica, Pyrenean High Route, Alta Via 2, … I really got into long-distance hiking during my years at university (adventures would be my No 1 reason to pass all my exams in one go). 3 months of holiday every year gave me the opportunity to work a bit at first but then go on extended hikes and adventures. 

One of these summers I volunteered in some national parks in the United States, building and maintaining trails. Another summer I decided to hitchhike the European Route E40 (Calais to Kazakhstan) through Uzbekistan, Ukraine, and Russia, … this friend is now the crew leader for the New Zealand record attempt – so we go way back.

Was running always a part of your life, or was there a specific moment or experience that sparked your journey into ultrarunning?
 

Sport was always a part, running not so much. I used to play football and tennis. Over the years I stopped playing tennis and then as I got to university my level of football quickly lowered. By the time I graduated, I played at a very low, regional level and I asked myself the question: do I carry on with this and twist/injure my knees like many colleagues were doing at the time, or do I start a different sport? The sport was preferably individual as my life started getting busy as a dentist – so running was perfect! 

As I started run-commuting (10KM), I realized I had a hard time getting tired. So then I decided to start ultra running.

You balance a career as a dentist with pushing your physical and mental limits. How do these two worlds influence each other?

Being a dentist makes me a better runner and being a runner makes me a better dentist. I am naturally a very energetic person, so running a lot makes me more relaxed (and better) as a dentist. I’m a better runner because I have to be very concentrated as a dentist. It’s always so much fun to go out for a run then, and when something is fun you are often good at it. 

 

I am just a very curious person. At the time, back in 2016, I just desperately wanted to hike the Pacific Crest Trail. I did not have the time to hike it, so I ran it. It was a life-changing experience. While I still like hiking as much as I like (ultra)running, I am now young and have friends who can support me in setting records and exploring limits, which is very fun and rewarding at the moment. It doesn’t all have to be about records, though. I’ll happily retire one day from ultra running, and I’ll be a very happy long (or even short) distance hiker. I just want to be out there and live adventures. 

I am forever grateful for the fact that I can run and participate in these amazing events. They are, even though sometimes multi-day or week, still short. So I just try to enjoy my good and difficult moments when I’m out there, it’s too short to start complaining about the pain or the sleep deprivation. I’ve learned that that side of ultra running offers interesting insights and often comes as a refreshing breath of fresh air in my life – to be out there in difficult conditions and having to rely on my own mind and body. I take pride and strength from that.

What’s the toughest challenge you’ve faced on the trails? Was there ever a moment when you questioned why you do this?

For sure, my toughest challenge was the last 30 days on the first Pacific Crest Trail. That was 30 days of pain and sleep deprivation. I never even got close to this kind of suffering since then. 

Your achievements are incredible: completing the Barkley Marathons, winning Big’s Backyard Ultra, and setting trail records. Which of these stands out most to you, and why?
 

For me, the long-distance hiking trails will always stand out the most. They’re a team effort – they are who I am: a passionate nature and adventure lover. The scenery is so beautiful, the experience so wild, the experience so deep that I keep coming back to these kinds of adventures. Sunrises, sunsets, and wildlife encounters, … all make these amazing adventures.  For sure, finishing the Barkley was something unique, but it was more of a mental challenge. The long-distance world records define more what I do and feel as an ultrarunner. 

Ultra running teaches me every time that life is way simpler than what you think it is after a long enough period in “society”. We all have busy lives; we start thinking things at work, traffic jams, invoices to pay, financial stress, etc., are important and unconformable. But then you go out on an ultra adventure, and you realise that not much more is needed than food – sleep – water – and some time in nature. I always come back refreshed and rejuvenated (but tired). 

The Barkley taught me not to “fight” difficult moments in life. You just have to accept them, know that things will get better after some time, and just try to keep a neutral or positive attitude towards difficulties and challenges.

Many of your races involve extreme solitude. How do you manage the mental and emotional challenges of being alone on these gruelling trails? 

99.9% of the time, I am not alone (in life), so I just enjoy every bit of the 0.1% that I’m spending alone, especially when I’m spending time alone out on trails. Sometimes, I have difficult moments, but they make me stronger. 

 

For me, my career started in New Zealand, as firstly I took a sabbatical there after graduating from university (I spent 6 months in New Zealand hiking hundreds of kilometres). 

Then I got into ultra-running and adventure running, thereby participating in the Coast to Coast 2 years later. It was time to go back to that place where it all started and with which I fell in love. The nature, the people, … Running the length of it just sounds like an amazing adventure.

New Zealand’s landscapes are as beautiful as they are diverse. How are you preparing for the variety of terrains and weather conditions you’ll face?

Partly with the right gear (shoes, rain gear, socks, nutrition, etc.), partly just being VERY excited for an adventure. An adventure means that unexpected things will happen, and that is something to look forward to and react to. So I’ll run fast when I can, and I’ll go slow when I have to. All the time, enjoying the experience. 

I heavily rely on my crew for this. Nutrition-wise, for instance, this begins with my friends who run with me at times starting to say: shouldn’t you be eating something now? To (after two weeks of running when I can’t think about food anymore): Karel, it’s time to eat this. (and they unwrap it already for me). I will try to eat and drink as much as possible and combine this with as much sleep as possible. The sleep part I try to ‘earn’ by not lingering throughout the day. I move forward as soon as I wake up, and I don’t waste time until I go to sleep. 

 

That we come from nature and we have to keep our connection with it. Through hiking, running, kayaking, camping, etc. we can gain so many insights from that and come back to ‘society” more positively.

Do you see ultrarunning as a personal journey, or do you also feel a responsibility to represent something larger?

It is partly a personal journey; it has given me so much over the years, but it’s also representing something larger: we are a small species on a beautiful planet, and our species is capable of doing such amazing things if we work together and if we stick to our roots.

Is there still a BHAG – a big hairy audacious goal…? And, do you already have your sights set on another big adventure, or do you keep that to yourself? 

There are definitely some BHAGs in my mind. But for now, I will keep them to myself 😊.

 

Freedom, and an open mind.
 
For someone just starting their journey in running or chasing a big dream, what advice would you give them?

Take it easy – follow where your passion and mind take you. Don’t force things upon yourself, if you want something and it feels great, then go for it – but you should feel passionate about it.
 

-- Karel Sabbe