RUNDER
RUNDER ELITE
BRETT FLORENS
Friend, father, husband. Ultra Runner, Entrepreneur, Professional Photographer, Nikon Ambassador.
Brett Florens is a South African runner, photographer, educator, and entrepreneur whose story is built on resilience, curiosity, and the belief that ordinary people can achieve extraordinary things. From discovering running during his time as a policeman in South Africa to completing 30 Comrades Marathons, more than 150 marathons, and inspiring runners across two continents, Brett has spent more than three decades learning the power of discipline and perseverance. His journey behind the camera has been equally remarkable—from accidentally becoming a photographer in 1992 to becoming a Nikon Ambassador, award-winning wedding photographer, author, and mentor to thousands of creatives around the world.
Today, through running, photography, and The Portrait Place in the Netherlands, Brett continues to do what has always driven him: creating meaningful connections, helping others believe in themselves, and leaving a positive legacy wherever his journey takes him.
“Whether it is running 90 kilometres from Durban to Pietermaritzburg, creating a portrait that becomes part of a family’s history, or helping another creative build their dream, Brett’s journey has always been about one thing: showing what is possible when you keep moving forward.”
Brett — it's Kyle. I call on the time this began. You came storming into our factory one afternoon needing biltong in a hurry for your 29th Comrades — and rather than grabbing some back home in South Africa, you wanted Runder in your kit. That was a feather in the Runder cap already, with you being a real SAFFA boytje!
Next thing I knew, you'd sat down in the middle of a meeting I was in and, through sheer charm, become part of it — like we'd known each other for years. We'd never met, but it honestly didn't feel that way. We agreed to link up properly once you were back from your trip, because we both knew there was more there to explore.
You've since become a genuinely unique and special mate of mine — so it's a real privilege to bring you on as a Runder Elite.
Brett, — first and foremost you are a runner at heart…how did you get into running in the first place? Take us to the start. What was going on in your life when you found running, what pulled you in, and what impact has it had on your life? Tell it however you want to tell it.
Firstly, Kyle, thank you so much for inviting me to become part of the Runder Elite family. I really appreciate it, and I have a lot of gratitude for the opportunity to share my story.
Hopefully, in sharing it, I can inspire other ordinary people to realise that they are capable of achieving things they might never have thought possible. Because although I know I have achieved a lot through running, when I look back at it, it doesn't feel extraordinary. It just feels like the result of making a decision, staying committed, and continuing to put one foot in front of the other.
When we met, there was an immediate connection. It honestly felt like we'd known each other for years. I think we both recognised something familiar in each other—the same approach to life, the same enthusiasm, and the same belief in enjoying the journey. I was immediately drawn to your energy and the way you approach everything: business, family, health, and relationships. Those are the kinds of people I love surrounding myself with.
So, where did running begin?
I was a policeman in 1990, and it all started during one of our police training camps in the Eastern Transvaal. The instructor, a sergeant, had decided he was going to test a few of us English boys from Durban. He put us through what we called opfok—a brutal type of physical and mental training designed to push you beyond your limits.
By the end of that six-week camp, I had lost around 15 kilograms, but more importantly, something had changed inside me.
A few of us started running after the training sessions. I still remember lacing up my running shoes in defiance, almost as a way of showing this Afrikaans sergeant that he hadn't broken us English boys from Durban.
We were tired, we were sore, and he had pushed us as hard as he could—but we weren't finished.
And somewhere in those runs, something clicked.
I discovered something incredibly freeing about running. It was simple. It didn't matter where you were, whether you were alone or with others, whether you had money or equipment. You just needed a pair of shoes and the willingness to start.
It gave me purpose. It cleared my mind. It made me feel alive.
Six months after returning from that camp, an opportunity came up to join the Police Reaction Unit, which was similar to a SWAT team within the Riot Unit. Part of the selection process involved training for the Comrades Marathon, and I saw it as the ultimate challenge.
I started training with the other candidates and ran my first Comrades in 1993.
I didn't make the Reaction Unit, but I gained something far more valuable—I discovered a passion that would shape the rest of my life.
After completing my first Down Run, I knew I had to come back and experience the Up Run. Many people start Comrades thinking they'll run it once, but the two routes are so different that they almost feel like two completely separate races. I wanted to understand that challenge.
In 1994, I ran my first Up Run.
But that period of my life was also a turning point in another way. At the time, I was drinking heavily, and I eventually had to admit to myself that I had a problem. I reached out for help through Alcoholics Anonymous, and the lessons I learned there—about discipline, humility, honesty, and taking life one day at a time—changed everything.
Looking back, I often say that I swapped one addiction for another.
I replaced alcohol and weed with ultra-distance running.
But running gave me something those things never could. It gave me purpose. It gave me discipline. It gave me incredible friendships and a way to challenge myself, not just physically but mentally and emotionally.
Running has been a constant companion throughout my life. It has taught me that the biggest battles are usually fought in your own mind, and that with enough determination, ordinary people can achieve extraordinary things.
The Comrades Chapters
The Comrades Marathon is an absolute enigma. It is unlike any other event in the world.
People often ask what keeps bringing me back year after year, and honestly, I think the answer is that Comrades gives you something that is very difficult to explain unless you've experienced it.
On Comrades Day, you go through every possible human emotion.
It can be the best day of your life. It can also be the hardest day of your life. There are moments when you feel like you could run forever, and moments where the pain is so intense that you genuinely wonder if you can take another step. It feels like it takes forever, and at the same time, it feels like it disappears in a moment.
You feel incredible happiness. You feel deep disappointment. You feel completely connected to everyone around you, and then there are moments where you don't want to speak to another human being ever again.
That is the magic of Comrades—it strips everything away and takes you through the full spectrum of what it means to be human.
What I have discovered over all these years is that Comrades has a way of answering questions you have been asking yourself for years, but often questions you didn't even realise you were asking.
There is something about enduring that distance, overcoming those challenges, and reaching that finish line that gives you a sense of purpose and belief in yourself.
And the beautiful thing about Comrades is that it doesn't matter who you are.
On that road, everyone is equal.
You can be unemployed, you can be a postman, a plumber, a doctor, a lawyer, or the CEO of a massive company. On Comrades Day, none of that matters. The only thing that matters is that you are there, sharing the same journey, chasing the same goal.
It is one of the greatest levelers in the world.
And while the finish line is an incredible moment, I believe so much of the magic happens before race day. It happens in the months of preparation, the early morning long runs with your mates, the conversations, the sacrifices, the excitement, and the anticipation building towards that one special day.
The friendships created through Comrades are some of the strongest friendships you will ever have because they are built through shared suffering, shared dreams, and shared experiences.
I keep coming back because every single Comrades teaches me something new about myself. Every race reveals a different side of who I am and reminds me that there is always more to discover.
Now that I live in the Netherlands, I've also found myself becoming an ambassador for this incredible race. Some people might say I'm inspiring my Dutch friends to run Comrades. Others might say I'm slightly bullying them into experiencing it!
But I want them to understand the magic of this event. I want them to experience what happens when thousands of people from completely different backgrounds come together with one common goal.
Because Comrades is not just a race.
It is a celebration of South Africa. It brings out the very best in our people and shows the world what is possible when humanity comes together with a shared purpose.
The long-run in mind.
From the fairly short time I’ve known you, and the conversations I’ve been caught in-between amongst you and your mates while running, you've clearly been a mentor-type model to many, myself included. Maybe you don’t know that but it’s the truth). When a run turns dark and the legs are gone, what's the voice in your head saying — and what would you tell a runner grinding through their first ultra?
Ultra-distance running has taught me many things, but the biggest lesson has probably been patience. The one thing I have learned over thousands of kilometres is this: this too shall pass. And that applies to everything—not just the difficult moments, but also the good ones.
When you're having an amazing patch during an ultra, when your legs feel strong and everything feels effortless, enjoy it, but understand that it can change at any moment. The same applies when you're going through a dark patch, when your legs are heavy, your body is struggling, and your mind is telling you that you can't continue.
Be patient.
That moment will pass too.
A marathon or a half marathon is a very different experience. For me, those races are over relatively quickly. But in an ultra marathon, especially something like Comrades, you experience so many different stages. You can be feeling great one moment and then suddenly you're dealing with cramps, dehydration, difficult climbs, tiredness, or doubt.
Those moments are where the real lessons are learned.
When I'm running Comrades and I see a novice runner struggling with 30 kilometres still to go, I often remind them to be patient. I tell them, "Just keep moving forward. This moment you're in right now will not last forever."
The key is learning to stay in the moment and deal with the problem in front of you.
If the problem is dehydration, fix it. Drink. If your body is struggling, listen to it. If you are tired, break the challenge down into smaller pieces. Don't worry about the finish line when you are struggling at kilometre 60. Just focus on the next step, the next water point, the next small goal.
Ultra running has also taught me the importance of being proactive.
You don't wait until you're completely dehydrated before you drink. You prepare before the problem arrives. The same applies to training. You need to respect the distance and put in the work beforehand.
I've had races where I wasn't as well prepared as I should have been, and those races were much harder. But I understood why. The race was simply reflecting the preparation I had put into it.
The more you invest before race day, the more enjoyable the experience becomes.
And I think that's true in life as well.
The work you put in today creates the opportunities you enjoy tomorrow. It is about delayed gratification—being willing to make sacrifices now so that you can experience greater rewards later.
So if I could give one piece of advice to someone running their first ultra, it would simply be this:
Be patient.
Trust your preparation. Stay present. Keep moving forward. Because no matter how good or how bad the moment feels, this too shall pass.
Through the lense.
When I look back at my career, the thing I am most proud of is not necessarily the awards I've won or the incredible weddings I've had the privilege of photographing around the world. My greatest sense of achievement comes from helping other creative people succeed. Being able to teach photographers and videographers how to build profitable, sustainable businesses, and seeing them take those principles and create a better life for themselves, is what gives me the most satisfaction. The funny thing is, I never actually planned to become a photographer.
It happened completely by accident. I was a policeman in 1992, and one day we were standing on parade when they needed someone to take photographs. The captain looked at me and said, "Florens, you're the photographer."
And that was my introduction to photography. I started using that opportunity to create photographs and sell them to the press. That little side hustle grew, and eventually I earned enough money to buy my own equipment and make the leap from the police force into photography full time. When I think about it now, it's quite funny. If they needed a chef that day, I might have become a chef. If they needed a mechanic, I might have become a mechanic.
They needed a photographer, and somehow, that became my life.
But what I did have was an ability to hustle. I understood business, I understood creating opportunities, and I understood that if you wanted something, you had to go out and make it happen.
I have enormous respect for people who are naturally creative. I sometimes joke that I am envious of those people because creativity seems to flow effortlessly from them.
But one of the challenges many naturally creative people face is that they become emotionally attached to their work. When your work is such a big part of who you are, it can become difficult to separate the creative passion from the business decisions required to build a sustainable career—pricing, charging what you're worth, and making decisions that allow your business to grow.
That is where I feel I have been able to make a real difference.
Through my workshops, training, and mentoring, I have helped many photographers and creative entrepreneurs understand that creativity and business have to work together.
I've seen photographers take the principles I've taught, implement them into their own businesses, and create success in an incredibly competitive industry.
That is probably my proudest achievement.
With regards to running, I think the connection is not necessarily that ultra-running made me a better photographer. The connection is more about the mindset.
Running has taught me discipline, consistency, patience, and the ability to keep moving forward when things become difficult.
Those same principles have carried me through my career. Whether it's running 90 kilometres from Durban to Pietermaritzburg or building a photography business from scratch, the lesson is the same: You need a vision, you need discipline, and you need to keep showing up.
The Portrait Place
You've just opened The Portrait Place in Bilthoven and I’m looking forward to brining my family there soon for a family shoot. Tell us what you're building there and the idea behind it — you've said good portraits don't begin with a camera but with trust. Who is it for, and what should someone expect when they walk in?
I've been a photographer since 1992, and what I love most about photographing people is the connection.
Photography has given me the ability to meet people, often complete strangers, and within a short space of time create an environment where they feel comfortable, relaxed, and able to show who they really are.
The greatest privilege of my career has been knowing that I have created something that brings joy to people—not just in the moment, but for years and even generations to come.
There is something incredibly special about creating a family portrait that becomes part of someone's history. Knowing that long after I'm gone, something I created can still bring happiness, memories, and connection to people is a very powerful feeling.
In many ways, that is the complete opposite of where I came from.
Before I gave up drinking, I often woke up not knowing exactly what version of myself people had experienced the night before. Had I upset someone? Had I said something I regretted? Had I disappointed people or hurt someone emotionally?
Changing that part of my life became about much more than stopping drinking. It was about becoming someone who could bring positivity, kindness, and inspiration into the lives of others.
Today, when people think of me, I hope they think of someone who added something positive to their lives.
And that philosophy is exactly what I bring into The Portrait Place in Bilthoven.
I'm not just there to create beautiful photographs. The photograph is only one part of the experience. I want people to walk away feeling that they had a wonderful time together—that they laughed, connected, and created memories during the process.
Whether it is a family, a couple, an individual, or a business portrait, my goal is to create an experience where people feel valued and seen.
Because years later, when they look at those images hanging on their walls, I want them to feel the same emotions they felt on the day we created them: happiness, love, connection, and pride.
Go to The Portrait Place for a really unique photo experience. Trust me. Reach out to Brett.
Fuelling the distance
When I first started running, I was in my early twenties, and if I'm completely honest, nutrition wasn't something I gave much thought to.
My carbohydrate source of choice for the first couple of years was probably Carling Black Label!
Back then, I was young, I was running, and I didn't really understand the importance of nutrition. But as the years have gone by, I've become much more aware of how what you put into your body affects your performance, recovery, and longevity.
Having said that, one of the reasons I run is because I love food!
I love good food. I love chocolate. I love cheese. And being South African, I obviously love a good braai and a proper piece of biltong. The challenge is that some of those things are a little easier to enjoy than they are to burn off!
So, over the years, I've learned to find a balance.
Leading up to Comrades, especially during the heavy training months, I pay more attention to my nutrition. I believe that the lighter you are, the less weight you have to carry over 90 kilometres. Every kilogram matters when you're climbing those hills late in the race.
During that four-to-five-month build-up, I generally increase my protein intake and reduce my carbohydrates slightly. This is where biltong fits in perfectly. It is a fantastic source of protein, it's convenient, and as a South African, it feels like home.
I also use protein shakes, especially after longer training sessions, to help with recovery. On race day, however, the approach changes depending on the distance.
For shorter races or qualifying races where you're running at a higher intensity, carbohydrates are incredibly important. That is where I use high-carbohydrate gels to make sure I have enough quick energy available.
But Comrades is different.
When you're out there for nine or ten hours, running at a much lower intensity, your body is using different energy systems. You're not just relying on carbohydrates—you are also using fat stores, and you need to think about keeping yourself fuelled for a very long period of time.
The other challenge during a long race is simply staying comfortable. After many hours, you don't just need energy—you need something that feels like real food.
And that is where biltong comes into my Comrades strategy.
It gives me protein, it gives me something savoury, and sometimes mentally, it is exactly what you need when another gel is the last thing you want to see!
Recovery is also a big part of nutrition. After a long, slow-distance run, I focus on replenishing my body with protein—whether that's biltong, a good braai, or a protein shake. After shorter, harder efforts, carbohydrates become more important to replace what has been used.
I think nutrition becomes increasingly important the more seriously you take your running. If you're a social runner, you can get away with a lot more. But if you want to maximise your performance, improve your recovery, and continue running for many years, then nutrition becomes just as important as the training itself. At the end of the day, running has allowed me to enjoy the food I love—but it has also taught me to respect the fuel that allows me to keep going.
What's next?
When it comes to running, the obvious answer is that I would love to continue collecting more Comrades medals. I'm currently on 30 Comrades finishes, and I will keep going for as long as I still enjoy it. For me, that's the most important thing.
I'm not chasing numbers just for the sake of numbers. I'm chasing the ability to keep running for as long as possible throughout my life.
Of course, there are still some goals that excite me. One of those is completing the Six World Marathon Majors and earning my six-star medal.
I've already completed New York, Chicago, London, and Berlin, and the two remaining challenges are Boston and Tokyo. I qualified for Boston and will be running it in April 2027, and Tokyo will complete the journey. Those are exciting milestones because they allow me to experience different cultures, different cities, and different running communities around the world.
But ultimately, the biggest goal is not a medal or a number.
The biggest goal is to still be able to lace up my shoes, go for a run, and enjoy the feeling that running has given me for more than 34 years.
Running has been such a huge part of my identity, my friendships, my health, and my mindset. I don't want to stop because I've reached a certain number—I want to continue because I still love it. As long as running continues to bring me joy, I'll keep showing up.
Your Runder Favourites
I have to say, I love biltong in pretty much every form. It is such a South African staple, and for me it brings back that feeling of home.
If I had to choose favourites, I do enjoy the spicy options. There is something about a bit of heat that makes biltong even better. Although, on race day, spicy biltong is probably not the smartest choice!
When it comes to flavours, I'm actually quite boring. I tend to stick with the original, or sometimes the spicy versions. I like the traditional taste of good-quality biltong.
One of my absolute favourite Runder products, though, is the biltong powder.
I think it is such an underrated product. I use it almost like a spice in my cooking. It is fantastic on omelettes, mixed into cream cheese, sprinkled over a salad, or added to different dishes to give them that extra depth of flavour.
There are so many ways you can use it, and it is something I genuinely enjoy having in the kitchen.
For me, Runder is not just about having biltong as a snack during a run. It is about having a taste of South Africa with me wherever I am—and now living in the Netherlands, that connection to home is something I really appreciate.
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