Lintloop Max

Few months back we moved to Vleuten and the first thing i had to search for, is a peaceful place to run. I fell in love with the "Lint" which is only few minutes walking from my house. It is a nice course of 8 km only dedicated to bikers runners and most importantly no cars!!

When I saw that that the first edition of the Lintloop "Lintloop max" will be held on November 13th I had to sign up without even thinking.... How can I not run the course that I run at least 3 times a week?

I signed up before I knew I was going to run BeirutMarathon. First week of November I run the Zilveren Turfloop that was planned long time ago. If Beirut Marathon is on 27/11 when do i get to run my long run? That was hard to decide... Since @RubenRent is running Beirut Marathon with me and he haven’t planned a race on that day so I thought maybe we could run 30k together.
The question is am I really willing to give up the "homeTown" race and just go run a 30k? The answer was No! Ruben and i after a lot of hesitation if we should run de 10EM of the 5EM have decided to run the 30k in 3 etapes.
Etapes1: 10km pace of 5'/km
Etapes2: 8km racing " 5EM of the LintLoop Max"
Etapes3: 12km pace of 5'/km
3 etapes 30km. Sounds crazy no?! We were excited and curious to see how we were going to handle those 30k.--> we also planned to run the 30k and be on time for the prize ceremony, not sure why ;)

On Sunday 13th of November, Ruben arrives at 9:15 at my place we get some coffee head to the start to pick up our startnumbers. In the parking someone recognized Ruben and I from @RunningRonald blog!!! This someone was "John" who was doubting if he runs de 8k or de 16k, one week after he runs a marathon. According to my experience i couldn't run a 5k after my marathon!!John ended up running the 16k and a PR!!
After John left somehow Ruben and i looked at each other and laughed thinking how cool "we are famous!" thank you Ronald :))

Around 10:00 we headed to etape1 of our journey. Running and talking time went fast! By the time we were back we already run 12K and not 10Kas planned!! Was that smart or not?
We get to the car change into our racing gear, went inside to see Ruud, Ronald and John. All week long, I knew Ronald will be there to run a fast 10Em. His best time was a 1:05:07 will he be able to improve that? A small chit chat at the tennis club next to the start and we headed to the start. All week long i have been asking Ruud if he will run the Lintloop. I am glad he made it and was amongst us at the start of the 5EM.


I wasn't as nervous as usually maybe because I never run an 8km and i didnt have a goal time. My only goal was to run fast and who knows maybe i can finish first!!
The start was amazing, it wasn’ t stuffed, it was relaxing, Ronald and John were there and took some nice pictures " thank you" .... Ruud, Ruben and I were up in the front. At 10:40 the race started. I only saw guys flying in front of me. It went fast the first 500m, 4 guys were ahead, Ruben and I were in a group the first km. After 2 km Ruben took off to catch up to the escaped guys and i tried to stay below 4'/km.No too much stress knowing that i was leading the ladies race. On and off i kept feeling in my legs the 12 km that we run earlier. In front of me I kept seeing Ruben flying and catching up to the guys who escaped the first km, last km as always give it all and i finished First in the ladies and 8th total out of 393 runners with a time of 31'45 avg pace 3:57. I couldn't ask for better knowing that this was my 20th km of the day!!! At the finish Ruben says he was second with a time of 29'59 that is 16km/h !!!Wow, he also did a podium after 20k!! Ruud was just after me with an amazing time of 32'14.

We didn't waste too much time, straight to the car, we changed one more time and we head to Etapes 3 which is now only 10k left.
We run the Lint backward cheering for the runners of the 10EM. People making jokes that we were running the other way around, we were running on endorphins laughing and just telling people Ruben is second and i am first and still 10k to go. It was a really fun ... We crossed Ronald 2 times on the lint cheering for him...we stopped at the water post which we didn't have time to stop while running the 8k :)
By the time we arrived back to the starting point, we saw Ronald flying the last meters at 20km/h.... He did it!!! PR for RR with a finish time 1:03:04 and 6th overall!! "Chapeau"!!

Last km of our journey was quiet, thinking that the next time we reach 30k it would be while racing the Beirut Marathon...

30k in the legs, sunny day and podium for Ruben and myself ... It couldn't have been a better day than this!!!

More fotos Copyright by John de Boer

Zilveren Turfloop a PR @10k

Did this really happen or I am dreaming!! A sub40 for the 10 km distance? Wait a second that is not a dream, It did really happen Final time 39’14 in Mijdrecht on Sunday 7^th of November. How did I do it and how it all started?

After my last 10 km race in Nieuwegein with @RunningRonald , he believed that there is much more in me and that I can easily run below the 40’. He promised to be my ’HAAS’, which is "pacer" in dutch and helps me to run a sub40 . The same evening on the TL he comes up with a race and a date the Zilveren turfloop in Mijdrecht. I didn’t expect he would be so serious but he was!!

I was excited about the idea and I was saying the whole time” Yeah Sub40!I can do it!! “ But then my thoughts and everything else was focused at the big day " My first marathon". After my first marathon experience my recovery was not what I would have liked it to be. I have blasted my leg muscle during the marathon …the first week I couldn’t almost run at all. As soon as I reach 5km the same muscle get tight and I couldn’t run anymore!! Is this serious? Is this happening to me. I emailed @Ilonka-hengel and asked her for advice! In the same day she reassured me that this is normal and just need to take it easy but not to stop moving.  Second week after the marathon I rested a lot and went biking instead. Biking or resting, my muscle was still hurting me. The 10k race was getting closer and closer and my leg was not getting any better.

One week before the sub40 race the pressure was getting high. My "haas" made sure that all his 1000 followers on twitter knew about this race!!! If you went on twitter one week before the race you would think some kind of bomb is going to explode the day of the race!! Everyone was on fire to run a PR.  @RunningMarcel and @RunningRepel  were also amongst the people who wanted so badly to run a PR. keyword on twitter " "Zilverentrufknal".

With all that happening how could I even think about not be able to make it!!The excitement and the pressure of sub40 is getting high. Usually I get all excited but knowing the pain in my leg I kept doubting if I am able to do it!! Yes I do have a pacer but what can he do for me? Run for me? What is a pacer?

Sunday morning, I arrive to Mijdrecht and see that Ronald is already there waiting for me. Inside the sporthal we met with Ruben @RunningMarcel…You would think in a normal race you have to sign up and put your start number and your chip yourself but not ME!!  I had a 5 *  treatment. Ronald didn’t let me do anything he took care of everything…at that moment I was still wondering if he is going to run in place of me. hihi Is that what a "haas" does? “ I got the best "haas”.

A small warm-up run with a little race tempo 3’58. It felt good, my leg felt good but quiet nervous… Few min before 11 am I stand on the start line between Ronald and Ruben. All I wanted is to start…1 AM the startgun fires and the race started

Km1: Together with Ronad and Ruben then Ruben took off to finish his 10k in 38’10 big PR!!
Km2 to km5: Solid run with a pace between 3’54 and 3’59 . Ronald at that point reassures me that we will get the sub40 if we keep going and that I am already the second lady!
Km6 and Km7: 2 km against the wind and my pace went above the 4’ and knowing me you would know that this cannot happen !!
km8 and km9: I had to give it all!! Despite the small pain in my leg my pace was 3’56 3’55 respectively
KM10 GIVE IT ALL!! Pace 3:41

Official finish time 39’14…. Yes I did!!! I also finished second in the ladies!This is more than what I expected! I am still amazed …

I love running because I can push myself everytime and run faster everytime. I am so thankful to Ronald, Ruben and others who believed in me!! I expect from my "haas" to take me to sub38 next time :)
The good news since that day I have no more pain in my leg....Journey to the Next big Race Beirut Marathon!