Ameland Adventure Run

Ameland HM Parcours

I am not sure how to fit this whole adventure weekend in one Blog! I had an awesome weekend in Ameland with 10 other runners in one house!
"The WellNess Farm"



Back in May, Silvia sent messages and emails around for the people who would like to go to Ameland the island. The deal is to leave on Friday Dec 14th share a house, on saturday run a HM or a 10 km or 5 km race then in the evening enjoy a night together and on Sunday head back home. Back in May I was injured but I wanted to have something to look forward to in the hope that in December my knee injury will be fixed and I will be able to run a HM. I signed up for the weekend away not knowing what to expect or not even knowing if I will be able to run a HM

The Ameland Club members are: Silvia, Ellemiek, Yvonne, Esther, Merit, Andrea, Harm, Marcel, Edwin, Ronald and myself.

Ameland is my 2nd Half marathon of the year since my injury and I didnt really have a big goal but deep in my heart I wanted to run just a little faster then 1:36 which was the time of the WeststrandWegRun. I was also not sure how my knee would react on the sand and in the forest with the hills.

2 weeks before Ameland my mailbox was exploding with messages about this weekend away. Who should do the shopping what we are going to cook and drink which restaurant we are going to , who is coming and who is not coming anymore, who is driving with who, where shall we meet, what time the boat leaves which car is going to the island, the costs and so on... Not only my mailbox was exploding but also my twitter account!!! Since I turned off the notification from my phone when I receive a tweet, there are days after not checking my twitter for couple days I get shocked to see over  50 mentions!!  Geez what am I missing here? All these tweets were about #AmelandHereWeCome and the fun weekend with the 11 of us! Not being very active on twitter I forgot how fun it is and I got back in the groove of enjoying to tweet again and talk to everyone who shares my passion: RUNNING!!

Everything went as planned. Esther drove 2 hours all the way from the south and spent the night at my place on thursday. We had dinner together and John dropped by we had a nice evening! On Friday morning after a nice breakfast I went with Esther to do the grocery shopping for 11 people before we hit the road to Holwerd and catch the boat to Ameland. Shopping was exciting! We had 2 full carts of groceries!!

Shopping for 11 Ameland travellers

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The boat was planned to leave at 13:30 and the plan was to meet with Ronald, Merit, Yvonne en Marcel who came all together in one car and also Edwin, Andrea and Harm who came with their own way of transportation. Ronald was going to take his car to the island so we had to put all our bags and groceries in his car.

Driving like a crazy Esther and me arrived barely on time to Holwerd where everyone beside Silvia and Ellemiek who were catching the later boat, were waiting for us....Thats how it went and that is how I saw it and the way I keep seeing it >>>>The moment Ronald and Co. saw my car pulling in the parking they started jumping waving screaming so I go fast and park my car next to Ronald's car and before I even open my door to say hello to everyone all doors of my car and trunck were open  the grocery and bags were out and when I stepped out of the car I look around and  my car was empty!! I was like what the hell!!! Honeslty that deserves a prize for the best team work!!! :-)

 Ronald went fast to place his car on the ship and  we headed  to the boat. A 20 min ride already laughing and having a good time and these were the signs of a great fun weekend ahead of us.

On the island  we started to walk toward the house waiting for Ronald to drop the grocery and pick us up. Andrea decided to run to the house!!  The wind was hard but we enjoyed couple km of walk in  in the City of " Nes" where I had to take a foto since most close people call me Nes for short ;)





Thats our house!! A beautiful house with 6 bedrooms, a swimming pool, a sauna.... We got installed almost every 2 of us shared a bedroom I was sharing a room with Esther. We waited for Silvia and Ellemiek to arrive. Ellemiek was also bringing her car to the island. Once they arrived we had a nice sushi snack that was delicious and Silvia cooked pasta for everyone later on.




I was so full from the sushi I had a salad later on and enjoyed couple glasses of wine with my meal. Then we all went to the swimming pool and sauna and didn't sleep till 1 or 2 am I dont even know anymore.... We laughed so much we talked we joked we had a fun evening, time flew away!! We were all relaxed since the race doesn't start till 14:00 next day so no stress of going early to bed.

I went to sleep later, I had a long pants, long sleeves pyjamas on and it was very warm in the bedroom and the bed was not the most comfortable one... I thought I will sleep till 10 am but unfortunately it didn't go as planned. I was sweating and I was full awake at 5 am. I had 3 hours of sleep!! I went downstairs to have coffee with Yvonne and Edwin.  For breakfast I had a small toast, I was nervous because my knee was a little sensitive from all the jumping in the swimming pool the night before and I wanted to run good!

We went 2 cars to the start to see the finish of the 5 km where Andrea finished 2nd and to catch the start of the 10 km where Yvonne, Ellemiek and Marcel were part of. Then Merit, Esther, Silvia, Ronald and I got ready for the HM. Ronald and I were starting in the first start slot since we are part of the professional runners. At the start I meet with @Hero who finished first of the men in his age group! Respect!!Ronald recognized other people he knew. Ronald his goal is to run his best and in worst case scenario he will wait for me...

Start took off and I stayed few meters behind Ronald, Km 1 went too fast for me at 4:09 but I felt good I thought well just do your best Nes! Up and down in the forest then a small down and then again a steep up and here I was running on the sand along a beautiful beach .. My knee felt ok I was also feeling strong ...Every km went by I checked my Garmin to see that I am running at average pace of 4'10 I was surprised that I am running at this pace but it felt good and I kept seeing Ronald few meters ahead of me... At the end of the sand a steep uphill on soft sand I run it fast and suddenly I felt obnoxious  I felt light headed as If I was empty... everything was gone...I had no more energy!!  I did not even reach km 9!! I stopped, I walked I Jogged slowly till the water post which was just after km 10. I had something to drink and a slice of orange...I felt more energized and started to run again and I put a positive attitude I said to myself " come on Nes you can do it at least it is not your knee that is hurting you and if you don't finish in a good time you would have made a good training from it!" By the time I arrived at km 13 I had a sharp pain in my belly and I couldn't go anymore. My tears started to run on my face I stopped I walked I run again and I couldn't.I thought I would wait for Silvia and we will run together.... While waiting I started to freeze of cold I tried to jog again but the belly pain was sharp like cramps!! This is it.... I would hate to say I gave up, I didn't !! My body was not cooperating!! A sweet lady saw me shivering and tearfully in pain. She offered me a ride back to the start...without words I sit next to her and I go to the start.... When I arrived I heard Ronald's name on the speaker he just crossed the finish line in 1:39... I walked toward him in disappointments!! I still had no words, he told me he waited for me few times, he also had a tough time on that course he was not feeling fit to run his best!! He was still smiling and happy! He tried to cheer me up and tried to make me laugh... I whatsapped Marcel if someone could come and pick me up from those who were already at house.

So sweet of Marcel in few minutes he was there and took me back to the house while Ronald was waiting for the rest to finish and give them a ride back. I was still sitting and over analysing what went wrong but now thinking about it, what went wrong it was a combination of mistakes. Very little sleep, not enough food, not enough water after the wine of the night before and most importantly I think of myself as if I am a super woman!! How on earth did I dare to start so fast? I have been running exactly 3 months since my injury and not on a specific training just on the go,  making my own training without guidance... what made me think that I can start at 4'10 and finish? Sometimes my ambition and self motivation make me forget the reality!! My body was not even close to handle such a speed, I need to train and train before I can race at that level!!
Well from this race I learned a lot. Honestly I am not running for time anymore ...the next few races are going to be just for the feeling.... Today my knee was not feeling 100% so this is a bigger reason  to run and build my fitness and slowly build up my speed... I am forgetting that for 9 months I almost didn't do anything!! Honestly what was I thinking??? We live and learn right?

Well after I showered and caught up with everyone my smile was back on my face and I was ready for an awesome evening. Everyone was happy with their results. Yvonne finished without pain, Esther run the whole HM on her vibram shoes, Marcel, Ellemiek, Silvia, Merit and Edwin did not push it but they were satisfied!

In the evening we headed to a restaurant and then we spent the night at the house talking laughing till 3:30 am. I laughed so hard with everyone else and especially the girls!

Next day we woke up slowly, Yvonne and Marcel wanted a ride with me, Esther left her car at my place, so Marcel after a very short night of sleeping he agreed to drive my car to Zaandam where we said goodbye and with Esther I headed back to my home to my boys whom I missed a lot!

Ameland is called an adventure run for a reason, that whole weekend was an adventure. Next time if I go to Ameland I will not focus on the race and most likely I will run a 5 km because being able to sleep on time and be fit in a house with 10 other people is not possible....They are way too much fun!!

Ameland Here I came and Here I will come again! 

Thank you Ameland Club for that wonderful weekend!!