Afsluitdijkrun, Beirut HM and Marathon

The Afsluitdijk is a major Dam in the Netherlands, constructed between 1927 and 1933 and running from Den Oever in North Holland province, to the village of Zurich in Friesland province, over a length of 32 kilometres (20 mi) and a width of 90 m, at an initial height of 7.25 m above sea-level.
Afsluitdijkrun took place om March 10th after a successful edition 1 in 2012. A 30km run from Den Oever to Zurich. A perfect training for the Boston marathon. The week before I had pain in my calves and it resulted in a sensitive knee. The whole week I was wondering if I am going to manage to finish the 30 k on Sunday.

I picked  Marcel and Christine up from Marcel' s house in Zaandam and drove to Zurich. Marcel was injured and didn't run but stood on the side of the road to take some pictures. Christine wanted to run it as a training for 'Marathon de Paris'.
The day of the 30k the weather was better than the predicted forecast but the wind was very hard. I wanted to run at 5' the km and I wasn't sure with these circumstances if it was possible and especially with the doubts of being able to finish without any pain!

Ready to sprint the 30 km ;) against the wind with Rene and Christine

20 van Alphen

I have been training for 2 good months since my knee injury,  training has been going well, it has became part of my daily life. My knee has been doing much better but not 100% !! After my ski vacation and the 30k in the dunes my knee started to feel sensitive. With some good care my knee is being under control but it can be unpredictable!! Since I enjoy racing so much I thought why not give it a shot and run the 20k of Alphen aan den Rijn?
This is my first 20k race ever, so this is an automatic PR :-) @runningRonald is part of the organisation/coordination of the business Run, he has been so busy preparing for that day!!
When I signed up for a race, I received my start number at home with a sweet message from Ronald. Thank you RR!!

On Sunday March 3rd, the day of the race after a nice breakfast with my boys, they dropped me in Alphen around 12:00. The start of the race was not until 13:30. I walked toward the business center after reading Ronald post. He invited bloggers/twitters to use the business lounge facility and get to meet and greet other running mates. I also got to meet his sweet wife Miranda who has also been working hard to make this event a success!
The business center is a real fancy lounge. It was very nice, not too crowded and enough places for everyone!!

Thank you again for letting us relax in the business center :-)

TwitRun in the dunes

I always ask myself why do I love running so much? Is it only because of the feeling you get once you finished a run? The answer is No... not only that.... It is true that running by yourself after a hectic day at work brings peace to your inner soul....That quality time with yourself is just so powerful, you are the boss of yourself, you choose to go slow or go fast, to push yourself above your limits...This is YOU time....

Running is also a social event, where you get to know people talk about the same interest with lots of passion while being out there in the nature and that is also part of why I love running!
Around Christmas I joined for the first time a TwitRun organised by Martin (@MartinVNoort) in the dunes of Heemskerk. I enjoyed so much running out there in the nature and on the side of the beach, I was already eager to join again. Few messages on twitter and the date was set for February 24th.

Since I am not the only person who love running in the dunes, more people wanted to join but everyone had a goal or certain kms to reach. Martin thought of dividing the long run in 3 groups:
- Group 1 starting at 9 am who will run a 10 km
- Group 2 will join group1 at 10 am for a 7 km
- Group 3 will join both groups for a 14 km run
This puts group2 at about 21 kms and group1 at a total of 31 kms and this is the group that I was part of along with Christine (@ChristineTanguy) my running friend that I met while training for my first Marathon during the Phanos training session in Amsterdam and she is currently preparing for "Marathon de Paris", Ron(@RonDaalHuizen) and Martin both are in training for Rotterdam Marathon.


After I picked up Christine, we arrived at Martin's house just on time. We left all 4 of us towards the dunes, after couple of kms we were already in the country side, no one was out there beside few bikers now and then. It felt as if we were in the middle of nowhere, no sounds beside our whispers and the sound of our feet pounding the ground. A cold breeze and some wind which faded out when we were running between the trees. It is so peaceful that you can get lost in the nature. Few hills up and few hills down, the uneven road makes it harder than running on asphalt but it can only make you stronger. I definitely felt my legs and my knee while running but the nice company and the view made me forget my current state. Out of nowhere I saw a nice restaurant and made me think that in the summer would be great to run again here in the dunes of Heemskerk and then have lunch with our families afterward. I think PeuterD would love to run around and Martin said the food is yummy! :)

Switching between Dutch, French and English, the first hour went by so fast and then we arrived to the parking lot where group 2 (@runningMarcel, @bleeker, @RobHoogeboom and Edwin) was waiting for us to join for a 20 km run. So thoughtful of them they provided us with bananas and water. A small break and we hit the road again for a 45 min run before group 3 (@Nielsky, @langzaamaan and Bianca) joined us. Some chocolate and sport drinks were also provided.... what a team spirit :) !! Thank you it was well needed!!

Few minutes break and before we get too cold we headed to the heart of the dunes for the last 14 km. Few words here and there and time flew by again. I always enjoy running the last few kms in a faster pace... few speedy kms with Christine, then with Rob and Niels and then the last km with Martin. Martin just like last time impressed me in how fast he can run!! Chapeau!

TwitRunners

We arrived to our final destination with a BIG smile on everyone's faces. Some of us ran a personal kms, some ran pain free, some reached their weekly mileage and some ran a marathon in one weekend ;)

To end this beautiful Twitrun in a special way, Martin and his wife Lia were kind enough to invite us for a treat and coffee. Thank you for the hospitality! Wendy(@WendySolar1971) who is suffering from an injury also joined us for the yummy treats and nice motivational talk. I dropped Christine at her house and headed home to enjoy a nice afternoon with my boys!

How could my Sunday have been better than that ?

Schoorl Weekend

De Groet Uit Schoorl Run the race where last year with a broken heart I stood up on the side of the road and took pictures because I was Injured and I couldn't run the race. This year again signed up to the 30 km and the goal is to finally for the first time run a 30 km race in Schoorl.

On Saturday mid-afternoon we headed to Schoorl. After checking in our hotel, we went to the book Presentation of "Het Hardlopers Kookboek" The runners Cooking book. It was very nice to be there, talked to many inspiring athletes and coaches ...These moments are something I enjoy so much.

After a nice autograph on my new cooking book from the authors Mirjam and Barbara we headed back to our hotel to enjoy a nice dinner with Petra, Andrea, Merit, Ronald, Eric, Harm and my hubby.

The next day after a nice breakfast with the same group beside Merit and Ronald who were staying in a hotel few minutes away, we went to the sports club for the tweetup. A little bit late but still managed to take a foto :)

Eric, Me, Ronald, Ton
Marek, Merit and Thierry

After wishing everyone good luck, Ronald, Marek and myself headed to the start. Ronald and Marek planned already the pace they are going to run, as for me since I never run a 30 km race before and since it is my first 30 km since 2011 I didn't have a specific time....Well...not really... Secretly the night before the race I checked my split time of the Beirut Marathon 2011 and the Amsterdam Marathon 2011 and I noticed that my time at 30 km point were 2:13:16 en 2:16:38 respectively...I thought something in the middle should make me happy...so deep in my little heart I wanted to run a sub 2:15 but then again it has been ages since I run a 30 km I wasn't sure how my knee will handle it....

The start gun took off at 11 am, the first few kms I thought to keep Ronald and Marek in a good company ;) but then after 3 km I let go...I already know, no way I can keep up with their 4:10 - 4:15 pace for 30 km... I thought Egmond aan zee run is the most beautiful run but Schoorl was even nicer! Sun was shining a nice white coat was all over the trees the view was just breathtaking!

How my race went?
It was a strange feeling, I felt I would go weak then get stronger  and again weak then stronger and so on the whole way... I didn't feel it was a solid run that is for sure and normally I do! I am not sure why I felt like that! I also had few times stomach pain but then it goes away! I made sure to take my gel on time and tried as much possible to stay hydrated but this is always a challenge for me. Somewhere on the course it was really Icy I literally jogged that part, I was so scared to hurt myself! Unfortunately that same section I had to run it again after I passed the 21 km point and I almost walked it!! that is how Icy it was!

Somewhere just before the 21 km @RunningRonald run next to me and tells me that he couldn't keep up with Marek... he was not the Ronald I know, he looked disappointed of himself I tried to push him to stay with me but he said just go... It was just not his day!

Around 25 km, I felt something stretching in my knee, I had no pain but I could feel it!! Please not now I said to myself!! I was like in a panic mode but thanks god that it didn't got worse and I crossed the finish in 2:14'40"

At that moment everything stopped, nothing was hurting anymore, nothing mattered anymore...I DID IT!!! I did it the way I wanted it to be and I can't be any happier!!

Couple minutes later I see Ronald and Merit, Both of them were not super enthusiastic but I was quiet Hyper :P and tried to put a smile on their faces!!

Fast, I picked up my stuff from the sports club and headed to the hotel to see that Petra, Andrea and Eric the 3 of them run a PR at the 21 km race...Congratulations!! A fast shower and hit the road to our one week ski vacation in France.

For people who don't know me my favorite sport is skiing and will always be... Why? This picture explains it! Nothing can beat the feeling of being on top pf the mountain ready to cruise as fast as possible your way down to the bottom!


Who is coming down with me? :)

Amazing black slope

 
Unfortunately being in the Netherlands I don't get to practice it at all ...I started skiing almost as soon as I started walking... I ski raced in world Championships and many University races.... so going on a ski vacation after a super nice weekend in Schoorl can not be any better!!

With Hubby before the Apres-ski ;)

 I had no plan to run while on vacation but the temptation was too big! I managed to have few snow run at 1700m altitude and to be honest I felt out of shape... Maybe the combination of skiing and the altitude made me feel like that but still I had a blast!!

SnowRun

I had an awesome week with my family! PeuterD already took ski lessons in the garden before we left and there he enjoyed himself. He loved the snow and he is ready to become a good skier like his mommy :-)



PeuterD



                Today back to work but Countdown tot the next Vacation: 3 weeks to Go!!

Runners Bound

“Runners understand each other. We don’t just sympathize. We empathize and help each other because we’ve been there before. That’s the great thing about runners. We stick together!”

Whether on the road or on the trail, we are all bound by one thing and that is our LOVE for running. Brands, pace, body size, religion, sexual orientation, etc. are nonexistent. We’re brought together by our passion for running, our goofy, endorphin-tilting smiles and the twinkle in our eyes…

Few months back I saw on twitter a tweet from @loopmaatjes if anyone has a nice idea about a product for his webshop…

Who is @loopmatjes? Loopmaatjes in English is RunningMates If you follow @loopmaatjes you would know that he can really motivate you. How can he motivate you? lets say if it is snowing and you dont feel like running, if you check your twitter you would see that @loopmaatjes has retweeted the tweets of other runners who enjoyed a run in the snow...this definitely motivates to get out of the door...if someone out there did it you can also do it!!
Also he brings people together , so if you are looking for a running mate who run at that pace in this town all you have to do is just tweet and add @loopmaatjes in your message. Mr @loopmaatjes will retweet that and I am sure you will have a running mate who shares your passion to run with you…He also organises events like the Loop Van LedscheRijn and twitteruns, and above all he has a nice webshop where you can order running clothes and products and it says @Loopmaatjes and #LoveRunning and also you can have your own twittername on the back!

Well his tweets triggered me to think of something simple, cheap and symbolic which can bound us as runners. What could that be? A Wristband.
When I shared my idea he loved it he asked me what colors shall we choose and here they are: 

As simple as that I really think if I would see someone with that wristband I would know he is runner and this creates a bound without words!! Who else can understand a runner beside a runner?
Enjoy the video below! That is who we are!!! Runners who LOVE RUNNING!!

Me at 52"of this Film

Egmond Half Marathon

Egmond aan zee half marathon is one of the most beautiful races I have ever run! What a peaceful run. I loved the variety of the course between sands and dunes! I loved running on the sand, the North sea on my right side the sun shining in my eyes like a diamond in the sky :) and nothing was running through my head , just a pure enjoyment in this crispy cold sunny weather!

My day started by picking up Christine from Amstelveen and we drove to Alkmaar where I dropped my car and we took a bus to Egmond. Once arrived we got installed in the sport hall where we met with @RunningMarcel and his running club also with @Rwshoe. It is always nice when you go to a race to just meet up with people who share the same passion and you can talk about running with the same excitements!

Me, René, Christine and Marcel

I didn't have a goal because in my last half marathon race Ameland Adventure I had to step out of the race and my knee is still playing games with me so I wasn't sure how my day will turn out! I just love running and I was going to run for fun and do my best! Women start was a little earlier than the men's start.

At 12:00 after I dropped my bag, I run together with Christine to the start and we stood up just behind the Elite runners. I am always fascinated by those fast women! The start took off on time and the first kms like always I went too fast but then I managed to find a nice pace. A small round in Egmond and then toward the sea to run 7 km on the sand. No words can describe how beautiful the scenery was, I think I was day dreaming until I realized that the fastest men just passed me and made me feel like a turtle next to them! I am not kidding it is not normal how fast these men can run! If I sprinted I wouldn't catch up to them! True inspiration!!

From the sea to the dunes a small path that leads you back to the start! The whole time I felt strong in a comfortable pace I didn't check my pace not even once! What I really enjoyed the people along the course! I love when I hear people cheering us up! The only thing I realized that around 12 km I was light headed I felt dizzy but of course I knew what was the reason I forgot to drink water, I also had a gel with me but I didn't think I would need it! At that moment I took the gel out and for the first time I finished the whole gel! After couple minutes I felt energized again a happy me I cruised my way toward the finish line.Just before the finish @Hero tapped my shoulder and passed me and with a big smile I finished  pain free race with a time of                                  

1.32'19

'Happy-Ness'

At the finish I saw Rob Veer, of course you can never walk by without spotting him with his red hat! We talked a little and then I headed back to the sport hall after proudly picking up my medal and before I freeze from the cold!
Then Rene and Christine showed up all happy that they also didn't have any cramps or pain while running! I headed upstairs with Christine to have a drink with her running Club, Marcel who also didn't have cramps and was happy to have finished joined us for a bier!

Happy with our Medals! Christine, Marcel and Myself

Then we took the bus back toward the parking, I dropped Christine safely home and I headed back to my hubby and my little boy! I loved going to Egmond but my day started at 9 am and I was not home before 17:00 it was somehow an exhausting day for a 92 min run and for sure that is not how I would like to spend my sunday but I surely enjoyed it!

All in all, I am very satisfied with my run, I am trusting myself more and more I am learning how to run fast again and I am sure one day I will be back to the level where I was before my Injury if not better! I need to stay patient and I know I will be there!

SylvesterCross

My finish tile

What is a better way to make a closure of a year where I was injured, than running a cross on soft sand with up and down hills and not having a knee pain?
On the last day of the year I run my first cross and that was a test for my knee and a new experience. I really wanted to end 2012 in a different way!
While I was talking to Rob Druppers and told him I am running the Sylvester Cross in Soest he offered to sign me up since he was part of the organisation and I may pick up my start number and stay in the VIP tent! What a luxury! Of course I couldn't refuse his offer!


On the race day, I had to work a little bit in the morning then around 12:00 headed to Soest to run 3 x 2000m on the sands!
I am not a fan of laps but it didn't bother me so much this time! I actually liked the 2nd and 3rd lap more than the 1st lap because I knew what to expect!
I went to VIP tent picked up my start number changed into my running clothes. In the VIP tent there was a buffet with soup sandwiches, Oliebollen, Coffee and drinks, VIP athletes were very well taken care of! I went on a warm up run and at 13:30 I was at start. What I didn't really realize is that i was going to run with one of the best women in the Netherlands! Oh that is great! So now my goal is to finish not dead last and I didn't ;)

As soon as we took off I only saw sprinters flying... First round was more like testing the ground as we say, I run in a very comfort pace the whole 3 laps but every lap was a little faster and that is what made me proud! I managed to run a solid 3 laps on a tough course without complaining about anything beside heavy legs!

I finished  the 6,3 km in 29' 35 and I got a nice tile! Apparently every year you get a different tile so now on I have to build up my tile collection.
I really enjoyed running a cross it is a total different feeling then the asphalt running. It is challenging and pushes you in a different way and that exactly suits me :)