Adventures of a marathon girl

While running DVV Antwerp 10 miles last sunday it hit me: running an event is much like a game for both runners and the crowd. It starts with a huge crowd seeing runners off at the start. As we (the runners) gather behind the iron self wanted incarceration of the gates at the start, family members watch their loved ones go through those final stages. As the runners make their way so does the crowd. They move alongside the runners and spread out over the race course and that's when the game starts. Just imagine thousands of runners moving like a thick wave through the streets of a city. It isn't easy to spot your loved one so the crowd comes up with numerous creative ideas to get noticed by that one running friend or family member. Think of balloons and flags, cheering fraternity members and even the more posh ladies sitting at a table right next to the race course drinking white wine while discussing a runner's sense of fashion. You will see the huge banners with a name

People sometimes come up to me and ask me what I eat since I run about 40km each week now. I look, compared to other runners, not very much like a runner. I am not a very skinny and totally ab-packed likes-to-run-around-in-underwear kind of runner. I never ever run in shorts and I don't even like the tanktops but since I do not like overcooking myself either I do run in those. Anyway, sometimes I get asked what I eat. Well I'm not sure what to make of that question (see previous remarks about me not being a flat-chested-skinny-chick) but I can tell you this: 1. I eat carbs (SHOCKER) Yes I do and I do so because my sports nutritionist has done an awesome job in getting me on a stable weight and since I started eating regular wholesome food I can honestly say that I feel less hungry while running the long distances and I am getting faster too! I can eat good wholegrain bread (might be sour dough etc)and my belly does not blow up, I do not gain weight and my blood sugar levels h

There are moments as a runner when you see the backside of your entire crew the entire race. It is those days, when push comes to shuff, that you will value that same crew even more. You keep going because you have to, because giving up is just not an option, because you can smell the finish line even when you're miles away. Yes you will probably hate yourself for being the slowest one in that crew, you will hate the feeling of all the effort that you've put into that race and not seeing the results but you keep going anyway because you are a runner. Because this time you get to eat the dust but you haven't forgotten the times you stood there watching your buddies finish and feeling their anger, disappointment and pain. You remember those times and you know with all that is you that they will be there. A true crewmember knows what it feels like to just not have it in you that day. It is okay to cry, to kick dirt around, to just shout out horrible words and spit on the flo

She waited as the crowd was getting ready for a fight. In the midst of all the noise she tried to find him, doubted if he would be there but she knew better. At first his voice was barely audible but it was there. Like a summer breeze blowing through the dry leafs of an elm tree. Whispering. 'Are you sure?' he said. His voice quietly touching her cheek, speaking to her the way she remembered him. She smiled. Planted her feet firmly in the ground, straightened her back, loosened her shoulders and shook her head. 'You can't' he said and than everything went quiet. The serenity of the moment calmed down her breathing. This is it! NOW! The first two miles hit her like a barrel of bricks and for a minute she felt like Paddy after writing his sicknote. She leaned on his voice asking her 'why are you doing this again? What are you trying to proof by doing this? You're not like this, you are not tough enough'. The crowd hurdled and pushed her forward. Even if

Hi there, It has been a while since I blogged about my running adventures. Not writing about them does by far not equal not running anymore. I did finish my half marathon in 2:17:00 hrs and I felt incredibly proud.I still can't believe I actually did it. And after this half marathon I just kept going. Had to take it back a nodge after a major crash on an indoor slope that made my knee move sideways the way it isn't designed to do but...I did run a few runs and I'm still going strong. Here are some pictures just to give you a little impression of my runs (not in chronological order): Halloweenrun Amsterdam 2013 half marathon Amsterdam 2013 when I spotted my man and I all the emotions came tumbling over me..crying like crazy here Vondelpark nightrun 10km 2014 Groet uit Schoorl 10km 2014 Amsterdam half marathon 2013 right after finishing and I was over the moon Light the night run Amsterdamse bos 2013 So I guess you could say that I did keep busy. The