Hi y'all,
So this weekend the biggest running event the world (yes that is correct) has to offer took place in Amsterdam and this year, for the first time since I seriously started running, I could not run it because it didn't fit into my full marathon schedule. We are talking the Dam tot Damloop which takes runners from Amsterdam to Zaandam over a 10 mile race course beginning with the dreaded and therefore twistedly loved IJ-tunnel. That is the tunnel that you drive through to get to the other side of the IJ to Amsterdam North. Kind of like you'd run a tunnel from Manhattan to Brooklyn. Or from Antwerp city to Linkeroever.
The complete length of this tunnel is just little over one mile but what makes it specifically hard is the plunge it takes from ground level to it's lowest point and back up plus...it marks the first two miles of your ten mile run. Furthermore the tunnel is never closed for traffic except during Damloop weekend thus making running through that tunnel an epic experience. I for one LOVE that part of the Damloop. So not running it felt seriously uncool until I decided I wanted to do some volunteer work combining two passions of mine: running and blogging/social medializing about running. I contacted Le Champion, the organization behind the biggest runs in this country, to see what they had to offer and guess what? Le Champion actually has a social media team that has reporters out in the field snapping pictures for all media feeds. I met up with the program manager and before I knew it I was one of the reporters during Damloop weekend.
What is it like to be out there trying to capture the vibe, the essence of that race? In one word: EPIC! I never thought I could feel so excited about just standing at the side lines watching runners prepare but I did. The thing is that you absolutely know what adventure awaits them, what hardships they have to face, how awesome that audience in Zaandam is and how absolutely amazing that Dam tot Damloop is even though it is always way too hot and way to crowded. The feeling of being part of that adventure is something you can't describe. I would urge all of you to just come over next year and run it. But how do you social medialize something like that? How do you capture the essence of the Damloop? Well let me tell you: I am NOT a photographer and it is sincerely HARD to snap pictures that actually pan out with just a cell phone. I tried to capture the anxious moments, the excitement and the important ones and after deleting probably one million pictures I ended up with a few I am proud of and these I'd like to share with you.
The second two pictures you see are made in the IJ-tunnel. That pass I am wearing around my neck granted me access to the tunnel and trust me...that smile on my face is about half of what I felt. It is truely an amazing feeling to stand there and wait for the runners to arrive and when they do....wow...The crowd goes WILD. Did I mention there's a braza band behind me? And did you know that runners and tunnels mean that there will be loads of screams and clapping waves? Well that is the case. An awesome sight and truely a cool thing to witness...but I should've brought earplugs.
And than there was this moment: the last coral getting up to the starting line and waiting for that last gun shot to go off. As you can see there's a bridge like at any big race, that towers over the starting line. In this race that last gun shot is traditionally saved for the volunteer of the day. In this case you see Ym and Klaas Langedijk. They symbolize all other 1300 volunteers for that day and I had the honor to get up on that bridge and snap these pictures. Standing there looking over the crowd, trying to capture that important moment I felt so lucky. Running is essential for me to breath and stay sane in the insanity that surrounds me, but this weekend runners took my breath away. I have nothing but the utmost respect for all those people that got up and did what they came for and claimed that medal at the finish line. I can only say thank you to all of the volunteers and the organization for making this event happen and I can honestly say that I feel like I was part of this race even though I did not run it this year. What a rush!
That's it for now,
until we read again, Love Marlies
So this weekend the biggest running event the world (yes that is correct) has to offer took place in Amsterdam and this year, for the first time since I seriously started running, I could not run it because it didn't fit into my full marathon schedule. We are talking the Dam tot Damloop which takes runners from Amsterdam to Zaandam over a 10 mile race course beginning with the dreaded and therefore twistedly loved IJ-tunnel. That is the tunnel that you drive through to get to the other side of the IJ to Amsterdam North. Kind of like you'd run a tunnel from Manhattan to Brooklyn. Or from Antwerp city to Linkeroever.
The complete length of this tunnel is just little over one mile but what makes it specifically hard is the plunge it takes from ground level to it's lowest point and back up plus...it marks the first two miles of your ten mile run. Furthermore the tunnel is never closed for traffic except during Damloop weekend thus making running through that tunnel an epic experience. I for one LOVE that part of the Damloop. So not running it felt seriously uncool until I decided I wanted to do some volunteer work combining two passions of mine: running and blogging/social medializing about running. I contacted Le Champion, the organization behind the biggest runs in this country, to see what they had to offer and guess what? Le Champion actually has a social media team that has reporters out in the field snapping pictures for all media feeds. I met up with the program manager and before I knew it I was one of the reporters during Damloop weekend.
What is it like to be out there trying to capture the vibe, the essence of that race? In one word: EPIC! I never thought I could feel so excited about just standing at the side lines watching runners prepare but I did. The thing is that you absolutely know what adventure awaits them, what hardships they have to face, how awesome that audience in Zaandam is and how absolutely amazing that Dam tot Damloop is even though it is always way too hot and way to crowded. The feeling of being part of that adventure is something you can't describe. I would urge all of you to just come over next year and run it. But how do you social medialize something like that? How do you capture the essence of the Damloop? Well let me tell you: I am NOT a photographer and it is sincerely HARD to snap pictures that actually pan out with just a cell phone. I tried to capture the anxious moments, the excitement and the important ones and after deleting probably one million pictures I ended up with a few I am proud of and these I'd like to share with you.
The first two pictures you see here are the world's top running athletes willing to compete in this run.This year's winners are: Edwin Kiptoo in a staggering time of 00:41:25 and Alice Aprot in the evenly amazing time of 00:51:57 MINUTES people. MINUTES!! We are talking 10 miles. That takes me about 01:57:00 minutes. With this picture I tried to capture the excitement and the feel of the moment that gun goes off.
And than there was this moment: the last coral getting up to the starting line and waiting for that last gun shot to go off. As you can see there's a bridge like at any big race, that towers over the starting line. In this race that last gun shot is traditionally saved for the volunteer of the day. In this case you see Ym and Klaas Langedijk. They symbolize all other 1300 volunteers for that day and I had the honor to get up on that bridge and snap these pictures. Standing there looking over the crowd, trying to capture that important moment I felt so lucky. Running is essential for me to breath and stay sane in the insanity that surrounds me, but this weekend runners took my breath away. I have nothing but the utmost respect for all those people that got up and did what they came for and claimed that medal at the finish line. I can only say thank you to all of the volunteers and the organization for making this event happen and I can honestly say that I feel like I was part of this race even though I did not run it this year. What a rush!
That's it for now,
until we read again, Love Marlies
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