Not the easiest way to end the season, but the one i needed…
100km Run Winschoten - the first 45km were fun, then it became a battle. Physically. But mostly mentally. Not as planned, not as expected.
Struggling to get from aid-station to aid-station. Trying to push the voices that talked about quitting away. One lap at a time. One kilometre at a time. One step at a time.
Breathe. Focus. Eat. Run. Walk. Run again.
After 100km crossed the finish-line, beating my best time by 3 minutes. Happy. Grateful for the experience.
Sometimes the finish-lines you have to fight the hardest for will stay with you the longest. This was definitely one of those.
Now time to recover…
@runwinschoten #happyultrarunner #runningmotivation #rwuambassadeurs #ultrarunning #100kmrun
10 years ago today i was on the start line of a little race that changed everything...
Never expected to be doing ultra-triathlons for 10 years, since it was supposed to be 'just this one'.
But... the DoubleBrutal had it all; the course, the people, the suffering, the sleep-deprivation, the happiness...
What a journey it has been... and still is...
Thank you SO MUCH to all involved in these adventures... (you all know who you are! supportcrews, race marshals, volunteers, fellow athletes and many more!). Lets keep doing crazy stuff!
#doublebrutal #ultratriathlon #extremetriathlon #throwback #10yearanniversary @iutasport @brutaleventsuk
about last week… when not finishing still creates a million happy memories…
at least i had fun on the 7.6km swim…
#bretzelultratriathlon #illbeback
#doubleironman #DNF #stillhadfunthough #pushedmyself
my first ultratriathlon DNF - did not finish…
the Double in Colmar (7.6km swim/360km bike/84km run) would be my first ‘big’ race after my ankle-injury…
But the french heat beat me: i was struggling on the bike from the start, and before 150km my body was done. Worked hard with amazing support from my brother @daan_van_meeuwen to find a solution - ice, wet towels, extra breaks… But after 300km of overheating the body was DONE… sometimes the hard decision is the smart decision…
i will be back though…
and finish or not: as always: met amazing people, caught up with old friends, cheered for all the others… the ultra-tri-family is amazing…
marathon/ultra no. 104...
3rd place at the #srichinmoy50k in amstelveen today. A hot day out, but I suffered in the best possible way. Had to work for it, but enjoyed (almost) the entire race.
First race post ankle-injury, so it was a good one! nice trainingday and confidencebooster for the Double Ultratriathlon in Colmar @bretzelultratri next month!
#50km #ultrarunning #rwutrechtambassadeurs @runnersworldutrecht
restday…
so an easy 36km social-run with some elevation sounds like a nice plan…
not sure if the coach approves… (but it was a good day, so let’s worry about consequences later!)
#happyrunner poweredby @runnersworldutrecht
finally; the (53km) comeback-run…
268 days post injury and I’m now ‘officially’ back to ‘normal’…
First ultra since I ruptured my ankle ligaments! It was shorter than I planned; the plan was to go for a double-marathon, but after running all morning in rain and hail I was freezing, so I decided to be smart and stop a bit early… But body and mind were amazing today, so I’ve achieved the main goal; go for a long run and see what happens…
Recovery has been a rollercoaster; from celebrating my first short walk on crutches, to my first unsupported walk, the ‘one minute-run-one-minute-walk sessions, but also the frustrations that come with setbacks and delays in the process… And then the return to running, but the long way back to long distances…
But I’ve learned a lot along the way, and enjoyed every small victory.
Today was a big milestone; now it’s time to recover, and start thinking if there’s room for a new adventure this season…
Thank you to all that have helped me get back on my feet (literally!), both physically, but also (and mainly) mentally and emotionally… It has been a serious ultra-adventure…
#ankleinjuryrecovery #rwuambassadeurs #recoveringultrarunner
The body and mind are still recovering, and a long race-report will follow (update: the long race-report is here!), but for now: here’s some data of what goes…
sometimes your memory can play tricks on you… It’s a sunny day on the bike, and I’m riding on the Brutal course. Somewhere during the terrible climb to…
back to where it all began… Sometimes I forget that it’s only been 4 years since my first irondistance-race… What once started as a ‘once in a lifetime’…
…a 1/6th triple… I’m in the water at the start of a small-scale middle-distance triathlon. The speaker announces that the start signal will be a gunshot, and seconds…
It’s a weekend filled with good company, camping, talking about past and future adventures, and three days with three races… The campsite is packed with teammates, some who…
It’s late March, on a Monday night, when I try to walk into the physiotherapists office. The conversation might seem strange to a non-ultra-athlete: me: ‘I ran 76km…
Just as last month; the last weeks have been all about running… There’s some cycling and swimming as well, but those are not the long training-sessions (well, not…
January seems to have passed without any epic stories (which sometimes is a good thing…). No races, just consistent training… and training… and training… It seems that the…