Some pics from last weekend in Rotterdam for my 8th marathon, which I scrambled around in 3:09:22. I was on for a PB until the wheels fell off at 35km a.k.a – hitting the wall. A great experience all the same and chuffed with the time considering the heat. I just wish they’d start the marathon at 8am or 9am to give us the best chance of running a faster time in more comfortable conditions.
Cheers,
Running the Distance
Great little run tucked away in the corner of Vevey-Montreux. The course is 300m longer than advertised but well worth the journey. I managed to knock off one minute on my time last year. 28:58. Good workout.
Check out my Garmin stats on the link below:
8.3km Course de la Viellie Vevey-Montreux by runningthedistance at Garmin Connect – Details.
Cheers,
Running the Distance
Some interesting and fun races I’ve signed up for over the winter period:
6th of November – 8km Vieille Ville, Vevey-Montreux – Suisse
6 loops around the old town of Vevey and Montreux along the north-east side of Lac Leman
20th of November – 11.275km Trans’onesienne, Onex – Suisse
A challenging tempo run through Onex’s old town just outside Genève
27th of November - 9.2km Novio du Run, Nyon – Suisse
Double loop course in and around Nyon along Lac Leman
4th of December – 7.2km Course de l’Escalade, Genève – Suisse
A lung-busting beast with sharp climbs in the old part of Gèneve. This bad boy has you begging for mercy by 5km which weaves in and around the old city in Genève. Should be interesting trying to run in the elite group this year – yikes……The whole city comes out to watch this race which has a real festival feel to it
19th of December - 13kms Staffs Moorlands Xmas Cracker, Leek – UK
A tough but fantastic little cross-country race in the Roaches and Peak District region of England. People come in their droves dressed-up as all sorts. Last year a guy dressed as Fred Flintstone beat me to the finish…….
27th of December – 10km Wheaton Aston Roman, Stafford – UK
This a great way to shake off the Christmas hangover and everyone is in good spirits. The course is rather flat and gives runners a chance to get a PB. The scenery around the tight lanes is quite lovely. Finishers get a Roman horse brass as a prize 
8th of January - 21.1km Swiss Snow Run, Arosa, Graubründen – Schweiz
This race is simply one of my favourites as runners shuffle along on compacted snow at 2400m above sea level in the Swiss Alps where the scenery is stunning. The course is not for the faint-hearted. If the lactic acid doesn’t do the job, snowblindness will. The combo can be quite tricky to manage! As you would expect from the Swiss though, the organisation is impeccable. Highly recommended!
Cheers,
Running the Distance
Glow in the dark bib collection - Demi de Jussy
Running in the dark is nothing new. Most runners slog through the dark winter months training at the crack of dawn or after a hard day at the office (or both) with the reward of a spring marathon fully in their sights. Racing in the dark is a bit of a different beast though – especially so late at night with a course lined with folks dressed as aliens that wouldn’t look out-of-place on an episode of Dr. Who. The Demi de Jussy celebrated its 30th birthday this year with some 1000 runners eager to don the headlamp and take on the woodland course. Jussy races have taken many different forms over the years including a full marathon back in the 80′s, but in more recent times novel themed races with a twist have been top of the bill – all in pitch black darkness. A lot of my non-running friends and colleagues thought I was a few sandwiches short of a picnic basket when I explained I was going to spend my Saturday night running in the dark on uneven ground through dense forests. I suppose they’ve got a point. Even my wife, who lovingly came to support, thought I was losing my marbles when we rolled up at the venue. This got me thinking if there was any truth in this or if I was simply getting bored with the bog-standard road races (in the daylight sans fully clad aforementioned aliens). To be honest though, I reckon runners are always looking for a different challenge, something to inject an extra impetus. It could be arctic snow running, roasting your balls off running in the Moroccan desert for a week or suicide mud racing. On reflection then, running a few kilometers in the dark isn’t that nutty, right?
After wondering which direction we were going to start, participants finally started turning the bright headlamps in the same direction towards the town for a 1km loop before heading out to the spooky woods surrounding Jussy. As the gun went off the usual suspects got off to a blistering start, including mouse man and rat man (two fellas who finish in the top 5 of all the Genevois local races but seem to take no enjoyment in their running success. It’s seems to be all business. No smiling before or after, no waving on the podium, no small talk with other runners – it’s a little unsporting but I feel like booing them overtime time I see their rodent features). After about 1.5km I knew I was in for a tough evening. Not used to running at such a late hour, I misjudged what or when I should eat before a 10pm race. Turns out you shouldn’t eat too much bland left over pasta at 6pm that hadn’t been warmed up properly. As a result, I felt dodgy and stuffed warming up which resulted in me making all kind of god awful odors during the race. I can only apologise to my fellow participants who got a whiff – especially the gaggle of women at about 5k. I’m only human. Speaking of which, at 10k I was seriously thinking about dropping out as the gremlins were ensuring my stomach resembled that of a washing machine on spin cycle. The thing was I thought it better to struggle on than to be stuck in the woods left to the wolves. As I slowed down km after km any sparks of enjoyment were quickly disappearing down the toilet. In fact I was wearing the same miserable expression normally only worn by the aforementioned mouse and rat men. Not even the enthusiastic support of space aliens scattered along the route could make things any better. At 19km the ‘eaten by wolverines’ option sounded more appealing than carrying on. Luckily, a fellow struggler offered that we run together for a km or so and thanks to him we both managed to stumble to the finish in 1:25 where the 6pm pasta made its unwelcome return immediately after crossing the line. Not a great experience but with all things considered I can’t complain with the time.
Saturday is the Carouge 10k Run-to-Run race. Not sure who thought of the name but to run-to-run sounds a bit like running for the sake of it. I hope it’s just lost in translation because it’s a lovely little 4 loop race around the old town of Carouge.
I’m off to look for the rat poison.
Cheers,
Running the Distance
Where's the vomit bag?
The Flying Dutchman - Tim van der Veer finishing the 2010 78k Swiss Alpine Ultra Marathon in Davos in a very tidy 10 hours
Last weekend writer, Oxfam brand manager and deadly Dutch long distance runner Tim van der Veer took some time out to speak to Running the Distance in a quick fire Q & A session. Tim is a regular columnist for the Dutch version of Runner’s World and is currently in the process of writing his first book, funnily enough, about running and why we step outside to get a sweat on. Check out his anecdotes and pearls of wisdom below:
RTD: What first got you interested into long distance running?
TVDV: When I was 10 years I played football for a totally anonymous little club called V.V. Hekelingen. We had the same shirts as Ajax; so much for our (borrowed) fame. Part of the training was doing a yearly Cooper Test: 12 minutes running, see how far you come. We did laps around the training field. I ran as fast as I could. After a few laps, I had no idea who was in the lead, where I was. I actually thought that I was somewhere last, felt bad and tried to speed up. In a corner of my eye I saw my mother who was wildly cheering for me. What was that all about? Please mum, behave normally, it’s bad as it is, I thought. Than the whistle blowed and our trainer came to me. He had a golden moustache and a big smile hanging under it. I had won. From that moment on, I started running. And enjoyed it. Looking in retrospective, I think also because it helped against the moderate form of asthma that I have. You can read about my first training here: http://www.runnersweb.nl/Nieuws/Nieuwsbericht/Disconnect.htm (in Dutch)
RTD: You are the father of two young children and hold down a very demanding job, when the hell do you find the time to run?
TVDV: I’ve become a real magician in managing time for training. When I didn’t have any children, I always trained when I came home from work. Leaving my poor girlfriend alone, without dinner, until 20.30 in the evening. How selfish I was. When I got my boys, I started to think more creatively. I have trained 30K’s during my children’s naps, leaving the key and baby phone with the neighbours. My family sometimes drops me from the car when we are driving home: last 15KM by foot. When the colleagues are chewing on the famous dutch kroketten, I sneak out the office, do 10KM, shower and eat healthy stuff behind my desk: I’ll tell you I am the freshest colleague during the afternoons. For Oxfam I travel and the world and I can tell you a thousand anecdotes of running in different cultures. But my biggest invention was to simply take my children with me. I bought a bike car. My boys sit in the car and I push it. They make music, talk or sleep. Or we go to the Magic Tree: http://www.runnersweb.nl/Nieuws/Nieuwsbericht/De-toverboom.htm I now believe that running and training can be a social event……….
RTD: You have run several marathons to date, which one has been the best experience and why?
TVDV: Although each marathon, each race, maybe even each training is unique, from my 13 marathons I would probably choose Boston. The fact that you need to qualify, you know that the runners are really top-notch. I was seriously impressed when I saw all those skinny athletes at the start. The pace was tremendous at the beginning. And, although I think that it’s all very artificial, Americans are the best supporters you can find. Not like the Dutch, who only stare at you like you are some weird monster from space.
RTD: Many of your marathon finishing times have been under the magical 3hrs, what’s your secret?
TVDV: There is no secret. First of all, you need discipline. I have seen many physically talented people; potentially stronger, faster, better than me. But you need mental power to train 3 months and to complete your training in the way it should be done, no matter the circumstances. Discipline is underestimated as an important precondition for running fast. Second, calculate. Finding the right pace is crucial. Third, be prepared to change something. If you haven’t achieved to run under three hours yet, don’t do the same training next time. Change something. Learn.
RTD: You recently did your first ultra marathon in Davos, Switzerland, what possessed you to
take on the 78k alpine challenge? Would you ever do another one?
TVDV: When I read Born to Run by Christopher McDougall, I was blown away. All of a sudden, I wanted to run trails and preferably barefooted. Than a friend from London called me: fancy a run? With this innocent question, he dragged me into an exchange project between Western and Nepali runners. Our goal was to train together and learn from each other. And prepare ourselves for a rather crazy ultrarace: the Swiss Alpine, K78. I was already working on an idea to write a book about universal values of running and I thought this was the perfect “hook” for the book. A prestigious Dutch publisher was wildly enthusiastic and promised me to publish the book. So I inscribed myself… And it was best the run I have ever done. Yes, if I don’t get hit by a bus, I will run another ultra. (But don’t tell my girlfriend)
RTD: What are your running goals for the coming months?
TVDV: To enjoy myself. I have not set a particular goal yet. I still do as much as during the whole training. But after 6 months devotion to a specific goal, I am enjoying my free runs very much, going out without any gadgets. Just run…
RTD: What advice would you give to runners out there preparing for their first marathon?
TVDV: My advice is to seek advice. When I did my first marathon, I had no clue about training, eating, drinking, preparation, tapering or pacing. Over the last month I have helped a friend, who was going to climb the Alpe D’Huez with a scooter (step) for a good cause. She had trained very hard but had no clue at all about the basics of training and endurance sports. For me it was very easy to support her with my experience. When she reached the peak after 3.15 hours, she texted me that she felt fabulous and that she couldn’t have done it without my help. I think that she could have but she wouldn’t have felt fabulous. Seek advice.
RTD: Has writing for Runner’s World given you the urge to write your first book about running?
TVDV: No, writing has always been part of me before I joined Runner’s World. I also write about other things than running. Have a look at one of my first columns about my son’s respect for men with moustaches: http://timvanderveer.blogspot.com/2007/03/de-man-snor-de-man-snor-de-man-snor.html
RTD: If you could have a pint with a famous long distance runner, who would it be and why?
TVDV: I am very lucky that I have met my idol: Haile Gebreselassie for an Oxfam campaign against dumping, which is a very unfair way of trading that puts people in poverty, I have dumped about 40 kilo of coffee beans on the head of the emperor of running. Unfortunately, there was no time of a real conversation. After the shoot he immediately stepped in his blinded car and drove off in the streets of Addis Ababa. I would have liked to understand more about him; does he love running, or is it a job, how is it possible what he does? But preferably not with a pint of beer. Running through beautiful Ethiopia with the legend himself…….
And finally,
RTD: Seb Coe or Steve Ovett?
TVDV: I had to google both of them. Saw that Seb Coe supported the conservative party. So, Steve Ovett…
RTD: Water or strange-tasting sports drink?
TVDV: Water.
RTD: Road running or trail running?
TVDV: Trail running.
RTD: Ice bath or too chicken?
TVDV: Swimming in the sea. Best end of any run….
Cheers,
Running the Distance
I can honestly say I don’t think I’ve enjoyed running in a marathon, or any race for that matter, so much. The vibe, scenery and sense of satisfaction crossing the finish line have never felt so spot on. All my Project Davos team mates ran very well too and should give themselves a large pat on the back. This also made me a happy bunny, seeing their hard work pay-off. For me I think not having the pressure of a goal time looming over my head really helped. I hobbled around in 5:37, which is an hour faster than I’d guesstimated. I would jump at the chance to go back next year even if Davos is one of the most expensive destinations on the planet!
Here are some snaps I took en route as well as some from the professional snappers.
You can also watch a short film here about the two Nepalese runners who were the focal point of Project Davos by World Radio Switzerland video journalist, Amy Wong.
Cheers,
Running the Distance
A quick taste of what to expect on 31st of July. Definately taking some snaps along the route.
Last Saturday was a bad day at hanging rock in La Vito Dojo race in the Valais. Having found the starting location after 30 mins of aimlessly driving around like a lost tourist (very poorly sign-posted might I add), I arrived with just 40 mins to spare for a 9am gun. This involved queuing for my bib number, getting changed, using the loo and doing my warm-up routine. There was no chance of completing all four tasks in such a short time frame – and as the first three were pretty much essential just to get to the start line – the warm up was an amateurish quick stretch-and-go. This didn’t help for what was about to bulldoze me.
Around 30 of us gathered at the start where the atmosphere was eerie with only a few speaking in hushed whispers . Did they know something I didn’t? It turns out they did. This course is even more gruesome than I’d imagined. We started climbing immediately through dense forest at 400m altitude in 27c heat. What began as a shuffle quickly turned into a walk, which then evolved into an awkward hunch-back style crawl. After 3km we were using ropes to climb the terrain and slipping like Bambi on snow by 8km. I seriously underestimated the severity of the profile – climbing 1600m altitude in just 9km is going to hurt and it didn’t dissappoint. In fact I’d never wanted to drop out of a race so early on, however seeing the summit at 9.5km gave me a glimmer of hope. It’s all flats and downhill from here, right? Wrong. Il ya quelques petites sections en montée claimed one of the aid station volunteers. Sure enough just as I was able to build up any semblance of rhythm (ha, now there’s a laugh), I was confronted with another climb or near vertical drop. The descents hurt as much, if not more so, than the rope climbing fiasco. The course pulled no punches and made la Saleve look like a speed bump. In fact I’ve never walked/stopped/stretched so much in one race while constantly being passed by guys more than twice my age. Humble pie was being served in vast quantities and I was consuming every crumb. After a pride crushing 3h19 of pain I spotted the ’400m to go’ sign. There was not a soul around me to even contemplate a final uphill crawl-off. At least I got a mention on the loud speaker system to complete my humiliation – Numéro 13 – Monsieur. Mickel Broadalée, 3h21 – 26ème place. Out of 31 competitors my position and time added some heavy blows to my already weathered pride while my body felt like it had been smacked around for several hours by a Sumo wrestler wielding three cans of Coke in a pillow case.
Driving back to Genève with my tail very much between my legs, I took the executive decision to take a week off from running to give my mind and body some down time. Plus, I’ve got a niggling hip injury out-staying its welcome. All being well I will be back next week refreshed with tunnel vision on preparations for the Swiss Alpine marathon with Project Davos. In the meantime, swimming and enjoying the 2010 World Cup.
Just avoiding relegation...
Cheers,
Running The Distance
This Saturday I’ll be venturing over to the south-east of Lac Leman en Suisse to climb the parrot’s cage in the La Vito Dojo 20k mountain altitude race in Vionnaz. It’s going to be a beast as it starts at just 400m altitude rising sharply to 2000m in just 9km before a sharp 11km desent into the finish. I’m not sure what to expect to be honest – well apart from a serious physical and mental test – as last year just 30 or so people took part and the winner came in at 2h15 while quite a few dropped out. It could be a long day at hanging rock but what I’m looking forward to are the stunning views and that unspoken bond between runners crazy enough to get stuck into such a challenge. As part of my preparation I’ve been doing 20k plus training runs up in the Saleve in France which is at 1400m altitude on some challenging terrain. Hopefully that will stand me in good stead. I’ll report back over the weekend, that’s if I don’t fall off my perch…..
Here’s the profile and map of the course:
Climbing the parrot
Cheers,
Running The Distance
Last Sunday I ran in only my second road half-marathon hoping to piggyback off the fitness from the Rotterdam Marathon just four weeks ago. During the last three weeks I’d been concentrating mainly on speedwork rather than distance to ensure a strong finishing kick and hopefully to steal an extra yard. It was my first race in the Newtons too!
It says a lot about a marathon when there are over four times as many runners in the half overshadowing the main act. This is due to a couple of reasons. Firstly, the full marathon course is two identical loops of 21.1k, which is not only psychologically hard, but the first half of each loop is nothing to write home about. For some reason, known only to the organisers, the first 10k takes runners past mainly road works, other road works and errrrrrmmmm…..more road works. Not only that, there are more twists an turns than the climax of a Dickens novel which makes it hard to really develop any rhythm. It’s like they just got the old measuring stick out and decided to pick some of the shittiest parts of Genève while randomly shouting left and right. Post 10k is thankfully much more of a contrast – a beautiful stretch along the lake where runners turn back on themselves at 15k. They should have just had the half and full marathons along the lake instead of even bothering with the first 10k of the current course design. The second issue (aside from the fact it’s much easier to train for and run a 21.1k than 42.2k) is that for some bizarre reason us half marathon runners are released like the proverbial hounds just as many full marathoners are starting loop two. For that, I take off my very large hat off to anyone who completed the full marathon as this heavy task was made even worse by the psychological blow of over a few thousand faster runners suddenly bolting past. Maybe that’s why only full marathoners get a medal while half marathoners have to settle for a runner’s drinks belt resembling that of a colostomy bag. Still, expected more for my €41 entry fee. Not even a bloody t-shirt; stingy buggers.
Anyway, enough whining. The half marathon went pretty well for me in terms of time (1:23:41), so the Newtons did the job! I started to struggle between 14k an 18k where a lot of people overtook me. Of course I could use Rotterdam as an excuse, so I will I had to dig deep as my quads starting screaming but I was luckily able to block it out a find bit of reserve to kick on to the finish. Check out pics here. I would do the Genève half marathon again as it’s local, but wouldn’t touch the full with a 10ft barge pole. The next few races coming up are off road 22k mountain runs – very tough but my favourite kind of racing terrain. This means getting some serious hillwork in during the coming weeks.
Thanks again to all the people who gave their time to volunteer at Genève.
Cheers,
Running The Distance.
Running The Distance
