1/2 marathon Heerlen

 

Rather proud of myself: today I ran the Obvion 1/2 marathon in Heerlen. In perspective: I am 68 years old, and there are not so many runners of my age left. And it was raining the whole time, except for the last quarter of an hour. Anyway I did not improve on last years tracktime, but it took me a very decent 2 hours and about 3 minutes to do the 21,1 km. 5min 54sec per km. 

Maybe it is the last time I am able to do this, but I enjoyed every minute of it.

Alfa trial run

 Ran a trial run yesterday, through mud and rain, through forests and narrow cartroads. 12,5km, >200m height difference, in 1 hour 18 minutes. I finished about nr. 140 out of 300 runners. (I made a mistake, resulting in a missing time registration, but I know what I did). Which is very good considering there were only 3 guys my age or older.

1/2 marathon 2025

 

Ran a half marathon yesterday. In Heerlen, the Obvion run. Finished at 1 hour 58 minutes as number 304 out of 450 runners. The weather was perfect: 14 degrees, sunny and a little wind. 

I am rather proud of myself, not so bad for a 67 year old guy.

1/2 marathon

 

Last sunday I managed to run a half marathon again. 21,1 km in 2 hours 4 minutes, 30 seconds. I finished place 250 of 305 runners. I think that is not bad for someone aged 66.

It was the first time in 15 years, and quite heavy at the last 2 km. But hey, pain lasts for a short time, pride lasts forever.

Alfa Bear trail run

I usually don't post personal things, just drawings, but I am quite proud of my achievement yesterday. I did the Alfa Bear Trail run in Schinnen: 12,7 km running with a height difference of 300 meters (that's the height of the Eiffeltower), over steep hills, footpaths and through mud, mud and more mud. 

I finished in 1 hour and 25 minutes, which gave me place 237 of 430. To put this in perspective: I am 65 years old, there were only 10 other runners of my age or older.

Brunssumerheide

 

Made this after my running round on the Brunssumerheide (heath). It was far too cold to make this, there was still some snow lying around. The things we do for art.

10.000 kilometres

I just found out that I ran 10.000 km in 10 years and 3 months.
Even though I am running regularly since 1981, I started to keep track on a simple excel list since may 2005. Just the distances. I am surprised that I came that far, considering I had a serious ankle injury some years ago; and could not run for almost a year.
I did not run all these kilometres on these shoes of course, this is my ninth pair of Brooks Addiction since I kept track.

Mescherbergloop

For the first time in two years I was able to run an official competition run again: the Mescherbergloop. The worst 15km of the Netherlands, only very steep hills, muddy fields, slippery country roads, forest paths and uneven stairs. Through freezing weather, rain and wet snow.

Last year February I suffered from a chronic ankle injury; I couldn't run more than 50 meters without having to stop from pain. (very frustrating, I have run marathons in the past).
The surgeon told me that even though it could improve a little, I had to get used to running with pain. Or take up another sport.
It took me almost two years, slowly building up the distances, to be able to run a painfree 15 km. And that's good enough for me.

1/2 marathon

Today I ran the Eindhoven 1/2 marathon, 21 km in 1hour 51.48 minutes (it means I left 60% of the 6800 runners behind me).
I've done better in the past, but I have been fighting off an ankle injury since a year now. At last it's gone.
Running is my other time consuming hobby. I'm doing it for thirty years now; nowadays about 25-30km/week. And each sunday morning on the Brunssumer heide with my athletics club, STAP-Brunssum.
Sketching and running does not go well together: once you run you don't stop to draw. I personally don't like this sketch so much, too static and unbalanced, but as illustration for the occasion it's OK.
It's the start of the STAP run in Brunssum, held a week ago, organized by my club.
Vandaag de halve marathon van Eindhoven gelopen in 1uur 52min.
Hardlopen is mijn andere hobby, ik loop 3 keer per week, ook bij de vereniging AV STAP Brunssum.
De schets is de start van de STAP loop in Brunssum, vorige week zaterdag.

Mescherbergloop

A week ago I ran the Mescherbergloop; a 15 km run through muddy fields, slippery carttracks, winding forest paths and including 10 steep hills. And the worst of all, the steep staircase counting 185 uneven steps. It took me about the 1 hour 25 minutes to do it, which is not bad considering the weather conditions. Mescherbergloop: 15km door de velden van Mesch en de Savelsbergse bossen. Ongeveer 1 uur 25 minuten, niet slecht.

Patersweg

A rainy evening, in the street I live in, after my training round.

Patersweg, Hoensbroek, een regenachtige avond na het hardlopen; mijn bril afgezet, kijkend richting kruispunt.

Running

Nico, the trainer of our runninggroup STAP-brunssum has decided to retire. He was there for us each sunday for the last 10 years (and god knows how long before that; that's when I joined). He always made us sweat reminding us: "If I can do it, you can do it too". Yeah right. I made this painting for him.

Nico, onze trainer van mijn hardloopvereniging STAP, heeft besloten ermee op te houden. "Als ik het ken kenne jullie het ook". Een scan van de aquarel die ik voor zijn afscheid heb gemaakt.

Click on it to enlarge or download