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There Will be Seagulls Flying Over the Sandy Cliffs of Egmond
I have decided not to run a marathon this spring/summer. However, by my logic, this means I can hit a few more runs out over other distances including half marathons. A good start to 2012 for me was the Egmond An Zee Halve Marathon on the Netherlands coastline.
I only decided to run this event pretty close to the date after receiving an email from the organizers mid December. I fancied a break after Christmas and New Year so knowing the Dutch enthusiastic love of sport, this was an opportunity that seemed too good to miss. Looking at the race website I got the impression that this is similar to the Northumberland
Coastal run but I would say it is a combination of the Coastal Run, Harrier League with the Great North Run thrown in.
Getting there was easy, KLM still had cheap flights and from getting off the plane I was in Alkmaar (where I was staying for the weekend) within the hour, thanks to a highly efficient transport system.
Alkmaar is a smallish, very pleasant Northern Dutch town with Art Deco architecture and picturesque canals. It is famous for its cheese and a football team that did well in the early 80's (they played Bobby Robson's Ipswich Town in the 1981 UEFA Cup final). It is 10km inland from Egmond An Zee with plenty of hotels and restaurants so the best place to stay for the weekend and use as a base.
I have run many races on the continent in the past and there is always something special about them, being in different surroundings, places that you may have heard of but never seen only heightens the experience. I've been to places, done things and met people that if it was not for running I would never have done.
The day before the race all non Netherlands entrants had to collect their number from the race HQ which was the perfect chance to check out the course. My first impression was the wind, if you combine this years Norman Woodcock with force 10 you could be getting somewhere close to getting an idea of what it was like. As Phil Hurst quoted "The wind is 2 faced, behind you all the way when the going is good but the in your face later". This should make tomorrow interesting. I don’t know how the organisers managed to erect the start/finish area but they did use a lot of sandbags to weigh everything down and there are a lot of sandbags nearby. Once the business of registering had been taken care of it was a case of taking it easy, an earlyish night and bring on the race.
The Egmond An Zee Halve Marathon starts at 12.15 but I was there about 9.30ish. I was using the local bus service and was expecting problems which did not happen (too used to England) still, a chance to get ready properly and take it all in. Beforehand, there was a non competitive 10k which was a relaxed affair, officially starting at 10.30 but with the chip timing system people were crossing the start line up to almost an hour later with the officials carrying flasks of tea for anyone who looked like they needed one.
30 minutes before the start of the half marathon and I am changed and warming up in the starting pen. I have it all to myself, everyone else is still taking shelter in the sportshall. The conditions would be perfect if it was not for the wind. It is still strong but nothing like what it was the day before.
As time passes towards the start the runners get into their pens (similar format to the Great North Run), the local TV cameras are there, the spectators are gathering en masse on the pavements and roadside bars. This is a big event for the people of Northern Holland.
The gun goes for the start, the tannoy blares out music, the hairs on the back of
my neck stand on end, old running injuries disappear. After the buzz of the pre-
The first mile is along the promenade and into the town of Egmond An Zee, with the
and and adrenalin I pass the brass band at the mile mark under 6.30 -
The 3rd mile is also in Egmond town, the locals are out cheering from the roofs and
balconies, partly to support, partly for some free entertainment. 3 miles in, now
WELCOME TO THE EGMOND AN ZEE HALF MA RATON. The course route has left town and I
am running on quicksand (no, sorry it is very, very slow sand). My feet are sinking
in. This is only for a few hundred meters then I am running with the North Sea licking
my feet, it is still sand underfoot but it is dampened and firm enough to run on.
I know I have done 3 good miles so far so I am easing off a bit -
The next 4 miles were along the sand along the North Sea. 7 miles in and the course throws it's next challenge. A left hand turn away from the beach and up a hill into the dunes. Spectators had been sparse on the beach (apart from the national army) but at this point there was plenty. I don’t know if they were supporting at this point of greatest need
or if they were the mob baying for blood, whichever it was their presence was noted and appreciated.
The race goes into the dunes and took on the character of a harrier league, soft
ground underfoot, running through narrow tracks with enthusiastic people ringing
cow-
Mile 9 and the course changes again, the route heads inland, the sand turns to soil,
the shrubs turn to trees and what reminded me of the Harrier League is now reminiscent
of the south side of the Newburn River Run, I’m homeward bound -
I'm running through the woods and I feel it's going quite well, I notice one thing.
I've run this race hard so far and I'm on for a decent time (sub 90 mins), however
-
I leave the woods heading back to the town of Egmond An Zee, I pass the 18km marker
(my Garmin says 11 mile) -
push on to the finish.
I know the finish line is neigh, the last turn back onto the promenade marked by
600m sign. I then see the 500m sign, then 400m, then 300 (somebody has too many signs),
250m, 200m, 150m, 100m. I have one minute exactly to do the last 100 meters -
This event is completely unique -
