Introduction
On January 14, I ran the Egmond aan Zee Half Marathon, a race I had eagerly anticipated for quite some time. Back in 2020, I had signed up for it, only to be sidelined by a twisted ankle a few weeks before the big day. That year, I stood on the sidelines, supporting a friend, and made a vow to return and conquer the elements of Egmond myself.
Egmond aan Zee is an interesting combination of road and trail racing. The course starts with a 7km stretch along the beach before meandering back through the dunes. This year the course was altered slightly due to flooding and took us on the small paths beyond the dunes. I singed up for the race together with 2 colleagues and used the event to kickstart my 2024 running season.
Race information
- Name: NN Egmond Halve Marathon 2024
- Date: 14-01-2024
- Distance: 21km
- Location: Egmond aan Zee
- Time: 1:26:25
- Website | Strava
Goals
| Goal | Description | Completed? |
|---|---|---|
| A | Run a controlled race, staying below zone 2 (171-180 bmp) | Yes |
| B | Run with Roy | No |
Race highlights
Together with my colleague Dick we traveled to Heiloo and took the shuttle bus to the mini convention center at Egmond aan Zee to drop our bags. Due to the massive amount of attendees (18.000 runners) we reached the start line too late for me to make my appropriate start zone. We also weren’t able to meet up with our other colleague Roy before the race (causing me to fail my B goal for this race). Not the best beginning to a race.
I quickly left Dick behind to run his own race and started making my way through the field. The race marked the end of a tough week of training. I stuck to the plan my coach and my came up with and maintained a demanding yet manageable pace, constantly monitoring my heart rate to keep it below zone 2 (171-180 bpm). After 7km, we bid farewell to the beach, entering the narrow paths beyond the dunes. Here a large stream of runners of all levels barring the way caused some frustration. I ate a gel as I attempted to overtake by running on the roadside. Towards the end of the second half of the race I was hurting and and counting down the miles. Just before the finish I surprisingly got cheered on by members of my running club.
After the race I was reunited with Dick and Roy who both ran terrific races. I was happy with my time of 1:26:25 given my form of the day and felt like it was a good reflection of my current fitness levels.
Post-race reflection
- I’m impressed with the speed I maintained while staying close to my zone 1 (153-161 bpm).
- Spending the day with Dick and Roy was enjoyable, and witnessing their success was incredibly rewarding.
- Purchasing a waterproof and breathable jacket for running might be a brilliant idea.
- Today served as a reminder that being on time is crucial for racing hard and avoiding crowds.
- While I prefer small, local races, it’s worth checking off bigger races on my list of interests.
My next race is ‘de zestig van Texel’ in March, a 60km ultramarathon along the shores of Texel. This in and of itself is a step up to my big goal for 2024: the West Highland Way Race, a 95 mile ultramarathon in Scotland