As you might know The Netherlands is not only famous for tulips and windmills but also for bicycles. The number of bicycles has long surpassed the number of people. The Netherlands only makes sense when you are on two wheels. According to Long Term NL Challenge, the country has in 2020 no more than 355 continental townships. When you have been in all of them either by riding or by the means of your own two feet, you have completed the challenge.
Outside is free and still open. And due to Coronavirus we have started cycling more. The regular routes became a little bit boring and the wish to expand further that the normal horizon became bigger. But why cycling got me so hooked? Because I started to work more intensively on completing this challenge.
What about this challenge?
Can we make something meaningful out of it? It would be nice if we could ride the most beautiful cycling routes across The Netherlands instead, hence the title of this post. For me is does not makes sense to complete the challenge as fast as possible, but is more about discovering The Netherlands by bike. And what I mean is discovering beautiful and meaningful places but also finding the hidden gems this country has to offer. Every trip is like a mini holiday somewhere close-by.
There are many marked routes of various lengths, some which have an interesting Dutch theme signed LF routes. Haven’t done any yet completely, but parts of them. Mainly my choices are guided by the weather, especially the sun, the seasons, Google picture searches and the places that are getting high recommendations on Komoot. There is also the influence of time needed to get there or other obligations that restrict the free time.
Maybe in the end I am going to make my own ranking of the best places/routes but we shall see. Until then I take it as a learning process (check here how to prepare for a bike ride). And nevertheless, I want to take you with me while discovering the most beautiful cycling routes across The Netherlands.
As you might know from Instagram, besides running I have been into cycling lately as well. This June it will be my 3rd year since I own and ride a race bike. And since my start with cycling, I managed to check that 10000km mark. Far from being an expert at it, I put together some steps on how to prepare for a bike ride gathered from my experience. Also a good reminder for myself for the next rides.
Steps to prepare for cycling tours:
Have a checklist
If you don’t want to miss anything important like the helmet or your house keys, build a bike ride checklist with the things you need during your riding hours. Save it somewhere handy, like in Google Docs, so that you can check it at need. Then you will always know how to prepare for a bike ride.
Carb up
Depending on the length and the purpose of your ride you can start the carbo-loading process the evening before or just do a more consistent meal not later than 1 hour before your ride but preferably 2h. I must admit that before some short rides I dig into some peanut or cashew butter also half an hour before my ride. It works for me, but not everyone is the same. Protein is good but carbs are the most important fuel for a ride. Try something with carbohydrates that your stomach goes well with.
Check your bike
Ensure your bike is in good condition before setting out on the ride. Check your brakes are in the proper position, especially if you took off your wheels to clean your bike or carried them separate from your bike. Also, check that your brake pads don’t hold any dirt or small stones. Lube your chain after you have cleaned it from the previous ride. Check air pressure and carry a puncture kit with a hand pump and know how to use it. Instead of a hand pump, I prefer a cartridge. Different tire pressures can be useful for different ground surfaces, like riding on cobblestones. Lastly but not least check the outside part of your tires for any cut or any little stone that might have gotten stuck in it. For rainy days put on some saddle mudguards on your bike. Your ass will be thankful not to get wet. For rides that end up late, have a light with you. And it is also handy to have a tiny bicycle ring bell, but you can always shout when you approach people from the back.
Be prepared for emergencies
Bring a cell phone and make sure it’s charged. Keep some cash money in your saddle bag or in your tool bottle upon preference. I even heard some people put it in their handlebar or under the shoe insole. Ride with others if possible, it’s safer in case of an accident, or in case of a flat tire and more joyful as well. Bring toilet paper in your saddle bag. Seriously! You might not know when you need it.
Sunscreen or raincoat?
Check the weather forecast before a ride. Is it sunny? Then put on some sunscreen. Pay attention to the back of your arms, calves, quads, neck, and ears. Basically all that comes under the shining sun. You don’t want to get sunburned or to have nice tan lines. Some people might consider it something to be proud of, but personally I find them very hard to get rid of. Is it rainy? Cover up! Take a rain jacket, waterproof overshoes, and don’t forget the base-layer. Base-layers are also handy in sunny weather, although a thinner kind of base layer as the pro jerseys can be very lightweight and almost transparent. That in combination with the sun can lead to some really ‘nice’ tan marks from your bib straps.
Plan your route
If you are going to an unfamiliar place or you go for a longer ride is always better to have a route planned on your bike navigation or watch. It’s easier to follow and you can plan better where to stop for refueling or to enjoy the landscape. Be sure your devices are charged enough for the ride! Also, don’t forget to check the wind speed and direction. It is better to start with the front wind while you are still fresh and finish with a little push from the back while you are already a bit or more tired.
Fuel along the way
Prepare and plan your nutrition along the way. You want to be able to enjoy your ride and don’t bonk midway. You can make it a self-supporting ride or a ride with some stops where you can grab something to eat or to drink. Let’s not forget caffeine. It can also keep you sharp along the way. If you choose to bring along your food, have with you some carbs. Simple carbs that your body can quickly absorb like gels, honey, or jelly gummies are handy in order to keep your blood glucose at good levels. This is the last resort when you feel you are hitting the wall. Otherwise, go for energy bars. Those are harder to ingest so the energy will be spread over a time window. In cycling, they say ‘if you’re hungry, it’s too late’. And it couldn’t be more true. Make sure you drink enough water and especially water with electrolytes. On average, one bottle of 500ml of water for every hour of riding should be sufficient. But if the weather is warm, the sweating is more pronounced, so you need to supplement the fluids and minerals you lose. If you can’t find any electrolytes of your liking eating something salty or having salt capsule at regular time intervals could also do the trick.
Have your clothes & accessoires ready
To have a comfortable ride, invest in some quality bibs or cycling shorts. The fit should be snug and the chamois or the padding of good quality. Apply some body glide, or chamois cream directly to your skin, shorts, pads, or chamois. This will be forming a barrier between skin and what rubs it. Wear sunglasses, colored or transparent depending on the occasion. They can protect you from the sun rays or from unwanted flies that want to get into your eyes. Cycling gloves? I am not a big fan of them, but I heard they can be handy when you fall or in the long rides. Since my experience is limited with these I don’t consider them a must on the bike ride preparation list.
Make sure to wear your helmet. NO HELMET NO RIDE!
Hope my guide on how to prepare for a bike ride was handy. Do you have any other tips?
Let’s start with the elephant in the room… or the “hot topic” at the moment: Coronavirus or Covid-19. Not something we wished for, but this is the sad reality we are living at the moment. Coronavirus is changing our lives at the start of 2020 in terms of social contacts, health, economy, sports and probably in many other aspects that we couldn’t have imagined. Governments announce states of emergency, school close, people work from home. And this is just the start of what is coming.
I see runners being disappointed or sad because of their running event or marathon being canceled or like in Bath Half Marathon just carrying on. Cyclists having their competitions canceled as well and being forced to retreat indoors. And the whole professional sports calendar turned upside down. On an amateur level Coronavirus hits also pretty hard, because competitions motivate us to be the best version of ourselves and to train hard for a goal.
But my question is, isn’t it a luxury that we can attend these kinds of events? There are worse things in the world than not being able to participate in a competition or rescheduling it. We should accept what is happening and act responsibly for us and for the others surrounding us. And most important we should act now by having no social contact with others. Definitely, this is a test for our modern society bigger than any crisis. We are forced to rethink how we live on this planet and to reset our values, reset our traveling. The planet will thank us for that as well.
As we watch with interest and maybe anxiety about how the situation develops there should be no place for panic. It only does worse! Instead, we should be all cautious and responsible with our hygiene and our social encounters. Stay inside at the moment for a better world. It’s good to make educated choices. It’s good to seek information from reputable sources, such as the World Health Organization or local authorities. It’s good not to put yourself and others in danger by spreading this virus. It’s good if we put less pressure on medical services at the moment. It’s at least we could do now.
What my plan was…
Now about what I had in mind for this year, not many things actually. The plans for another ultra (2 Oceans Marathon) were delayed until another year in the future. Maybe because of pure luck or maybe by providence. Just one thing was getting shape. Secretly, I was also planning to run my 10th marathon in the city where I run my first marathon: Rotterdam. That would have been nice. I even thought of carrying my own water and food and avoiding contact with others as much as possible for obvious reasons. But now that ‘the mooiste‘ is canceled, for good reasons, I am being more reserved on making any plan B or C or whatever plan. In 2018, when I couldn’t run the Chicago Marathon, I learned it the hard way that long term plans can sometimes unfold in ways that you cannot imagine. So, it’s better to be happy when you can accomplish your plans, enjoy it and make nice memories. There will be enough chances to run in an organized marathon once all this pandemic is behind us. And hopefully, it will be!
In hindsight, I don’t regret running 4 marathons and 2 ultras in 2019. That was me enjoying running in organized competitions. But now are different times, so require different measures and different behaviors from us all. What is sure is that for the coming period, the running will be less social, because it is good to restrict the spread of Coronavirus.
How can we go on?
Even with Coronavirus wandering around, it doesn’t mean that we cannot keep on running or training individually. Of course, having some social support is beneficial, but it doesn’t need to be physical for now. Just put your activity on a social network, or in a running group where peers can still encourage you.
Physical activity can give a boost to your immune system as long as you practice it with moderation. Too much training can, on the other hand, weaken your immune system. It is a fine line in between. And this is supported by various sources: Strava, Guido Vroemen, Rob Veer, Susy Q&A
What I aim for in the following period is to improve my fitness base. However, will skip very long endurance runs or rides for now. As I assume there will be no marathon for a while, it is not necessary to stay in a permanent standby phase or to reach a peaking phase. For sure (or at least is what we all hope), the second half of the year will be busier and that requires also to be physically well prepared.
On another note (for those taking part in the Abbott Marathon Majors), this year could mean a fast track year: Boston – September 14th, Berlin – September 27th, London – October 4th, Chicago – October 11th and New York November 1st. Only Tokyo missing from the list.
These times open up possibilities to do what has been delayed for a while like learning something new, reading the books that we often put off, or cooking, cleaning up the house, watching a few series, exercising with our own body weight or maybe just taking a run on your own. Or just to turn this terrifying and isolating moment into an opportunity to master the art of solitude.
Coronavirus is changing and challenging our life as we know it but it doesn’t mean we need to give up! This can mean a blank page for a new begining.
Stay healthy! Stay safe! Reduce social contact but keep sporting! 🙂 You own this to your body and to your mind!
The Matterhorn Sky Ultra trail was a serious challenge on Saturday the 25th of August. After a harsh wound infection in my foot mid-July I was not able to do much training, neither specific to trails nor running.
However, at the beginning of August, I already had booked a mountaineering course in Austria. With the foot not yet completely healed and the possibility of ruining all the further plans for the next months, I still decided to give it a try. But it helped a lot, at least I could get some altitude meters in my legs if not speed training. At the end of the first day of hiking to Wildes Mannle, even though it was not my first hike, the quads felt really tired. Surprisingly, this trip proved to be a good choice since day by day the legs were handling going up and down better and better. So climbing Wildspitze on the last day didn’t have such a big toll on the legs.
One next possible training that I had in sight was the Allgau marathon, the weekend after the Austrian mountaineering course: 42km with 1500D+. So I went for it as well, with the option to shorten it after 17km to Hornerlauf if things were not going as planned. But they did and I could finish the marathon.
These two: the hiking in Austria and the mountain marathon in Germany gave me some confidence for the Matterhorn Ultra. However, in the last few days, there were doubts in my mind.
What if you cannot complete 49km with 3600m D+? You never did more than a marathon: not on the road, not in the mountains. This is no joke, an ultra in the mountains is different from an ultra on the road. Bear in mind that you have to be self-sufficient between the refreshment points which are farther spread from each other, unlike in a road race. Bear in mind you have to be aware of the mountain terrain and be careful not to hurt yourself. Weather can go bad and what if you are somewhere on the course and it starts raining heavily? Ok, ok, a lot of what-ifs… Pfff. And going all the way to Switzerland from The Netherlands for a failure? No, that was no option. I need to finish or at least try to finish this race.
The race
Just to get you an idea of what I will talk about, take a look below at the map and the graphic, this was the Matterhorn Ultra Sky Race in zero-words but 2-pictures-description.
Sky Race parcourse Race height profile
While going up, in the first 2-3 km, I felt like I was a turtle. My calves were under pressure, my tights were burning. Then Garmin showed that my condition has decreased by 20. Ok, this is not something usual but I guess it was due to the straight uphill section in the beginning which was crowded with runners. I couldn’t set my own pace, and that was annoying, but I chose to dismiss the Garmin notification from my mind and not to let myself influenced by it. In the end, the race has just started, we still have to go 40km+ and climb the 3600m. Not the moment to rush, it’s better to conserve some energy for later on. But still, when the asphalt finished I started to overpass a few runners. You don’t want to be amongst the last in a group while climbing, it’s harder!
The first food and drinks refreshment station was at the end of the cable car in Sunnegga (km 7.5) with a great view towards Matterhorn if you looked in the back. Ha! Not so though I thought. The Gornergrat was about to come that is when the hard time begins. Runner crowds were spreading along the route, no more traffic jams I thought.
Going down from Sunnega
Going further from Sunnegga we pass by Leisee lake and in Findeln by some authentic Walser houses, barns, and stores built of larch timber in rustic style. Then after a bit of forest is a sort of plateau where you can see the runners on the climb…And we climb, and we climb on a zig-zag path. Until a point where it’s mentioned, there are 500m of altitude left to conquer. The climbs were clearly marked with a level difference. Hurray! On this uphill, I meet Camille, a young lady from France, who offers to make a video with me. Later we will encounter each other a few times on the parcourse, while she waits for her boyfriend, and at the finish line, we all have our finish meal together.
Going nowhere but up
500m of altitude left to conquer
Even more up
No sign of Gornergrat yetWith Camille on Gornergrat
Getting to the highest point: Gornergrat
Climbing to Gornergrat from Findeln – Eja will take about 1000m in 6 km. Just before the last push up, there is a sort of lake if you turn back, with a view towards Matterhorn. Most people miss this view because they don’t look back. The Toblerone mountain is usually clear in the morning, but then as the day progresses, clouds gather around its top. Observed this a few days in a row. You can see for yourself that on the day of the ultra the Matterhorn was not totally clear. In this part, I encounter 2 Dutch guys and we chat a little on the ascent about the training we had and how amazing this area is.
Before the last ascent to Gornergrat
On the ridge, the glacier and mountain panorama will leave you breathless, and I mean here not the altitude, but the view. I could have stayed there for a while, stopped there to take pictures, made a video call to share the beauty of the place, while other competitors were overpassing me. Since I didn’t put on myself any constrains of time for the first ultramarathon, I just wanted to enjoy every glorious view of the path.
This Matterhorn ultra trail promised great views. Here are some interesting facts. The Gornergrat, at an altitude of 3,089m hosts Europe’s highest open-air cog railway open all year round. According to https://www.zermatt.ch “The views take in the Monte Rosa massif with Switzerland’s highest peak (Dufourspitze, 4,634 m); the second-largest glacier in the Alps, the Gorner Glacier; and a total of 29 mountains above 4,000 m, including, of course, the Matterhorn in all its glory.” Besides this, on Gornergrat visitors find Europe’s highest-altitude hotel: Kulmhotel Gornergrat.
View from GornergratGonergrat trainstation
At Gornergrat refreshment station, opposite to the first refreshment station, you only get liquids. Then this is a good moment to refill my small camelback and get going. Runners have to go over the railway tracks and pass the tourists on the way down. It was however not overcrowded as in the beginning and we could use the extra encouragement as well. This was a good portion where you could still run decently: wide path and no technical terrain. So I accelerated downhill until Bogdan spotted me near this lake below. Since I was so concentrated on where I placed my feet I didn’t notice the people around.
Going down from Gornergrat this place was full of tourists
After leaving Gornergrat at km16, I knew a hanging bridge was supposed to be coming soon. Going to confront one of my worst nightmares from Nepal again, but now was the Swiss technology that had to be trusted. Also more encouraging, no one was supposed to run on it and at the end of it, there was a photographer taking pictures of the participants, so it couldn’t be that bad I said to myself, and it wasn’t. That was before the next refreshment station (drinks only) at km 25.5 in Furi. During this time the sun was up and it was getting hot outside. So hot, that you would have used a shower on your head.
Landscape during the descent from GornergratHanging bridge at Furi
The cutoff point
Up to here, there were some great views, we conquered the highest point and there was no rain to make you feel miserable. However, things change on the mountain from minute to minute, from hour to hour. And so it started to change before Schwarzsee. It started raining a little. But we need to push it a bit to catch that cutoff time. I was very aware that I had enough time for that, but before this race, there was a thought on my mind that it’s going to be a tough thing to achieve. So the arrival at Schwarzsee was a very emotional moment for me.
Last climb before Schwarzsee and before the cutoff pointSchwarzsee or km 29.5
Slowest runners are expected at Schwarzsee at 14:15 pm while fast runners at 10:00 am. What a difference! I was definitely in the second half but not the last one. And apparently, after looking in the results, I managed to keep a constant ranking during the race. I even managed to arrive there faster than the Dutch guys with whom I chatted earlier. But after reaching this point in the race my mind started to relax a little, thinking that the hardest part was over. No!!!! Wrong! What I forgot was that this is more than a marathon distance and that there are more altitude meters to come. The latest kilometers and the later climbs are always harder since you are more tired.
Landscape during Matterhorn ultra trailAnother point on the parcourse of Matterhorn Ultra Trail
Last part of the trail
But let’s focus, next stop on the route is Trift, altitude 2337m, last checkpoint and food station before finish, where slowest runners are expected at 17:15, while fast runners at 11:00. Before that, there is still some ascent and plateau, where, before reaching km 40 it started raining more serious. I was already wet from sweat, no need for extra water, I could better leave the shower for the end. And surprise, since I didn’t refill enough, my water finished before the km 40. 4 or 5km I had no water. I was really looking forward to arriving in Trift.
Towards Trift, steep descent
Thereafter followed a very technical descent that would have required hiking sticks. Since I chose to go as light as possible, to be a little faster, I had no sticks with me. Running downhill here was hard as the path zigzagged a lot and there were perpendicular obstacles for the flash floods or for the snow.
In Trift, I really had the wish to visit a sanitary stop but I couldn’t find it. Also, wanted to taste the bouillon offered by the organizers but then refrain from it because I really needed a toilet. Along the way, I had my own electrolyte pills for water, but at that moment I ran out of it, and the alternative offered by the organizers was not bad either. And it was all biological. We had besides regular bananas also chocolate, cheese, and crackers as the food supply. Finally not only sugar during a competition!
Further, the descent to Zermatt was on a very steep valley with a narrow path that sometimes only a foot can step on it. Dangerous not to be sure where you are stepping. But I made it and could even pass a group of runners and accelerated towards the finish line. As heart rate is concerned I couldn’t say I felt the altitude effect, or maybe I am lucky that I am a mountain goat?
Amazing trail, good organization (they even found my missing airpod) and perfect weather. And finally, I could join the ultrarunners club!
Happy to see the finish line, finally I am an ultrarunner!
If you enjoyed reading this article and you find this trail is something for you, go check their website of the organizers because subscription just opened this week. Moreover, you can enjoy a carfree Swiss paradise in the starting city of Zermatt. This post is not sponsored but is a running adventure I really enjoyed. Also, you can check the video I made during this Matterhorn ultra trail.
As a runner I hate the heat, it makes me less sharp, more sluggish and it makes me run a lot slower. But some days heat is what you get and no matter how minimally you dress or how much water you drink your body cannot handle it. Then the question comes: what are the most important things you need to know about body temperature and how can you help your body cool down in exercise condition?
Working out definitely increases one’s body temperature. Even a run in colder conditions will raise your temperature but that is beneficial since it increases the blood flow to the working muscles. Usually, the body temperature falls down at rest time and that also depends on the ambient conditions: in the winter the drop will be significantly faster than in the summer. And that is the good thing about exercising in winter!
On the other side, summer can come with high temperatures and/or humidity. When you exercise in the heat your body needs to work harder. Bodily functions, such as sweating, shivering, dizziness, headache and blood volume decrease, occur when your body temperature rises too high. Sweating acts like a natural cooling system. But humidity adds extra pressure when the body tries to cool down because the sweat will not evaporate so efficiently. That is why it is important to drink more water and replace the lost electrolytes as you sweat more. With drinking more water, you can maintain at a normal level the plasma in your blood. You could become dehydrated when sweating is too much and your performance will drop since the blood flow will focus more on the skin to help it cool down. The heat will the heartbeat as well, but it will not affect everyone’s heartbeat in the same way. In some cases, people used to heat may see very little difference in heart rate or feel fewer side effects when exercising in the heat.
On average, at around 39 degrees Celsius, there is an obvious decrease in performance. The heart stroke zone is at 40 degrees Celsius when exhaustion and cramps in quadriceps, calves, and abdominals can occur. After this stage, there can be hyperthermia when the heat-regulating mechanisms of the body eventually become overwhelmed. Hyperthermia may come on suddenly, but it usually follows the untreated milder stages. However, everyone reacts differently to heat and everyone can even have a different base body temperature to start from. Temperature readings vary depending on the device used so you need an accurate body temperature to determine if a fever is present or not. In the end, the question is how accurate are then the above numbers per individual?
As part of my Matterhorn Ultra training I planned a trail in the National Park the Veluwezoom. During the Veluwezoomtrail I had my temperature taken after Manon said I am looking too pale and worn out after only 10km in the race. Normally in a road race feeding stations are increased in such warm days and runners are given extra means to cool their heads. But in a trail race, you need to be quite self-sufficient, so fewer water posts, less water, and no sponges to cool yourself down unless you carry it with you. I had something close to 38 degrees Celsius measured in the ear where my normal body temperature is close to 36 measured in the armpit, and chicken skin or maybe shivers. Immediately I was required, by the medical team, to stop and don’t continue for the next 23km out of which 8km in the plain sun at a temperature of above 30 degrees. I was planning to do a walk-run and back off the pace as running slower means you generate less heat and rest a little before going further if they will have allowed me to go further. I also took some extra concentrated salts diluted in water, besides the electrolytes I had in my camelback. These extra salts were handed in by a friend just before the start and I took them although I thought I will not need them. There have been times when I felt worse during competition but still carried on. And this time it didn’t feel that I went too deep but everyone around looked worried about my condition. Unfortunately, it was not possible to run further. Whether this time was really required for me to stop I couldn’t say exactly, the medical team decided for me and I had to go back to the finish line in a different way than I hoped, not on my own two feet but by car. Don’t let me even start on the disappointment. They gave me a medal at the finish but I cannot say that was earned.
Before the start, still smiling
Reflecting on what has happened after I had to step out and the organization gave me a ride to the finish. It’s not an earned medal, but they were kind.
Later I made it to Posbank by car
The weather was like this…
But, what else can we do than to learn from this? I started checking what steps to take and what can be done better so that doesn’t happen again. Here is a list of points to take into account when running on a hot day:
acclimatization, or getting your body used to run in the heat which can take up to 7-10 days by training in the same conditions as the competition (same speed, same air temperature, and same humidity or as close to it as possible)
sipping cool water for less intense workouts and electrolytes for longer and intensive workouts and hydrating sufficiently. Make sure the water or sports drinks are cool, but not too cold. Very cold drinks may cause stomach cramps. There are ways to determine what sufficiently hydrating means for you. First, measure yourself without clothes before and after a test run of 1 hour in desired atmospheric conditions. Then calculate the weight difference add to that the amount of water consumed and divide by 4 to determine the amount of fluid necessary every 15 minutes
hydrate well the day before the race, and that means (as bad as it may sound): check your urine color, it is too dark it’s time to drink some more to a light-yellow urine
training or race precooling using special cooling clothes
eat salty food the day before and on the day of the race, then your body will retain more water
dress appropriately for weather conditions in light moisture absorbing fabrics and light colors and cover your head when possible
don’t forget the sunscreen
Additionally, you could approach your training/competitions with realistic expectations and also get enough sleep. Sleep disturbances also affect body temperature. Short sleep deprivation produces higher temperatures than normal. Running the same number of miles per week in the summer is harder than in the spring/autumn when the weather and temperatures are perfect for it. Then, the night is slightly bigger so the rest period is also bigger.
It’s been already a few days since I was in Vienna for the Vienna City M, but the experience is still fresh in my head. Vienna has been named the best city in the world to live in, already the 10th year in a row, and hosts one of the marathons that are part of the IAAF Gold Label Road Races. If you have never been to Vienna, the city itself is not going to disappoint you, and the marathon nonetheless. There are plenty of places to see and a lot of races offered around the marathon weekend. Besides the biggest marathon in Austria, one can opt for a relay marathon, a half marathon, a 10k race, a 5k youth race, a kids race of 2k and an inclusion run of 800m for those with disabilities.
Last meters of the course
It was a hot marathon weekend in Vienna, but the organization was perfect. Despite its popularity, a major event with more than 40000 runners advertised, is still one of the races where you don’t need to run a qualifying time or participate in a lottery in order to be allowed to join. You can just subscribe yourself, which I did quite late around the end of March. The later you subscribe, the pricier it is, not mentioning that it is in the middle-price range marathons.
Logistics
Vienna Marathon was one of my goals for this year. We arrived there on Saturday morning, the 6th of April just in time to collect the race number in Marx Halle. It was enough time to visit the Kaiserschmarrn & Pasta Party held at the Wiener Rathaus (this is the city hall of Vienna), where the finish line will be.
Wait to the expo
Apart from the two mentioned places, there is also the start line situated in front of the United Nations Office in Vienna. Nice to see all these places, but then the disadvantage is that you have to travel between them and your accommodation while some of the car routes might be blocked by the event at hand. This happened for us in the evening before the marathon when we had to walk a considerable amount because the tramway had to stop suddenly since it was intersecting with the 10k route.
I would recommend using the Ubahn to arrive at the start line because that has no traffic restrictions and runs frequently. The best station would be Alte Donau station closer to the baggage drop trucks, where you can enter in the start blocks from behind. If you want to reduce the time spend in the queue for the bathroom, take some cents with you and go to the NH hotel nearby.
Pasta party
What Vienna cannot lack at, is the scenic course, great crowd support, and wide enough streets to accommodate the marathoners. The entire event is under the sign of the classic. ‘Enjoy the classics‘ is one of the motos of the VCM. At the pasta party and at the start line we could enjoy some classical music. There was even some Viennese waltz happening towards the end of the pasta party at which a couple of pairs contributed voluntarily. All this happened inside the nice ballroom of the Vienna City Hall. Quite fancy I would say.
Pasta party in Vienna City Hall
The course
The route starts over the Reichsbrücke on the Danube Waltz by Johann Strauß, turns left at the famous Ferris Wheel Riesenrad and winds up in the city, through the green Prater Park. It then continues on Vienna’s Ring Road, past the famous Opera House. Between kilometers 15 and 16 you will reach the Schönbrunn Palace, then head back on another route towards the historical center close to the Museum quarter and Rathaus. Kilometer markers were easily spottable mostly on the right side with an approximation of plus 200m to what my watch was measuring. The route elevation profile is marked by going slightly uphill towards the Schönbrunn Palace, 40m up along 8km. And in total, you will only have 120m of elevation, so not entirely flat.
Before the start
At the start, there are 6 start blocks divided as such: 1,3,5 on one side and 2,4,6 on the other side, starting at intervals of a few minutes from each other. Because the marathon starts at the same time and from the same start blocks as the half marathon and the relay, this could become frustrating for those who try to keep up with those who try to score a PR on the half or the legs that don’t need to moderate themselves for the next 21km. I haven’t seen any pacers, but I didn’t ask either, I just relayed on my own pacing abilities. Also, I personally think is not a marathon where you can beat your PB if you don’t start really in the front since it’s packed with people.
Vienna Half Marathon point
But as any disadvantage has an advantage, for this one will be the quitting point introduced at the 20km. One can decide to continue the entire marathon (go left) or to go straight for the half at this point during the race. Every runner of Vienna Marathon that decides to change his distance at this point will be counted as half marathon finisher and will get the deserved medal.
I remember the start with overflowing runner crowds and expected that this situation will better after a few kilometers. I started in bock start 3, the one with runners aiming a sub 4h marathon, around the middle of it. And I was wrong with my assumption that the congestion will loosen up. Even after the half, there were still a lot of runners at the same pace around me. I tried to run optimally on the middle of the road and don’t do too many zig-zags so that I don’t toll up much more than the necessary 42.195km, but because of the heat, being in the center I could not benefit from the occasional breeze and even felt like suffocating. So I decided to go along one side of the road. Better safe than sorry.
On my way
At different places in the race, you can see the relay switching points with blocks for a specific range of starting numbers. At kilometer 30 this one is separate from the marathon course.
The route goes along the river on the Prater Park where it does one loop at kilometer 30. There was less public here, but there were a few large speakers trying to boost the runners by playing some loud music. Between kilometer 30 to 35, there is another loop, another big U in the course with runners facing each other. After kilometer 35 the route is overlapping a few kilometers with what we have passed before at the beginning of the marathon. The finish line is located on the Ring Boulevard in between the Rathaus and the Burgtheater.
Facilities
Given the warm weather, during the Vienna Marathon, there were plenty of refreshment stations manned: giving water, Gatorade, and bananas and unmanned, these were less crowded but useful. Haven’t seen if there were any gels given, but I was carrying mine.
The water stations where volunteers were helping looked like a sea of plastic cups tossed on the ground, and the sound of people stepping on that hard plastic was grueling. Luckily I had my own music, so volume up until I pass through.
At the 35 kilometer point, there was a Coca Cola sponsored refreshment station. Even though I don’t drink this regularly, I must admit I was very impatient when I saw it from the other side of the course, around kilometer 30.5. Really needed some sugar fix or something to change the taste of too much water.
By now I only used 2 gels and decided to skip the third one since my stomach didn’t yet absorb all the water and iso that I gave it. I tried to cool down my head and forehead with water every time there was the chance to do so. Unfortunately, there were no sponges offered, but there were some buckets of water where you could put your cap in. I had no cap. As for the porta-potty or dixies, I remember I saw a few, but not really when I needed one at kilometer 37. The water stops and toilet break must have cost me more than 3 minutes. Even though I tried to drink as much as possible while walking.
Finish line
Towards the finish line, there were lots of supporters screaming and encouraging the participants, cheerleaders dancing on a stage, and noise in general. And there was I sprinting, towards the finish of marathon number 6, towards a new medal and hopefully some shadow.
After the finish line, you received your medal, water bottle/s, a post-race bag with some food and alcohol-free beer. However, no finisher t-shirt like in other marathons. And you also need a chip for your shoes, either rented or that you already own.
At the exit from the runners’ space, which is short, there will be the truck with the drop baggage and some shower tents. In the same area, there is a massage tent from Vienna Marathon. By chance, I was amongst the last ones to be accepted for a massage. So I got the best and longest ever complimentary a massage received after a race.
In front of the City , there is a festival area organized with stalls of food and drinks. Nearby, in between this and the Burgtheater, there is the cheering area with tribunes which can easily be accessed by fans.
Medical service
One thing that I need to point out is the great service offered by the VCM. This included a team of the medical staff at the sports expo which could check your last doubts and offer advice before the race. Not only did we took advantage of it but I also found it very professional.
I was checked up by an orthopedic doctor for my knee pain and stiffness. He confirmed my physiotherapist diagnosis: Pes anserine bursitis, an inflammation of the bursa located between the shinbone (tibia) and three tendons of the hamstring muscle at the inside of the knee. Nothing serious but good to be checked earlier than later. I had it taped and got some stretching pieces of advice that could help on the following day. So this is how I run a marathon with a small injury. Even though it was worth it and the pain didn’t worsen up, don’t try this at home. But I would definitely recommend this running location.
Coming back from an injury is something no runner wants to experience. Me, I had a few, achieved in stupid ways. Otherwise, if I would have taken bigger care there would have been not much to say.
But the last one, it has never crossed my mind that is going to happen to me: a fibula fracture at the end of summer 2018 (as you see in the picture). So this is how I didn’t get to run a second marathon last year after Paris.
Pff, there are enough marathons to run you would say. Yes, indeed, but that one was part of the dream of running all the Abbott World Major Marathons one day. Not the end of the world indeed, but just a bitter feeling when being there and seeing people run while I was ordered by the doctor to sit on the side while phasing out my walking boot for another 6 weeks.
Not a runner but a supporter at Chicago Marathon 2018: You go faster if you laugh
So what if we fail?
“Don’t declare failure simply because you messed up or because you’re having trouble reaching your goals. Instead, use your mistakes as opportunities to grow stronger and become better” Amy Morin
Running wishes
A few months later, I am back to running consistently and back with some wishes, or you can call them ambitious plans, for this year:
stay injury-free so that I can enjoy running in the second half of the year as well. This is the most important and I will make sure it happens beyond the other goals or wishes
increase endurance for longer distances
run the marathon in Vienna in April (quite soon if you look at the date)
run the Ultra SKY Race in Matterhorn area (just a ‘little’ 7km over the marathon distance but with lots of altitude meters)
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