The past few years I started running as a means to stay in shape for trekking and hiking. In 2016 I started running for the sake of running (it's also the year in which I realised it's not the inexpensive hobby you hope it will be). I don't have a certain distance in mind as final goal, but being out in nature all day and being able to keep on going just feels so incredibly liberating that I want to go farther every time (seriously, try it).
After a nice run in the woods in Limburg, my running year 2016 started with below very professional planning to get me to Crêtes de Spa, which would become my first ultra.
Considering the fun I was having with experimenting and running, I didn't see a reason to change what I was doing, so continued along that way, which has brought me to my first 50-miler at the end of the year, organised by (highly recommended) legendstrails.com. As I've got the feeling this was only the first chapter in this story, I'm really looking forward to 2017.
Instead of trying to write something about every run (which wouldn't do justice anyway), I pasted some pictures below. Hope you enjoy them!
After a nice run in the woods in Limburg, my running year 2016 started with below very professional planning to get me to Crêtes de Spa, which would become my first ultra.
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| January: plan to get to Crêtes de Spa |
Considering the fun I was having with experimenting and running, I didn't see a reason to change what I was doing, so continued along that way, which has brought me to my first 50-miler at the end of the year, organised by (highly recommended) legendstrails.com. As I've got the feeling this was only the first chapter in this story, I'm really looking forward to 2017.
Instead of trying to write something about every run (which wouldn't do justice anyway), I pasted some pictures below. Hope you enjoy them!
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| 24Jan16: experimenting with Injinji-socks on Polar Bear Trail (22k) |
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| 31Jan16: experimenting with riceballs on Meerdaalwoudtrail (25k) |
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| February: training: Bouillon |
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| February: training weekend Spa |
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| 6Mar16: Antwerp Urban Trail (12k) |
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| 12Mar16: Crêtes de Spa (57k / 2096hm) |
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| Crêtes de Spa |
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| Nearing the finish line at Crêtes de Spa (do I smell pizza?) |
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| Crêtes de Spa |
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| April: Preparing for Antwerp Marathon |
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| April: training: Wijngaardberg |
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| 5May16: Abdijentocht (16k) |
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| May: training: Spa |
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| 29may16: Vaalserbergtrail (60k / 1350hm) |
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| June: foggy training on Wijngaardberg |
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| 17Jul16: La Chouffe Trail (50k / 1560hm) |
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| 7Aug16: Tromsø Skyrace (Tromdalstinden, 28k (more like 32k) / 2000hm) |
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| Tromsø Skyrace |
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| Tromsø Skyrace |
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| 24Sep16: Trail des Hautes Fagnes (38k / 951hm) |
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| 9Oct16: Trail du Barrage (31k / 1115hm) |
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| 13Nov16: Marathon Kasterlee |
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| 19Nov16: Lommel Trail (55k) |
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| Lommel Trail |
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| 27Nov16: Olne-Spa-Olne (72k, 2272hm) |
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| Olne-Spa-Olne |
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| 18Dec16: Bello Gallico (80k, "supposedly flat", starting at midnight) |
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| Bello Gallico, 10h later |
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| December: training: Pietersheim & Mechelse Heide |
