#13HappyHalves: Quarter of the Year Update (3/13)

“Without leaps of imagination or dreaming, 

we lose the excitement of possibilities. 

Dreaming, after all is a form of planning.” 

― Gloria Steinem

Finally, an update!

I am very happy to tell you all that I am right on track with my "13 Happy Halves" project. :)

Easter Monday, I ran my 3rd half-marathon in the province of Utrecht.

Running De Halve van de Haar was a spontaneous decision; it was not on the original list I created when I planned to run 13 half-marathon races in 2016.

I wanted to close the first quarter of the year with 3 half-marathons and De Halve van de Haar was the perfect choice.

Next year this run will definitely be on my running calendar! Read why in my race recap (to follow!).

"My Dutch Prince" and I in front of  Kasteel de Haar 
after I finished my 3rd marathon!

picture courtesy of Hiro A.

You could read the story behind this picture, here.

In the second weekend of January for my first half-marathon in 2016, I ran Egmond Halve Marathon.


It was the second Egmond Halve Marathon I have ever run; I mentioned about my #13HappyHalves (2016 edition) project for the first time in the blog recapping one of the toughest half-marathon I've ran.

500 meters from the finish

picture courtesy of MeeùsRunClub
by Wietse Visser Photography

Groet uit Schoorl should have been my second half-marathon.  Alas, I had to switch to the 10K distance because of my second round with the flu virus.

I recuperated in time to run a race in February but I did not feel fit enough to run the distance I originally signed up for.  Luckily, there was nothing much to do but show up with my bib and start in the 10K coral. 

I had unfinished business in Groet uit Schoorl, like I had in Egmond; both of these races I coincidentally also ran one month after another  in 2013.

It was a good run, considering all the factors a couple of weeks before the race, and on the day of the race. Please, stay tuned for my race recap. :)


CPC Loop Den Haag is a favorite Spring race here in Holland, and personally it belongs to my top 10 of favorite Dutch races as well.

It should have been my 3rd half if I had ran Groet uit Schoorl and De Halve van de Haar a back up in case I cannot run some of the planned races at the end of the year.

CPC run through the years!

From left to right,
CPC 2013, CPC 2014 and CPC 2015

Sadly, I was trapped in an unfortunate trend!

I was ill a couple of weeks before the CPC race. Yes. Again.  Unbelievable.

Unlike Groet uit Schoorl (my one and only DNF in 2013, ever...), I ran and finished 3 times in this popular half-marathon in the Hague.  I have ran it in different kind of elements, different circumstances and knew the route almost by heart.

These facts made the decision to run it even when I knew my race will not be as I had hoped it will be.

Perhaps others will groan and say, "Not a reasonable decision!"

You can read in my race recap (yes yes, to follow!) why I simply had to run and how I prepared myself mentally and what I did in my recovery period.

What I can share now: I was very happy to have participated and proud of my efforts.

near the start

picture courtesy of MeeùsRunClub
by Wietse Visser Photography

200 meters towards the finish
happy to see Eva beside Wietse

picture courtesy of MeeùsRunClub
by Wietse Visser Photography

soulsisters/solesisters
Eva, Udjen and I
in the train on our way home

We are very proud of our CPC 2016 medals!

A week before De Halve van de Haar, on the first day of Spring, exactly on my 44th birthday I ran Runner´s World Zandvoort Circuit Run for the 3rd time. The first time in the 12 km distance. Previously, I ran 5K, in 2012, and 2014.

Marleen, another running sister generously gave me one of the many start numbers, which her crew - #HALFCRAZYRUNNERSCREW - received as invitation for this event.

It was the first race this year without being fresh out of recuperation. What a joy!

I will share in my race recap why this was the best birthday in the Netherlands, ever. :)

Photo courtesy of

SplitSecond

My next half-marathon will be as a part of relay team in the  Rotterdam Marathon together with Meike! More about it later.

Rotterdam Marathon 2014
in relay team Social Mile
picture courtesy of MeeùsRunClub

Will I see you there?

upper right photo summarizes the 3 half marathons from the first quarter of the year
from bottom: Egmond Halve Marathon
middle: CPC Loop Den Haag
top: De Halve van de Haar

Photo on the left of the collage courtesy of
SplitSecond