For those of you who don't remember me going on about it the last time around, the Dam tot Damloop is an annual ten mile road race between Amsterdam and nearby Zaandam. However, 'nearby' isn't the word that springs to mind when you're running there. In fact, to a plod-along runner like me, it seems like an awful long way.
This year I was busy (not) training (enough) for the race. Hence the reason why I managed to complete eight minutes slower than the last time I did it in 2003. On a more positive note, I'm happy to be back (I had to drop out last year due to injury) and am full of ambitious training plans for next year. I swore blind that I would 'retire' gracefully after this one, but already I'm declaring my commitment to a series of gruelling early-morning workouts. I'm putting it down to post-race euphoria.
After all, the Damloop is a pretty special event. I don't particularly like the muscle soreness, but the atmosphere is addictive. Just when you start to get fed up with the pavement pounding, something distracts you from it - like one of the enthusiastic crowd members throwing a banana or giving a nonsensical commentary through a home-made loud-hailer. That, plus the fact that there's a fair share of guys with toned rear-views in lycra to focus on. The highlight for me was the start line. I waved at the amazing Paula Radcliffe, who was standing on a platform above us. As the music started to build and we began to surge forward to begin the race I definitely felt the little hairs on the back of my neck stand up. This must be the reason why 30,000 runners chose to take part this year!
Peter was also running this year, and did a fantastic job! I'd like to say that I ran alongside him, but I'm afraid he's much too fast for that.
This year I had the extra responsibility of organising all eighty of the runners from our work team. This involved a few months of preparation leading up to the big day. On sunday it was a case of showing up early at the start area and trying to fight the crowds so that everyone got to the right place at the right time, running the race, then throwing a big party at the end of it. I was fit to drop at the end of the day, but I was frightened to sit down for fear that it may not be possible to stand up again. Luckily I didn't have to sleep on the floor of the hospitality tent however, and I was safely tucked up in bed before long feeling very proud of myself and also a bit like I'd been hit by a truck.
Click HERE for all the photos...
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