TCS Amsterdam Marathon – new track record!

One of the privileges of being a member of the administrative commission of the sports event organisation ‘Le Champion’ is that I am invited for sport events like the TCS Amsterdam Marathon. A yearly great event where you personally can set records, be an enthusiastic spectator and / or meeting interesting (new) relatives. Or a combination of these of course.

A picture of the start:

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The volunteers are working weeks / days in advance to make this event happen for more than 40.000 athletes. Therefor sincere and great appreciation for them! And it pays off! A new track record was realized by Daniel Wanjiru in the time of 2:05:20 (average speed 20.2 km/h!) on the marathon. Incredible! Congrats!

Heliolympics 2016

As a follow-up to the Olympic and Paralympic Games in Rio, the rehabilition centre ‘Heliomare‘ organizes the so called Heliolympics. Heliomare supports (potentially) Logo Heliolympicsdisabled people. The rehabilitation centre offers specialised medical rehabilitation for children, youngsters and adults with a physical and / or multiple disability or a traumatic brain injury. Rehabilitation supports them in their pursuit of maximum independence.

As part of this rehabilition process, the Heliolympics are organised. Great to see that some of the former clients of Heliomare return at the centre as a Paralympic champion! A perfect motivation for all the other clients.

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Because I really believe in this kind of events and the (extra) goal behind it, I tried to find sponsors for the Heliolympics. Beside that, my personal goal was to take care of the medals and I am very pleased that I succeeded. “Everyone who participates in one or more sport disciplines deserves a medal. It gives the athletes a proud feeling and after the Heliolympics it is a good memory.” At least, that is my opinion.

20160922_10130520160922_104019In Brazilian atmosphere the opening was a party on it’s own. In the weeks between 22 September and 6 October, more than 2.000 clients were able to join several sport disciplines. Acceptance, integration, shift boundaries and conviviality are paramount this period. What a great initiative. A lot of people can and should learn from this event and their athletes!

I DID IT!

Today I did it! Anet and half marathon Disneyland Paris

I ran my first half marathon!

So proud!

And it was not just ‘a’ marathon. It was also the first half marathon of Disneyland Paris!

A year ago, my husband challenged me to run this half marathon. The reason why we choose Disneyland Paris is that we both have special memories to this place. Beside that I stopped running a couple of years ago and I was looking for a new challenge. Now I had one.

So after a year of hard training (thanks to the local athletes association AVH), a lot of 20160925_102026running kilometers / miles (it started with the first meters), ‘blood, sweat and tears’ (due to a persistant injury in the last stadium of the preparation), the help of a physical therapist and sports masseur, and of course the support of my husband, family and friends, I did it! So proud!

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Special open day Cruyff Foundation

This is again one of the most exciting days of the year. At least, for me. Today is the yearly open day of the Cruyff Foundation. More than 1.000 children take part and they are able to join 30 different sport disciplines.

Due to work related activities I was not able to join the volunteer team in the morning. The advantage is that the moment I arrived, the Olympic Stadion was already an 20160921_142816atmospheric place where children were waiting to go in order to start sporting. A lot of famous Dutch (sport) personalities are joining them. One of them is Danny, the wife of founder Johan Cruyff. She was also present during previous editions of the open days, but this was the first time for her in the spotlights. Johan passed away earlier this year and she wants to keep his legacy alive. An emotional moment! Good to see her and with her, all the excited faces of the participants. It was (again) a great day!

And this is a picture of the Cruyff Foundation team, the volunteers and (a part of) the famous Dutch celebrities who made this day possible:

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European Baseball Championship

This year from 9-18 September the European Baseball Championship took place in Logo EC Baseballthe Netherlands, more specific the sports accommodation of the Hoofddorpse Baseball club Pioniers. An amazing location with American MLB (Major League Baseball) professional standards. Unique in Europe!

I am a member of the ETO (the operator of the sports accommodation) strategic think tank. So you can image that I am really proud to host the European Championships!

EC Baseball 2016

The organisation and Dutch team were very succesfull this tournament. Every day more than 10.000 spectators visited the event and there was live broadcasting on the Dutch television. And the Dutch team won all their matches, including the final against Spain. The final was a thrill seeking one and ‘we’ did it: European Champion! Congrats!

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European Championship Athletics 2016

AthleticsLogoAdam2016From 6 till 10 July 2016 the European Championship Athletics 2016 is organised in Amsterdam. I am one of the 1.750 volunteers during this mega sports event in the Netherlands: the largest sports event after the Olympic Games in 1928!

If you want to read my experiences before, during and after this event, please read ‘Weblog EK Atletiek 2016’ (it is in Dutch). Have fun!

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Commemoration Johan and let’s play!

WP_20160513_030This is the first event after Johan Cruijff passed away. Therefor it feels a bit strange to go to the Olympic Stadion for the Johan Cruyff Foundation Cup. Unconsciously I am looking for him, because he was always there during the events of the Foundation. This will be a very special day.

About 500 enthusiastic atletes, including about 30 famous Dutch (sports) people, are ready to play football in order to win the Foundation Cup. But before we start, there is a commemoration. I am also part of this. On behalf of the volunteers, I am 1 of the 4 representatives to offer Catole Thate as the representative of the Cruijff family a gift that 1 – is personal (it is made of personal pictures, and 2 – has the message ‘we as volunteers keep up the good work of Johan’. Before we handover the gift I am the one that speak to all the attendees in the stadium. A special moment for me! The whole commemoration is very intense and beautiful. A couple of people are crying. That is ok, of course. That shows the dedication. We will all remember Johan Cruijff and more important, we will continue his work, his legacy!

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And then it is time to play football! That is what Johan wanted and that is what we are going to do. It is a perfect day with a lot of sunshine (Of course, would Johan say, why not?!). To be honest I really do not know which team eventually won the Cup. That is not important. We had a great day together. And that is what this is all about.

Thank you all!

Johan Cruijff 14k Run

TodayDSCN1607 the very first Johan Cruijff 14k Run is organized, on Johans birthday. So this run is in his memory. 100 sportive athletes who are one way or another connected to the Cruyff Family (Foundation, Insitute, University and College) are going to run 14 kilometers through Amsterdam. They are going to pass several Cruijff highlights like the house where he was born. The finish is at the Olympic Stadium.

The run is a little bit too early and it is a little bit too far for me at the moment; maybe next year. That is why I am part of the organization today: great to be part of this event!

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All athletes are forming the famous number 14. One minute of silence: impressive!    And then… off they go!!! Thank to ‘De losse veter’ you can watch a great video with an impression of the run. #proud #greatteam #14forever

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Cruyff Foundation 14K

My first half marathon

run-disney-logo-dlp-586x420[1]Since the end of last year I am training and preparing myself for my first half marathon. What a challenge! At least for me it is! It will take place in September, in the European amusement park, Disneyland Paris. It is also the first time they organize a half marathon.

With the help of the local athletic club AVH (Atletiek Vereniging Haarlemmermeer), the support of my husband (he will also participate in this run), personal discipline, hard work and fun, it should work. Beside that I also partipate in several great runs in the Netherlands, like the Circuit Run in Zandvoort (March 20, 12k) and the Rode Kruis Bloesemrun (April 15, 11,4k). I am still right on track!

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RIP Johan Cruijff

“The world lost a football legend,

The family lost a husband, father, ‘opa’,

I lost my (sports) inspirator.”

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Thank you so much for everything Johan!