CPC Report
The NS timed their rail works perfectly so that on such a busy Sunday, there would be no trains to Den Haag Centraal. The wind also did something unusual: it was a cold easterly, meaning that athletes would face a headwind over the last three or so kilometre. It was ‘only’ a Level 3 wind, but those who had gone out too hard wouldn’t find any wind assistance to bring them home. Club photographer, Erik van Leeuwen was also in a different position this year: taking his shots from somewhere around kilometre two, rather than closer to kilometre four or so. I doubt there is an athlete who doesn’t look faster than when Erik takes a photo of her or him.
Marco van Erp finished on the first page of the Uitslagen, coming in 14th, in a time of 1:07:12. Friend of the club, Johannes Kifle, running under Leon Huiszoon’s registration* scored the cracking time of 1:05:56. Philip Wong came in 24th with 1:09 - a time which he forecasted prior to the race. Bereket, sneaked under 1:10 by a couple of seconds and was 7th in the M35. Zeb Beelen in his half-marathon debut got 1:10:26. All of the above can no doubt look forward to bettering these times. Whether or not the real Leon will be able to do so, is another question :) (I’m also curious about when van Erp will make his marathon debut.)
LA also had quite a number of athletes who came in a bit further down the pecking order (in no particular order): Maikel Stolwijk, Joao Seixas (PB), Thijs Talboom, Timo Maarleveld (PB), Jan Berkhout, Martijn Nagtegaal, Learoy Alcock, Levi Winkelman (1:18 on half marathon debut and with minimal training) and myself (PB). Emma Houchell (racing for Air Products 1) was making her first race post-Valencia-marathon, came in with a healthy 1:18. Suzanne van Wijck was doing her first half-marathon in a long time (1:26). Marit de Roij and Martine Hendriksen, got similar times of 1:39. Timo’s performance was one of the stand outs since his time of 1:13:30 was a two minute plus PB. Many of the Bram-Han group are in the midst of Rotterdam Marathon preparation so hopefully we learned a thing or two about how to approach the lead in and the race itself.
Logistics are part of the game and I will have to remember for next time: owing to the crowds on the Malieveld Plein it is best to check in baggage prior to going for a warm up run. It was a tight schedule for a few of us to get back from a little round of the Haagse Bos and then make it to our startvaks on time.
*Huiszoon tried to have the name corrected to match Johanne’s, however, the CPC organisers remained stubbornly unmoved and so forever it stands under his name.
