Three races remaining for 2026

For the remainder of 2026 I still have three races to go. I'm currently preparing by training hard but focusing on keeping my training load balanced to avoid any more injuries. I'm mainly doing one or two easy runs on the shorter side, one hard session (either a Norwegian 4x4 or hill repeats) and one long run each week. I think this gives me a good balance of training and recovery, while improving my vo2max over time.

The most important race for me this year is once again the MS Motion 10k where we raise money for research into multiple sclerosis. I have been running this race for two years now and it quickly became a favorite. This race will be on the 20th of September so I have a few weeks left to prepare properly. If I can keep my injury at bay, the goal is to get under 53 minutes which I did last year with an active injury. I think it's a realistic goal to have.

Then on the 31st of October I will be running the 25k during the 11 Strandentocht which exists to raise money for the Dutch heart foundation. This is a race across the beach and the hardest one I'll do all year. Really looking forward to this one, though! Weather permitting...

To close the year I'll once again be running the DSW Bruggenloop in Rotterdam, which is a 15k race. I'm gonna run this one just to enjoy the atmosphere and the city.

I'm already looking at the races I want to do in 2027 and I think I want to do more trail runs and longer distances. The goal is not really to go faster, but to go longer and enjoy the experience more. Doing it without injuries is the main goal though, so I have to keep focusing on that despite my ambitions.