Relay run 2007

To celebrate the 30th anniversary of the EPO, a relay run from the Haque to Munich has being organised, similar to the 1997 relay. The relay was run from 5-8 October. Here follows an update of the preparations and the run.

- Update 08-10-2007

- Update 04-10-2007

- Update 01-10-2007

- Update 17-09-2007

- Update 14-09-2007

- Update 03-09-2007

- Update 04-06-2007

- Update 29-05-2007

- Update 22-05-2007

- Update 14-05-2007

08-10-2007

Wilkommen in München

The relay runners arrived to heartfelt applause at the Isar building
It was a hard weekend, including two nights running under the stars and trying to survive on an average of three hours' sleep per night. Some suffered minor injuries and unfortunately one runner had to be replaced.

On the technical side, they experienced electrical problems in the minibus which prevented them from uploading their GPS, fuses had to be replaced and the batteries ran out on one of the supporter's bike lights (making night time running difficult).

Still, it didn't stop them and they made it to Munich. 900 kilometres are behind them and now they just have to enjoy their success. When asked if they would do it again, Nathalie Pierre said: "ask me in ten years" and told us that she was looking forward to a dinner "which didn't include pasta, rice or bananas".

A big congratulations to all of them. It is a fantastic achievement.

The route is described online and more photos will follow.


08.10.07 | Author: Mary Kennedy, Internal Communication 

04-10-2007

Come and wave them off

Relay run starts tomorrow, 5 October, at 10.00. Coffee will be served from 09.30
A year of training and preparation is behind them, a long road is ahead of them. The last-minute preparations are underway. All they have to do now is to load up the minibus and to hit the road.

The relay run to mark the 30th anniversary of the EPO will start on Friday 5 October at ten o'clock at the Hinge building. Coffee will be served outside from 09.30 hrs.

Over the following three days these 12 runners and 12 supporters will cover a track of over 900 kilometres, passing about 250 villages and cities. This means that each person will run an average of 75-85 kilometres.

Who are the runners and supporters?

- Top, from left to right: Peter Bosma, Jos Van den Berg, Renan Menier, Marc Van Dooren, Eric Van Den Bossche, Ragnar Katerbau, Emily Kleboe, Nicolas Ruchaud, Patricia Neys, Hein Jaeger, Florent Lina, Rob de Jager, Olivier Krikorian
- Bottom, from left to right: Willem Van der Klugt, Jean-Luc Ernst, Wim van Klompenburg, Bert Van Bommel, Marta Moreno, Daniel Charles, Nathalie Pierre, Coen de Jong
- "On the floor":Guus Sarneel

The track goes from Rijswijk, via Roermond, where the runners cross the German border, then carrying on via Worms and Heidelberg to Munich, passing the PschorrHöfe before arriving at the Isar building. President Brimelow will meet the runners in Munich and will slip on her running shoes to join them for the last 500 metres. The runners hope to reach the Isar building on Monday 8 October at 16.00 hrs.

This is the second time the run has taken place. The first time was to mark the 20th anniversary of the EPO in 1997. Some of the original participants are taking place again, whilst for others it is a completely new experience. "We are bursting with impatience, but keeping focussed", is the general feeling amongst the team as the D-Day draws closer. Further details about the team are in this month's Gazette.

We can't all run with them, but we can give them our full support. Come along, wish them well and wave them off on Friday.

01-10-2007

On your marks, get set, RUN!

Only 4 days to go before our 12 runners hit the streets from The Hague to Munich
A year of training and preparation is behind them, a long road is ahead of them. The last-minute preparations are underway. All they have to do now is to load up the minibus and to hit the road.

The relay run to mark the 30th anniversary of the EPO will start on Friday 5 October at ten o'clock at the Hinge building.

Over the following three days 12 runners and 12 supporters will cover a track of over 900 kilometres, passing about 250 villages and cities. This means that each person will run an average of 75-85 kilometres.

The track goes from Rijswijk in the province of Noord-Brabant, via Roermond, where the runners cross the German border, then carrying on via Worms and Heidelberg to Munich, passing the PschorrHöfe before arriving at the Isar building. President Brimelow will meet the runners in Munich and will slip on her running shoes to join them for the last 500 metres. The runners hope to reach the Isar building on Monday 8 October at 16.00 hrs.

This is the second time the run has taken place. The first time was to mark the 20th anniversary of the EPO in 1997. Some of the original participants are taking place again, whilst for others it is a completely new experience. "We are bursting with impatience, but keeping focussed", is the general feeling amongst the team as the D-Day draws closer.

We can't all run with them, but we can give them our full support. Come along, wish them well and wave them off on Friday.

01.10.07 | Author: Mary Kennedy, Internal Communication 

17-09-2007

On Sunday, from 04:00 (!) till 10:00 we had another excellent training, I agree with Eric.

The plan was to run the first six hours of the "official track", partly in the dark, and partly in daylight.

It was typical that all participants were present before 4 o'clock, although we all found it early.
There were three runners form team one (Alain, Rob and Bert) and three from team 2 (Marta, Nathalie, and Wim)
The support team was formed by Eric and Patricia (team 1), and Ragnar and Hein (team 2).
We had Ragnar's and Hein's minivans accompanying us, and two bikes.

Runners ran with 2 together for 10 minutes, having two shifts of resting afterwards.
Since we almost filled the six hours, we all had eleven shifts to run.
Running during the night is different and difficult, but running during dawning daylight is wonderful.
Of course we all felt the legs at the end, but it was a successful training.

More important was the training and the experience for the support team.
They were taught by Ragnar and Eric about the working of the Garmins and TomTom, and all did a substantial biking shift.
We overcame some problem points where we had a "split route" (bus and runner/biker together not possible).
Also some things happened from which we learnt a lot for the actual relay on 5 October.
But apart from a lost biker, and a few detours, all went well in the end......

As always the atmosphere was very good, and made the tasks lighter.

Although the runners always feel a bit like "little heroes", the value and importance of the supporting team cannot be emphasized enoughly.
Ragnar, Patricia, Hein and Eric, you all did a fine job!

For me personally the training was good in the sense that it gave me more confidence for the real event, and makes me look forward to it even more.


Bert

Yes, wonderful training and major fun I thought, thanks for your trust and sorry that I pushed you all a bit for a 4 a.m. start, but we were rewarded with a beautiful day and some insights!

The Garmins are adapted with the backlight problems solved, and Tracks should always stay up now. The newly discovered route splits are added in both Garmin and TomTom.


Ragnar

14-09-2007

•  Three weeks before Relay D-Day

Training on Sunday

Today, it is exactly three weeks before the Relay Run will take place for the second time. The first Relay Run was held 10 years ago to celebrate the EPO's 20th anniversary, and with a new decade of the office to celebrate this year, another Relay Run will start on Friday 5 October.

Some people might think it is incredible that a group of 12 runners will run from the EPO premises in The Hague to our colleagues in Munich in only four days, but most of all, it is worth a big applause.

In the last couple of months, a long preparation period and many training sessions have been done to work on that one ultimate goal: to cover the track of more than 890 kilometers to Munich. Only one group training session hadn't been done yet: to run and support during the night. How will it be to run during the night? And how is it to work with a GPS when it is dark outside? The runners and supporters will find out soon, as they will come out of bed real early this Sunday. At 4 a.m. when you and I are probably still a sleep, or perhaps have not even gone to sleep yet after a long night of dancing, the runners and supporters will have this important training on the road to Munich.

A big applause from my side to all the runners and supporters. Keep up the good work!

14.09.07 | Author: Maike van Kempen., Internal communication | 

03-09-2007

On Friday 5 October the starting time will be at 10:00 hrs.
This will give enough time to arrive around lunchtime Monday 8 October in Munich
There will be made some advertisement so that colleagues in TH can wave goodbye, and colleagues in MU can say hello.

The teams will be as follows:

Team 1 will start running; team 2 will take over after 75km, etc.


Last Sunday the teams had a brilliant training event (50km Rondje Voorne, in teams of three).
Good attendance, good result, beautiful weather, and lots of fun.
Furthermore, it seems to be such that all runners are in good shape , no injuries, etc.
Next training event (50 km celebrities run) in Blaricum on Sunday 16 September.

04-06-2007

1. Last Friday 1 June we had our second successful relay training.
We started from the office at 16:30 with a team of eight runners (Nathalie, Marta, ALain, Guus, Rob, Wim, Marc and Bert) and three support bikers (Ragnar, Peter and Eric).
Unexpectedly fine weather, and expectedly beautiful scenery kept us busy for 39,4 km and 3 hours 20 minutes.
A net average speed (of the runners) was achieved of 12.4 km/hour, which is at least promising.

We all felt that it went better than last time, in the sense of leg-feeling.
Furthermore, we have to say that our ladies (Marta and Nathalie) were again running great!
We saw a lot of small villages, small rabbits and big dogs, and were able to find an almost car-free track of almost 40 km.
After the run, we had as usual, a pleasant getting together with a shower (individual), a few drinks, and beautiful sandwiches made by Bert's wife Janny.

NB Eric has made some nice pictures and a brilliant video of the training last Friday.
Check it out. Thanks Eric.

2. Next event is the 24 hours test relay on 22/23 June.
Team members will hear more from me about this today.

3. Jos has been operated (eye) and has to take it easy for quite some time.
We wish him well, and hope he will recover in time.

4. Two new team members have been added to the distribution list: Jean-Luc Ernst and Emine Horay.
We welcome them to the team and hope to see them soon

>> Maaike , please, have a look at the pictures on the P-drive for the article in the Gazette

All the best.
Bert.

PS. You can check out the track on the website below (bottom line, try "player"):

http://trail.motionbased.com /trail/invitation/email/accept .mb?senderPk.pkValue=20315 &unitSystemPkValue=1&episodePk .pkValue=2898397&backgroundData sourcePk.pkValue=23

29-05-2007

Here is a reminder for the relay training next Friday 1 June .

So far Alain, Wim, Nathalie, Marc, Jos, Guus, Rob and Bert will take part as runner.
Patrick cannot come this time, and Willem, Avo and Marta still have to reply.
Also Olivier may take part as a runner to make the number even.

We will be accompanied by some of the bikers of the team: Peter, Eric, Ragnar and probably Jaap .

I assume the bikers will take their own bike. Furthermore, Wim, Nathalie, Marc, Guus and Bert will take a bike for the running relay.
We might need one more bike, if we are twelve (Rob?).

Important: Please, bring your dry clothes to Rob (Main 15.37), Guus (24.49) or me (C02D02) on Friday morning at the latest.

At Friday lunchtime, Ragnar, Guus, and I will place our cars in Naaldwijk (for the return) and Rob will come along to take us back to the office.

We will leave at 16:30 on Friday 1 June, and arrive at around 20:00 to have a shower, a beer (or a tea), and a sandwich.

Looking forward, and See you later!

PS. Maaike asked us to take some pictures on Friday to accompane the article in the June Gazette.

22-05-2007

1. Next week Friday 1 June, the runners will have their second relay training (bike and run) form the EPO to my place in Naaldwijk.
I tried the track, and it is 39,2 km, mainly car-free, and very beautiful, as we can expect from the Westland.
We will visit Rijswijk, Sion, De Bonte Haas, Kwintsheul, Uithof, Madesteijn, Ockenburgh, Ter Heijde, Hoek van Holland, Staelduyn, and of course Naaldwijk.
In Naaldwijk we can have a shower, a drink and something to eat.

Although the "supporting members" would be welcome to join, their participation should be restricted.
Last time we learnt, that the transport of the bikes, and transport back to the office, is something not easy to arrange, even for the runners only.

In order for the arrangements to be made I would like to know well in advance who will join the training, and who can bring a bike .
Next week Tuesday I'll send a reminder.

2. On Friday 22 and Saturday 23 June we will have the 24 hours test relay .
Then, of course, every member of the team is expected to come along, and fulfill his/her task(s).
This is on the one hand again a training, but on the other also a test whether the logistics work in the way we planned.
And it is a test of the first part of the track to Munich.

14-05-2007

Last Friday afternoon (11 May) the relay running team had its first "relay training".
The idea was to run to the home of one of our members (Guus) in Roelofarendsveen from the office; a distance of about 35 km.
We planned to run in teams of two: one runner and one cyclist. After ten minutes the roles would change without losing time.

It worked perfectly. Certainly if you take into account that we were with 11 members in order to make it a bit more difficult.
This meant 6 runners, and 5 cyclists, and some runners had to run two shifts (20 minutes) instead of one (10 minutes).
That was surely a call upon the team spirit: who runs the next double shift and when? Sounds chaotic, but it worked.
A bit of improvisation was needed; something we will surely need when the real run is there.

The weather was very kind to us. The whole day we saw it raining, but when we started it had stopped, and we only had the wind blowing in our backs.
One of the "support members" (Peter) accompanied us by bike which was cordially welcomed by the runners.

The two lady runners and nine men runners arrived after 2 hours and 51 minutes at Guus' place, where we were warmly received with a well deserved beer, a shower, and something to eat.
It was a success, both in the sense of physical training and in the sense of team building.

Next training of this kind is on Friday 1 June, when we run 40 km to Naaldwijk (to Bert's place).