At the closing Mooie Nel Cross of the RunX Running Circuit, Jesse Niesing and Lotte van Dijk took first place in the men's and women's categories, respectively. Both athletes from Koos Kiers's team were also the overall winners.
A record 350 participants took part in the fourth and final running event of the circuit, held on and around the "Teletubbie Hill" in the Waarderpolder. The event was organized by Haarlem Athletics and Running Group 03.
Schoorl
The runners themselves had mixed experiences with the wind and cold. Van Dijk was one of them, completing the 4,6 kilometers in 17 minutes and 26 seconds. "Short sleeves weren't a good choice. I have to admit, a muddy surface is also fun. A bit of sliding is part of a cross-country race," said Van Dijk. "Today was a wonderful run. Last week I ran 30 kilometers in Schoorl. I could still feel it a bit in my legs."
Nienke de Graaf crossed the finish line second (19,06) next to the bike path in front of Pavilion Loef. When asked if she preferred mud or cold, she had a short and succinct answer: "Neither. Give me the track. Anything you can run there is better. On to summer."
The cold didn't stop a record 350 participants from taking part in the Mooie Nel Cross. © Photo Rob van Wieringen/United Photos
Just as both women were still panting from their efforts, Jesse Niesing had already crossed the start-finish line for the third time. The Spaarndammer initially had Corné Timmer hot on his heels, but saw his lead grow with each lap. His finishing time was 31:51. "I crashed in the first lap, but I knew I had to stay ahead of him. Luckily, I can handle the cold." Timmer (33:28) reflected on a "great race." "I'm quite a power runner, so I prefer a firm surface like today."
Height differences
Cyril Mica (37:41) finished a difficult week at Schoteroog. "I buried my father, Hans, yesterday. I had to walk it off. It's still a tough course with all those elevation changes." Veteran running athlete Johan Neve (40:06) received plenty of encouragement at his finish. "I had a great weekend. Last night I became Dutch indoor champion for 65+ in the three-kilometer race in Apeldoorn. Today I secured my circuit classification."
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