From Christmas breakfast to a sporty running race: on Boxing Day it’s 48 in Opmeerst time a tradition to participate in the Christmas cross. And that means tying the shoelaces, getting dirty legs, but above all having a lot of fun together. “We are walking for Grandpa Jan today. He founded the Christmas Cross and unfortunately was not allowed to experience it again.”
Jan Peereboom (83) was chairman of the Christmas cross for 32 years – NH News
Young and old are at the start, from inexperienced to participants for the North Holland Cross Championship. After days with a lot of food, the Christmas kilos can finally be run off. And where one runs for pleasure, the other runs for a family member. “We run for our grandfather Jan,” says the daughter of former Christmas cross chairman Jan Peereboom (83), who died on November 6. Peereboom was co-founder of the beloved running event and was chairman for 32 years.
“Unfortunately he was not allowed to experience this anymore, but he was with us today,” the daughter continues. “We saw the rainbow. Although we are not superstitious, it was symbolically very beautiful to see.”
Distances
It took some getting used to for the organization that after two years of absence – due to corona – today all those visitors are bashing through the meadows again. “It is and remains a beautiful sight,” says chairman Ruud Beerepoot. “Today, as usual, there are different distances to run. This morning there was the 800 meters, then the 5 kilometers and this afternoon comes the heavy violence: the 10 kilometers.”
Beerepoot is very satisfied with the course of the event and the now deceased Peereboom is very grateful for his years of loyal service. “He helped us until his death.”
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