‘Don’t come to the center of Waalwijk anymore’. This is the call made by the organization of De 80 van de Langstraat, the 80 kilometer long walking march with start and finish in Waalwijk. Dozens of participants are overcome by the heat and the deployment of emergency services has been scaled up to maximum.
About 2,100 people started in Waalwijk on Saturday evening. “About 1,800 of them were in on Sunday afternoon at five o’clock,” says Thijs van Beurden of the organization. Participants may finish no later than half past six this afternoon. This means they can take an hour and a half longer than according to the official rules of a Kennedy march. Normally the 80 kilometers must be covered within 20 hours.
In total, about 600 incidents were counted, Van Beurden knows. “But this also concerns participants with blisters. If we look at the more serious cases, where an ambulance was required, we arrive at 25. Normally this is between 10 and 15.”
Despite the heat, the organizer believes it was responsible to continue the event. “We have already taken measures in advance. Extra water points, more medical workers, extra volunteers. And today we have been driving a car behind the last walkers all day.” These can be removed from the event in an emergency. “But most of them have such a drive to reach the finish line. It’s difficult to put handcuffs on them and take them away.”
Just before the finish, a girl tries to cool her head with wet cloths. She is officially ‘finished’, she says. “I fainted last night. The heat makes it feel like 50 degrees. But now I’m walking the last part with Dad again.”
A present, because that dad is celebrating his birthday on Sunday. Although it takes effort to enjoy it. “It’s very tough. The weather is really disastrous. Are you crazy if you walk that far in this heat? Very crazy.”