People in their twenties also get infected with the ‘Four Days Marches Virus’. ‘The Lawa is a good distraction from all screens’

“Your eggs are frozen, Gerta!” Says a woman on a camping chair while she peels a cooked egg. Get them in response.

The eggs distribute the women to participants of the Nijmegen Four Days Marches that pass by – that is tradition. Along the entire route are residents of the villages where the participants walk through, to encourage them. A group of forties turns ‘I count to three’ from Guus Meeuwis while they wave their hands in the air. Two young children hand out pieces of cucumber on the walkers. An older child tries to sell English licorice. He looks tired.

The walkers, on the other hand, look mundane. It is therefore only day one of the walking event, which lasts this year from Tuesday 15 to Friday 18 July. 47,000 people registered for this eidition. The average age has fallen in recent years. Was it another 53 years in 2019, this year it is 47.2 years. Especially the age category 21 to 30 years is growing, while the share for all age categories from the age of forty has fallen compared to last year.

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“I notice that peers think it is cool that I am participating in an event that is known as dull,” says participant Janne Toonen (30). “That dull character goes a bit so slowly.” She is in the grass at a resting point. The rows for the dixies are long. She wears the same light blue shirt as her friend Dorrit van Galen (30), who sits next to her.

“And I see around me that people want to challenge themselves,” says Van Galen. “You will also notice that in the increasing popularity of a competition like Hyrox [acht kilometer hardlopen afgewisseld met acht fitnessoefeningen]. ” The challenge also plays a role for the two girlfriends: “It is now my third time, while I really wanted to participate once; I have the four -day virus.” Toonen: “I also just thought it would be fun to experience the event from the other side, after I went to the Four Days Marches for years.”

Hut trips

Merel Wierenga (22) lies with her legs up in the grass – good for blood flow and recovery. Her sister Sanne Wierenga (25) sticks a blister plaster on her toe. Their girlfriend Inez Karthaus (22) describes the Four Days Marches as “a sporting achievement with a lot of fun on the road”. That’s why she participates. Sanne has started walking more since Corona, she says. She sees with many students that the ‘Lawa’ has become popular – an abbreviation for ‘long walk’. “Nice long walk in nature and then a coffee.” Karthaus: “And hut trips in the summer! I hear that more and more often.”

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“Gas on that lollie, watch me go-ga go!” Feestdjruud sounds from a box that a walker carries with him. In the meantime, men in fluorescent vests shout: “Last round, last opportunities!” They have spread between the walkers to perforate the control cards. Participants who do not let that do not receive a four -day cross, after four days, the reward for the end of the Four Days Marches.

Strava

At one of the last resting points, Tim Bergmann (26) is exhausted in the grass. He went with a friend asked – “then you have to” – but they no longer walk together. Bergmann sees up tomorrow, he cannot imagine that he will walk again the Four Days Marches, but others said that from his walking group after the first time too. That group first consisted of three people, now they are nine.

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“You just put down an achievement,” says Bergmann. “It’s nice to work somewhere.” During the event itself, but also with training. “Otherwise I will be on the couch.” He also liked that about the marathon, which he recently ran. And yes, he shared his marathon age on Instagram. He will probably not share anything about the Four Days Marches, because he is not that active on social media either. He looks at his smartwatch. “Although I Strava [een app waarmee je je sportactiviteit met vrienden kunt delen] Now have it on. ” So his route and time traveled will soon appear.

Also with Naomi Kemps (26) and Lars Mulder (27), who rest a little further away, there was a chain reaction. Kemps wanted to participate in the Four Days Marches because a friend suggested it – they often go on a walking holiday together. Mulder thought it was uncomfortable that he would see his girlfriend less because of the training and therefore registered.

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Mulder also liked to walk. Trips of about 25 kilometers through nature. “It’s a good distraction from all the screens. At such a distance you think of other things.” Whether that also succeeds at such a busy event, he still has to ‘experience’. “But during those training weekends together I could really empty my head.”

The first day is almost over. A couple in the fifty is gone of the grass. This is difficult for the woman. “We are almost there, honey,” says the man. “Three more days.” He starts to laugh hard.

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