It will be the fourth time that Niesten participates in the Egmond Half Marathon, the third time for Ummels. It’s been a while since her last participation. Due to injuries, she last played in the coastal village in 2019.
The run in Egmond is one that both runners look forward to every time. “That is due to its special character,” said Niesten, Dutch champion in the 10,000 meters in 2022. “Walking on the beach is of course unique. That happens almost nowhere and certainly not at such a big event as Egmond. And the weather is Usually quite tough. There is often a lot of wind.”
The influence of the weather is great
That is why Egmond is unique in terms of performance, the two runners believe. “It’s really a battle against the elements,” says Ummels. “This is not a race where you can run for a PR (personal record, ed.). The wind conditions on the beach largely determine the tactics of the race. You have to learn to play with the elements and the weather.”
“It’s not about your end time at all,” Niesten adds. “Normally in running everyone looks at what time you run, but in Egmond that is not an issue at all. It means nothing at all if you run three minutes faster one year than the next, purely due to the influence of the weather. “
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