Where are you from?

The Netherlands

Current P.R.

3h19

Typical pace

5:10/km – 3h40 marathon

Number of marathons

24 marathons and ultra’s

Occupation

Construction engineer

Favorite marathon

Marathon Rotterdam

Hobbies

Running, adventuring on the trails

Favorite Running Food

Haribo Banana’s

What are you reading now?

A runner’s high – Dean Karnazes

Who do you train with?

Mostly alone in the woods

Personal goals

Reaching 24h in the Dutch Backyard Ultra 2025

A quotation you like…

“There’s no way to un-run an ultramarathon. The world is the same but your view of yourself is now fundamentally different.” - Paul Butzi

Bonus quote: “When everything goes wrong–that’s when adventure starts.”

Why do you run?

I started running a few years ago because it looked so attractive and freeing seeing other people doing it. After finishing my first half marathon I promised myself to never to that again. As of now I finished multiple road marathons and I’m hooked to the trails on which I ran a few 50k’s, 50 mi’s and two 100k’s. And in March 2025 I’ll participate in the Dutch Backyard Ultra to at least make it to 24h and break my first 100mi. It’s awesome to see what your body can handle.

Describe your best marathon memory.

After finishing my first marathon, reaching that distance in a time that I could only dream of, I saw my loved ones right after the finish and just got so emotional. All the energy, all the months of training, all the hours on feet in the cold, rain, early morning and late night, all to get to this moment. It was such a pure emotion in that moment, I’ll never forget that!

Why do you pace?

I love to run and push my boundaries, but I don’t feel the urge to push myself on PR’s in the road marathons. Instead I’d like to go out on the trails and put some serious miles on those shoes and start some adventures. At a point I thought, how great would it be to run those marathons as a training and help people along the way reaching their own goals. After my first pacing duty, for which I was approached only two days prior to the marathon, I was hooked. What an awesome and grateful experience it was! 

Tell us your best pacing experience.

After finishing getting high-fives and hugs from people you haven’t seem the entire race, but who followed you the entire way from a small distance and had such a great help just seeing the back of my head for the entire time. Me just being there was enough for them!

Why should someone run in your pace group?

Ultimately racing a marathon is just putting one foot in front of the other. But there is so much more to that. There are pace strategies, drink posts, maybe a bit of stress, refueling yourself along the way. So many things that keep you out of focus to consistently running your pace for your goal time. I’m there to take over some of those things and motivate you along the way so that you can stay focused on your major achievement.

Any tips for runners about to join your group?

Enjoy the experience! I don’t mean just racing the marathon. The training, all the hours on your feet trying to reach your goal, that is even much a part of that experience. During race day, trust that training process and enjoy the atmosphere!