On November 1st I set out to run the Streek-GR Mol Om in anti-clockwise direction starting from sports complex Den Uyt. I carry a pack with 2L water reservoir and sufficient fruit gellies and energy bars to compete the loop unsupported. I was unfamiliar with the route and hadn’t studied it in great detail, but put the route on my watch and phone hoping this would easy navigation on points where the route marking was less clear.
I started off at a pace that seemed sustainable and was surprised to find that this was well within the 11 km/h which I had in the back of my mind, as my legs hadn’t been very cooperative in the weeks prior to this attempt. During the first unpaved sections through the Molse Nete (nature reserve) I didn’t seem to slow down a whole lot. But within 1.5h my legs started to feel very heavy and I was anxious what this would mean for the remainder of the journey.
Luckily the nicest stretch of the route along the lakes Put van Rauw, De Maat en Kanaalput is coming up and I really enjoy running in this environment that’s quite different to my training ground, with more sandy soil and open landscapes. Towards the end of this NE loop my pace feels slower, but the numbers on my watch don’t cease to surprise me. I have roughly covered 46 km in 4h, so finishing within 8h seems manageable.
The last 3rd of the route contains a bit too much stretches through residential areas to my liking, but on the other hand I am constantly pushing to keep the pace within target. I start running low on water during the last hour and take the bladder out of my pack to sip the last drops. I recognize the finish only after the penultimate bend, but only managed to accelerate in the last 100m finishing the route in 7:52:59.