Elfstedentocht on inline skates
During the last century the “Elfstedentocht” (Eleven cities tour) on ice of around 200 km could be organized 14 times. There is a speed skating race and a tour. The tour skaters had to skate the 200 km in one day starting early in the morning and had to arrive before 12 at night. Sometimes this was only possible for very few people. For example in 1963 less than 70 finished while 11000 skaters started that day. This made the tour extremely popular and the people who finished the tour became heros. Unfortunately this event has not been possible since 1993 due to the climate change. Therefore people like to do this tour now on bicycles, walking, recently even swimming. The tour which is most similar to the original one is the Eleven cities tour on inline skates. The ice tour starts in Leeuwarden, the capital of the provence Friesland, and ends there also. The tour on inline skates starts in Bantega close to Sloten and ends there also but otherwise this tour follows approximately the same route along the eleven cities as the famous ice skating tour. That this tour on inline skates is also not easy but is exciting shows the report of Karen Smit about her recent experience.
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The eleven cities tour of Karen Smit
Every two years, in the absence of ice, the “Elfstedentocht” (Eleven cities tour of 225km) on wheels takes place. My skating club in Utrecht always wants to participate. This year it was Maurice and me who would go there. In addition to encouragement, we received advice from club mates: "" Don't do it! "" and "" The boulders are great ". That didn't promise much good.
A day in advance I started to get nervous. Was this such a good idea? How much would it hurt? Would we reach the finish?
After a night in the tent, the alarm went off at 5 o'clock on Saturday. On to the start. Upon entering I saw many familiar faces. It seemed that many skaters I met in the last two years, did not want to miss this big fight. So it was a big reunion. While enjoying a cup of coffee and some breakfast, I was waking up.
Every two years, in the absence of ice, the “Elfstedentocht” (Eleven cities tour of 225km) on wheels takes place. My skating club in Utrecht always wants to participate. This year it was Maurice and me who would go there. In addition to encouragement, we received advice from club mates: "" Don't do it! "" and "" The boulders are great ". That didn't promise much good.
A day in advance I started to get nervous. Was this such a good idea? How much would it hurt? Would we reach the finish?
After a night in the tent, the alarm went off at 5 o'clock on Saturday. On to the start. Upon entering I saw many familiar faces. It seemed that many skaters I met in the last two years, did not want to miss this big fight. So it was a big reunion. While enjoying a cup of coffee and some breakfast, I was waking up.
At 6 o'clock
We started with 110 participants, including 6 women. We skated in two groups, close behind each other, with a (music) car and two cyclists at the front and some motorcyclists. The first kilometers we went rather fast: We passed Sloten, Stavoren, Hindelopen, Workum, Bolsward, Harlingen and Franeker. The asphalt was relatively good and the parts with boulders were usually very short. Thanks to the well-organized breaks you could recharge your battery again and again. The atmosphere was great! The motorcyclists also seemed to enjoy themselves. One of them tried to stimulate us the whole trip with enthusiastic encouragement and another did his best performing tricks on his stunt motor.
We started with 110 participants, including 6 women. We skated in two groups, close behind each other, with a (music) car and two cyclists at the front and some motorcyclists. The first kilometers we went rather fast: We passed Sloten, Stavoren, Hindelopen, Workum, Bolsward, Harlingen and Franeker. The asphalt was relatively good and the parts with boulders were usually very short. Thanks to the well-organized breaks you could recharge your battery again and again. The atmosphere was great! The motorcyclists also seemed to enjoy themselves. One of them tried to stimulate us the whole trip with enthusiastic encouragement and another did his best performing tricks on his stunt motor.
Now It got difficult
After the stop in Franeker (100 km) the first heavy part started. The asphalt became very bad at this part and you didn't know how long that would last. I was therefore happy that we arrived in Bartlehiem where we had to walk to cross a small wooden bridge and after that a break was waiting for us. With renewed energy we went on to Dokkum and the bridge with tiles with portraits of the people who had finished the “Elfstedentocht “ on ice in the past. This part I found difficult. The Frisian wind came up in our face and the asphalt was still not that good. That were not very nice conditions after 130 km of rollerblading. We returned to the bridge with the tiles and had again a break (after160 km) but this break was too short for me.
After the stop in Franeker (100 km) the first heavy part started. The asphalt became very bad at this part and you didn't know how long that would last. I was therefore happy that we arrived in Bartlehiem where we had to walk to cross a small wooden bridge and after that a break was waiting for us. With renewed energy we went on to Dokkum and the bridge with tiles with portraits of the people who had finished the “Elfstedentocht “ on ice in the past. This part I found difficult. The Frisian wind came up in our face and the asphalt was still not that good. That were not very nice conditions after 130 km of rollerblading. We returned to the bridge with the tiles and had again a break (after160 km) but this break was too short for me.
It got even worse
Now we went on to Leeuwarden. It became increasingly quiet around me. Despite everyone's commitment to support each other, everyone clearly fought his/her own struggle. I noticed that concentrating myself during the past 10 hours on my skating was getting too much for me. I felt sleepy and drowsy. Would it feel that way before you become unwell? Fortunately another skater told me that the next stop was waiting for us in over 5 km. In the end it turned out to be 12 km to Scharnegoutum (187 km), but it did keep me going. There I grabbed a meatball that was handed to me and sat down. I didn't like it anymore, but I also realized that the end was in sight.
Now we went on to Leeuwarden. It became increasingly quiet around me. Despite everyone's commitment to support each other, everyone clearly fought his/her own struggle. I noticed that concentrating myself during the past 10 hours on my skating was getting too much for me. I felt sleepy and drowsy. Would it feel that way before you become unwell? Fortunately another skater told me that the next stop was waiting for us in over 5 km. In the end it turned out to be 12 km to Scharnegoutum (187 km), but it did keep me going. There I grabbed a meatball that was handed to me and sat down. I didn't like it anymore, but I also realized that the end was in sight.
The finish gets closer
The last 40 km I skated in the second peloton. The music became a little more energetic and chatting with the other skaters gave me a lot of distraction. I started to feel confident again. We passed Sneek and IJlst as the last cities. Near the television tower at Spannenburg there was one last short stop and the “parade” to the end point could begin. Around 7.15 pm we reached the finish in Bantega. We were so happy that it was over and that we had made it. Hugs and high fives were handed out to each other, and tears of relief and happiness were blinked away. What a struggle, but it was cool! Stumbling we received our prize and I quickly crawled into my little tent again.
The last 40 km I skated in the second peloton. The music became a little more energetic and chatting with the other skaters gave me a lot of distraction. I started to feel confident again. We passed Sneek and IJlst as the last cities. Near the television tower at Spannenburg there was one last short stop and the “parade” to the end point could begin. Around 7.15 pm we reached the finish in Bantega. We were so happy that it was over and that we had made it. Hugs and high fives were handed out to each other, and tears of relief and happiness were blinked away. What a struggle, but it was cool! Stumbling we received our prize and I quickly crawled into my little tent again.
Comment of Willem Saris
I would say that this report shows that this experience is quite comparable with the experiences that many skaters of the ice tour have made under acceptable ice conditions. I my self was not feeling so relieved as Karen reports when I finished my second try to skate the Eleven cities tour on ice in 1986. On the last part in the dark I fell at least 20 times because of the bad condition of the ice in the last part. The inline tour can of course also be much more difficult. For example if it is raining and/or there is a lot of wind. Therefore I think this tour is quite comparable with the ice tour. I complement Karen and all the other skaters with their success.
I would say that this report shows that this experience is quite comparable with the experiences that many skaters of the ice tour have made under acceptable ice conditions. I my self was not feeling so relieved as Karen reports when I finished my second try to skate the Eleven cities tour on ice in 1986. On the last part in the dark I fell at least 20 times because of the bad condition of the ice in the last part. The inline tour can of course also be much more difficult. For example if it is raining and/or there is a lot of wind. Therefore I think this tour is quite comparable with the ice tour. I complement Karen and all the other skaters with their success.
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