Marathon Zwolle: A new dutch marathon in the delta of the IJssel River

§staticmap(11629,5,450,250)Hello, on September 30th 2012, you’ll be organizing the Marathon Zwolle. Can you tell us where it is located?

The race is taking place in The Netherlands, 100 km northeast from Amsterdam, along the IJssel River, in what we call the IJssel delta region.

This will be the inaugural race. What motivated you to create it?

After running numerous marathons in Europe, I found that my hometown Zwolle deserved a great marathon. Zwolle is recognized as a very sport minded and green city. The organization of the event is due to the collaboration of 7 running clubs in the IJssel delta region.

What kind of route is set up for the runners? How would you describe it?

The certified route is run on asphalt. It starts and finishes at the soccer Stadium in Zwolle. 25% of the route is run through the city, 75% in the countryside. The participants will also have to cross three long bridges.

Here is a video presenting the course http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7sHpZ-lWAzc&feature=youtube_gdata.

How many runners do you expect on Sunday morning? What type of runners do you plan to attract?

We expect around 1,000 participants. All types of marathon runners are welcome. We will be very proud to welcome foreign athletes for our first edition.

Do you organize other races during the Weekend? If so, on what distances?

Yes, we have also set up some relays: a duo-marathon (2×21.1km) and a quatro-marathon (4×10.5km).

At that time of the year, what kind of weather can we expect?

We hope it will be sunny, but it can get cloudy and even rain sometimes. The temperatures should be around 15°C (59°F).

Have you planned festivities around the marathon?

Between the start & finish of the marathon we organize a seminar for our partners and sponsors.

There will be music in the stadium as well as along the course.

The race finished, what advice would you give a runner who has never been to Zwolle before? A good restaurant, a fancy sightseeing?

The first advice I would give is to get a good massage in the stadium.

Zwolle is a culinary hot spot in The Netherlands. There are numerous good restaurants, interesting museums, bars, terraces and hotels to stay for the weekend.

In a single sentence, what would you tell the readers of ahotu Marathons to make them register for the Marathon Zwolle?

The first edition of both a beautiful and durable marathon, starting in the authentic Dutch city Zwolle, takes you through the water meadows of the river ‘De IJssel’.

As website www.marathonzwolle.nl is not yet in English. If you want to subscribe as a foreigner or want more information, please send an email to: [email protected]

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Interview with Han van den Berg