Where We Train: Netherlands

Winding his way between the sand dunes on a cycle path in Southern Holland provides the perfect springboard to the marathon ambitions of Björn Koreman.

Clocking up the kilometres each week through the Loonse en Drunense Duinen helps develop both the strength and endurance which has propelled the 33-year-old Dutchman to a marathon PB of 2:10:32.

For Björn, his little corner of the Netherlands provides the ideal training environment.

“Training in Holland it is, of course, very flat but this does allow me to regularly run at a pace I want to run at in races,” he says. “In the Netherlands, we have some of the world’s best races with the Rotterdam and Amsterdam Marathons. This allows me to very easily simulate races in training because of the flat terrain.”

A late starter to the sport, Björn only began serious running in 2016, the Dutchman has made up for lost time.

In 2020, he decimated his previous marathon personal best by more than six minutes when running 2:11:07 in Vienna to rise to a new realm.

Based in the small town of Geertruidenberg about 20km from the city of Breda in Southern Holland, he implements a simple yet effective weekly training model of between 160-170km a week.

Each Monday, he completes an easy run of around one hour followed by strength training and physio.

Tuesday entails an easy run and a track session followed each Wednesday, with a long run of typically between 22-25km.

Björn, a 2:10:32 marathoner at his best, executes a tempo run each Thursday followed by a pair of easy runs on a Friday. Each Saturday will be a session at marathon pace of around 25-30km with a long run of 35-43km climaxing the training week on a Sunday.

Most training will be carried on the cycle path between the sand dunes or from his home in and around the local villages on the road.

“Living in the south of Holland, my runs are normally completely flat,” adds Björn. “The loops I normally do on the cycle path are 12km, 17km or 22km in length.

“Four or five times a week I train with Luuk (Maas, a 2:11 marathoner). It is perfect to train with another runner because to run every session on your own is hard. It is easier to train with another athlete in the wind - and training in the Netherlands, it is often windy”

Starting many of his easy runs of between 12-25km from his front door, where his hits the roads around the local villages – such runs do provide the added advantage of providing a little elevation.

“I run from village to village and this can include five or six bridges, which offers a little bit of a climb,” he adds.

His weekly track sessions take place near Arnhem – a drive of around 100km. While he can access tracks much closer to home he chooses to make the lengthy drive to meet up with his coach, Titus Fierkens, and to train with other quality athletes – including his fellow NN Running Team member Richard Douma.

“I usually meet with my coach twice a week,” adds Björn. “Once a week I meet him for track sessions and once a week on either a Thursday or a Saturday he comes to my place.

“For track sessions we will normally do repeat 200, 300 or 400 metres with a group of around six to eight guys. We will all take our turn at the front, which makes training so much easier.”

Björn admits he does crave greater variety as part of his training routes and he does occasionally drive long distances to hit alternative trails.

“To find a nice trail I normally have to drive at least one hour to Nijmegen, Arnhem or a little close to Utrecht,” he explains.

“They have some nice paths and while it is hard to find a hill of more than about 500m they do offer more undulation than my normal training routes.”

Björn admits he has never previously trained in East Africa but he does have a regular training base he accesses for two to three week periods in the alpine town of Seefeld in Austria, which offers a welcome change up to his regular training environment.

“I always love the freedom of the mountains in Austria,” he explains. “You couldn’t really call the training there, altitude training as it is only at around 1200m but it is perfect because if offers the option of hill running. Sometimes on the trails you can go for a run and not see anybody.”

Yet back at his Dutch training base he emphasises one other major benefit – being so close to Global Sports Communication the nerve centre of the NN Running Team in Nijmegen.

“To be just one hour away is easy,” he explains. “If I need them or they need me, we are very close while my physio, who is also part of the NN Running Team, lives close by.”

Up next on the agenda for Björn are the NN Dam tot Damloop (22 September 2024) and the Singelloop Breda (6 October 2024), which counts as the Dutch half marathon championships.