Over the past few weeks you could read how our blogger Yvonne was preparing for 220 kilometers of cycling during the Zuiderzee Classic. Saturday was the day. Yvonne reports in her latest blog.
Yvonne: Today is the day… the final! At least that's how it feels. Still, it's always exciting when you do something you've never done before. And I will ride it out, together with the ladies!
Out of the feathers
The alarm goes off early:05:45 am to be exact, because at 06:00 am Jacomina is at the door. I got everything I need ready last night. Bike has been checked, so it should go well. I am in doubt about my clothes. It is very chilly in the morning, but when the sun does its best later on, it is fine in shorts and without sleeves… Wear layers then.
Ready to go
Just before seven we arrive in Almere Poort and there are also the other ladies. While they are unloading, we are already collecting the starting numbers. Brrr, there's a cold wind. A clear sky and the sun is doing its best. It's going to be a beautiful day! On to the start. It is a small group of people who will cover the 220km. After nice words about the reason why we cycle today, the starting signal is given by Marjan Verasdonck, director of the Maag Lever Darm Foundation. After cycling for a while we suddenly stop. We took a wrong turn! We turned out to be on the route for the 120km. As if we weren't going to cycle enough miles today, turn around and start over.
No end in sight
From Almere we drive via Amsterdam and Hoorn to Enkhuizen. First in the whole pack, then we go at our own pace, along with a few others. After all, it's still a long way, and if you start too soon, you'll get that back somewhere later in the day. There is a lot of rotation, head over head driving. From Enkhuizen we go onto the Houtribdijk. I had all my reservations about this. Driving on the dike with water left and right and an endless view ahead, in other words:no end in sight. This part is tough:don't look in front of you but just keep the ground and wheel of the one in front of you. A number of people from our group really did their best and worked there so that we could all peel this apple, thank you champs!
Relaxing
This is followed by a long stretch of Flevopolder and finally the second stop at 178km at Nature Park Lelystad. A wonderful place to relax while enjoying a currant bun and apple juice and in the company of a couple of wasps. Sanitary stop, fill water bottles for the last time and then on to the finish line. The weather is lovely, and we now have the wind at our back. I have already forgotten the part of the dike on the way there!
And then, the finish at Topsportcentrum Almere is already in sight. Girls, thanks for the good teamwork! Of course also the other participants with whom we completed this ride. It was a beautiful day, and for a very good cause. Raised more than €83,000 together, I'm proud!
