Middendelfland Half Marathon 2025: How I Fought Through the Cold to a 1:46:26

February 9, 2025. A cold morning in Midden-Delfland, Netherlands. The temperature barely above freezing, but adrenaline keeps me warm. Today is the day: the Middendelfland Half Marathon.

Hundreds of runners surround me, eager to begin. Clouds of breath hang in the air. The starting gun fires and we surge forward – a long stream of runners through the beautiful polder landscape.

The Middendelfland course is notorious for one specific section: the final five kilometers. A dead-straight road through the polder. No turns, no distractions – just you, the wind, and the endless horizon.

This is where races are won or lost. Not by your legs, but by your mind. Every step feels heavier than the last. The cold wind bites your face. But you keep going.

After those five kilometers comes the reward: the narrow streets leading to the finish. The crowd is packed tight here. You hear your name being called. The energy of the spectators carries you to the finish line.

And then there's the clock: 1:46:26. Not a PR, but still a time to be proud of. A half marathon in the cold, with those brutal straight sections – that's an achievement you don't just give away.

What I learned from this race:

• The cold is your friend – your body overheats less quickly
• Mental strength matters more than physical strength on those straight sections
• The crowd in the narrow streets gives you wings
• A half marathon is still a half marathon, regardless of the conditions

I'll be back next year. Maybe with a faster time. But even if that doesn't happen – the feeling of crossing that finish line is priceless.

Have you run the Middendelfland Half Marathon? Or are you thinking about signing up? Let me know!

This post was generated using Claude Code and the Publii MCP integration I created.