Here is my story of how I cycled ~2000 km around the Netherlands in 5 days and 21 hours.
Preparations
During some gloomy days in January, I was looking for something exciting to look forward to that year. I came across the Race Around the Netherlands (RATN) in early May. It’s a self-supported bikepacking race following a 2000 km fixed route completely self-powered and unassisted, carrying own gear and food and sleeping at commercially available services (or under the sky). There is no prize money, no medals, just the satisfaction of testing own limits.
At 2,000 km, and with relatively little time to prepare, it was certainly an ambitious commitment. I had never ridden more than 630 km before, nor had I done more than two long rides back-to-back, and those with a proper break in between. Still, the cycling infrastructure in the Netherlands is excellent, and it seemed like the perfect place to take on something this challenging for the first time.
I knew I would not be able to bring my fitness up to the level I would ideally have liked by May. A hit-and-run at the end of September had set me back badly, and the following winter months were not great for rebuilding strength. Still, it felt good to have a goal to work towards. I am not disciplined enough to have a structured training plan, and I struggle to find a good balance between work, life, and training. I only really began to ramp up my cycling mileage at the end of February, and even then, it was neither especially high nor very consistent.
I decided that, if nothing else, I could at least focus on getting and testing some new gear, training myself to endure long hours in the saddle, and teaching my stomach to cope with a lot of carbs. I tried to do a 200 km ride most weekends with as little stopping time as possible, and on a couple of weekends, I managed two long rides back-to-back. However, I never went beyond two-day blocks, so I had no idea how my body would react to riding day after day, or what my nutritional needs would be. But that, after all, was part of the challenge and the adventure. I was not planning to race the Race anyway, just to complete it in a respectable time without dragging it out for too long. The maximum allowed time was 8 days and 10 hours. I did not want to cycle for more than 5 days. My most optimistic plan was to finish in 4 days, 12 hours, or at least within 4 days, 23.5 hours. Pretty naïve plan, I can now say 🙂
Unlike in some other races of this type, we were allowed to pre-book hotels, and I had done so based on my plan to finish within 5 days. I knew it was a very ambitious plan, but at least on paper it looked doable: cycle for about 18 hours a day, rest for 6, and benefit from the Netherlands’ flat terrain. What I did not know on paper, however, was how my body would react to riding on consecutive days, or that the route, although indeed mostly flat, is not always especially fast. There are towns, sheep, twisting roads through the dunes, and, of course, headwinds on a level I had never experienced before.
After all the preparations, the day finally came to head to the start.
Day 0, Friday, May 2
De Proloog Cafe at Amerongen
My trip to the start is very smooth, and I arrive at De Proloog in the early afternoon for the bike check. De Proloog is a cycling café – a place filled with cyclists and cycling stuff. Now, even more so, as the Race Around the Netherlands is about to start from here. I meet and have some brief chats with other participants. I try not to get distracted by how sporty and serious they all look. I do not want to get into a competitive spirit and stress myself out already before the start. I need to ride my own race, with my pre-booked hotels, which is already very ambitious and, I am starting to realise, probably not very realistic… But one day at a time. First, I need to pass the equipment check and get the tracker – done. Then I need a good dinner and check into my hotel – done. And then I need a good rest before the start – done
DAY 1, Saturday, May 2
Start – Emmen
I am starting in the first wave, at 7:50. I am already familiar with the first 5 km of the route, as my hotel was on it, so I know we start with a little uphill.
I arrive at around 7:30. The café is buzzing with participants and their families and friends who have come to send them off. For me, the first day seems the most important. The plan is to get to Emmen, which is 423 km away. With the relatively late start, that is a lot to cover if I want to arrive at the hotel at a reasonable time (before 2 am). I feel like once I achieve that, the rest will become easier, at least mentally, because I will already be deep into the race and will just need to keep going.
Finally, the start. I feel pretty strong. I have enough food with me for the first two days. And two days is what I know I can perform well on with this type of food – dates, rice bars, gels, and energy drinks. I only need to stop for water refills. I look forward to the ‘water tap’ hunt. I have marked potential places on my map along the route, at roughly 100–150 km intervals. Sometimes the water taps are visible immediately, but sometimes one really does need to hunt for them a bit. But, as I learn along the way, there are plenty of them. That is another great thing about cycling in the Netherlands.
As is typical at the start, there are lots of cyclists riding together. I try not to draft because it is not allowed, but it is difficult. Do I slow down to stay behind, or do I speed up to be at the front? I cannot wait for everyone to scatter so I can ride more in peace.
I notice that, while I am always slowing down at turns to look at the map and decide which path to take, and often still end up taking the wrong one, everyone else seems to know exactly where to go. How do they know? Am I that lame?
Nevertheless, other than the not-so-smooth navigation, everything is going well. The roads are smooth and straight, and the wind is good. I am making very good progress, and I am not even pushing too hard, I feel.
The route is very beautiful. It takes us through some towns (with cobbles, but oh well) and through a nature park. The Netherlands cycling infrastructure at its best.
By the time I am approaching my hotel, I know that the two leading women are close to me. I do not know if they see me as a threat. But I know I am not, as I am not really racing for places. I am sure they are planning to ride through the night, as many are. But I have my hotel room waiting, which I am very much looking forward to, particularly as some rain is coming.
I am in my hotel room in Emmen at 00:42. Well on schedule, and very happy with the first day. I also have some recovery food with me for evenings like this, when no other food is available. This early in the race, it is still good enough – protein recovery powders and ‘real meal’ bars.
I have not trained my hotel routine, and I see that this is really bringing me down. It takes me a lot of time to get to bed. I need to clean myself up, wash some clothes, clean and prepare the water bottles for the next day, and charge devices. I do not know how, but it takes me at least an hour to finally get to sleep.
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Day recap:
Start at 7:50.
423.53 km, elapsed time 16 h 38 min 47 s (stationary for 44 min 54 s).
In a hotel room at 00:42.
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DAY 2, Sunday, May 3
Emmen – Makkum
I am back on the road at 5:46. Today’s plan is rather moderate, only 306 km, to Makkum. Following the first day’s success and the relatively light plan for the day, I get too relaxed. I take it a bit too easy, I think. The first 200 km are like a recovery ride. Nice and easy, with some more stops and some phone calls. When going through towns, we always do a ‘lap of honour’ through the town centres. That is a nice way to see the Netherlands. And apart from the cobblestones, I really enjoy that.
I do not know much about the planned route ahead. I had not looked into it and had left it as a surprise. I only know that today there should be a very long stretch with sheep and sheep and nothing else but sheep. I find it funny and look forward to finally being out of towns and with the sheep. If only I had known what the last 100 km would bring, I would not have been that relaxed for the first 200…
The sheep roads finally come. Indeed, just a straight stretch of roads covered with wet sheep shit, with sheep themselves and cattle grids that risk puncturing the tyres. It might seem romantic, and it is initially, but not for 80 km straight. And to make matters much, much worse, all of this is into a very strong and very cold headwind. The headwind makes the progress so slow, so draining. It is not the type of headwind I have experienced before. Usually, the road is at least a little bendy, and there is occasional relief from the wind. Here, it is at least 80 km of straight and straight, just headwind and headwind. The progress is so slow, the surroundings so boring… Even when one could go faster, one really cannot without risking hitting a sheep (somebody indeed did hit it and had to quit).
There is also a huge rain shower. And I lose my side mirror and spend at least 20 minutes in the pouring rain looking for it. I do not want to give up, as I would hate cycling without it. When I finally find it, it gives me some brief celebratory energy. But looking at the remaining kilometres in this headwind and scenery makes me so desperate that I even take out my earphones to listen to some music, which I never really do. It just shows how miserable it is. I feel, it can’t get any worse than this and I hope this is the hardest part of the ride.
Nevertheless, finally the end of that hell comes, and I reach Harlingen at around 21:40. All shops are already closed, but at least I bump into a Domino’s and get some pizza to go. I tuck the pizza box under my jacket and cycle the remaining 15 km along a dark, windy seashore to my hotel in Makkum.
I am in my hotel room at 22:59. Much later than expected, much more exhausted and hungrier than expected. But still not too bad. And still, the plan of the day is complete. Now I feel I am starting to need some real food. So I am happy to have half of the pizza and leave the other half for the road in the morning.
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Day recap:
Start at 5:46.
309.73 km, elapsed time 16 h 55 min 44 s (stationary for 2 h 44 min).
In a hotel room at 22:59.
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DAY 3, Monday, May 4
Makkum – Schoorl
I was planning to be back on the road at least by 5 am, but again, my hotel routine takes much longer, and, in the end, I am leaving only at 5:50. The very friendly hotel staff tells me that, if I wanted, I can already have breakfast, which is being set up. I am happy to get some real food at last, and I can pack some rolls with me so I do not need to find a shop that soon. This is all very welcome and worth the delayed start.
I am back on the road at 6:29.
Today’s plan is again very ambitious – 430 km to Scheveningen (near The Hague). The weather forecast looks good. There is a longer stretch with a headwind in between, but then a tailwind all the way down from Den Helder. It gives me hope that I can fulfil the plan for Day 3 as well. I feel pretty well in the morning, fuelled by the hotel breakfast and coffee. But how long will it last? I do not have my gels and dates anymore, and I am running out of electrolyte tablets.
The first 150 km to Amsterdam go pretty well. But then the next 150 km are again in a strong headwind. And that is again mostly just straight and straight, exhausting headwind. The progress is slow, draining, and I am not eating enough. I desperately need to resupply. I had missed the smaller shops that were straight on the route. I am probably not thinking very clearly. But at last, I find a shop a bit off the route in Volendam before a longer stretch of nothing. I feel I waste too much time resupplying like this, but it is dearly needed. Who would have thought what wonders a pack of Lay’s chips can do… Unhealthy food is underrated 😀 Filled up with some goodies, I feel some energy has returned. But it is still the never-ending headwind. And the turning point into a tailwind that I am so much looking forward to is barely approaching.
Already in dark, some other cyclist passes me and tells how beautiful the ride through the dunes tomorrow will be. But I am already planning to do that part tonight! Is that crazy? Yes, of course it is. When I finally reach the top, Den Helder, it is already 23:00, and I still have more than 100 km to go. My only hope is the mighty tailwind that would now blow me down south very fast. But after turning down, I do not feel much of a tailwind at all. I just feel drained and hungry. The road is rather bendy, not fast going at all. I am estimating I could be at my hotel by 6 am at the earliest.
At around 1 am, I reach the dunes, where I now need to go around them, as it is night. I feel quite desperate. I stop to eat something and, for the first time ever, throw the food back out. What can I do? I just keep pedalling. And then I get a message from my hotel saying that if I do not arrive by 2 am, my booking will be cancelled. I immediately call them to say that I will be there early in the morning instead, but no one answers. I do not want to cycle all night only to arrive and have no room at all.
Quite desperate, I look at the map for another hotel. I am seemingly in the middle of nowhere, just some tiny towns. But by some miracle, I find a hotel just 10 minutes away, and they are still happy to welcome me at 1:30 am. I am so relieved that I do not have to cycle all night, and that I have a hot shower and a bed available immediately. What a relief! I have lost the race to my hotels, but who cares? I can sleep now!
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Day recap:
Start at 6:29.
338.33 km, elapsed time 19 h 5 min (stationary for 3 h 2 min 15 s).
In a hotel room at 1:58.
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DAY 4, Tuesday, May 5
Schoorl – Ouddorp
I decide to have a rather later start again and have breakfast at the hotel. As I have lost the race to my hotels, I do not have a clear plan for today. Last night was a bit dramatic, and I just want to take it easier today.
I am back on the road at 9:10 only. As it is now daytime, I need to go back to the start of the dunes path to take the day route instead. I am happy that it turned out this way and that I am doing this part in daylight. It is beautiful. Bendy and bumpy and busy with other people, so not very fast, but very pretty.
It takes me 5.5 hours to reach Scheveningen – my planned hotel stop the night before…
I feel a bit down about it. And generally, I feel rather weak today. My electrolyte balance seems to be quite messed up. I need a toilet break every hour, although I am not even drinking that much. My stomach also feels strange in a way I cannot even explain. Clearly, I need to get some salts into me. I had taken some salt sachets from the hotel to put in my water. That seems to help a bit. But it also starts to mess up my mouth. At least it probably contributes to the pretty severe mouth problems that soon develop.
Reaching Hook of Holland and seeing the Stena Line ferry lifts my spirits a bit. I joke that I could just go home now. I have great memories of cycling from here to Germany last year and a few years before that. These are some familiar paths for me at last. Not for long, just to Rotterdam, but still uplifting.
Rotterdam, though, is as horrible as always. And I happen to be there exactly at the worst rush hour. There are several roadworks and I need to find diversions. There are traffic lights every 10 metres. There are crazy motorists on the cycle path. And generally, everything is crazy, exhausting, and there is no progress. I feel so weak now that I am not even that bothered. Each time I stop, I feel dizzy. On the bike, I feel more stable than on foot.
Now and then, I see other racers too. That is always nice. I never really feel alone, not even at night. There is always somebody around. Getting through Rotterdam and back to the coast takes forever. I am again looking forward to the promised tailwind there. But again, it somehow does not seem to deliver.
I would like to get down to Middelburg and find a hotel there. I do not understand where the wind is coming from now, but it feels extremely cold. At around 22:00, I stop to put on some layers. I am shivering like crazy. I feel hungry but do not want to eat anything. My lips and mouth are so sore. I am about to book a hotel in Middelburg when Cap 99 passes me and asks about my plans. We have been passing each other for the past two days. He plans to stop at a hotel about 25 km farther on. It seems tempting to stop sooner, too. I realise Middelburg is way too far for tonight, still about 60 km away.
As Cap 99 leaves, I start to shiver like mad and cannot think clearly anymore. I realise I am bonking hard. I am relieved to find a hotel just 20 minutes away. But even these 20 minutes feel like eternity. I am shivering and breathing heavily. I desperately need some food and warmth.
I have missed the hotel dinner, but they still serve bar snacks, which are perfect for me – chicken nuggets and a huge basket of chips. Heaven. However, it takes me a long time to get it all down, and again it takes a long time to finally get to bed. But I am in bed, and rather early today. This was the lowest day of all for me. I feel I need a longer sleep now. There is no need for me to rush that much anyway. I am still on track to finish in a reasonable time, even if not according to my crazy, unrealistic plan.
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Day recap:
Starting at 9:10
235.88 km, elapsed time 12 h 55 min 02 s (stationary for 1 h 44 min 1 s).
In a hotel room at 22:22.
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DAY 5, Wednesday, May 6
Ouddorp – Weert
After a few more hours of sleep than on the previous nights, I feel pretty well rested. I am again filling up on hotel breakfast and am back on the road at 8:14.
It would be great if I could get to Weert today, which had been my planned destination the night before. That would mean I was exactly a day behind my original plan. Given my experience so far, I know that ‘only 300’ does not mean much. Maybe it is ‘only’ if it is on straight, fast roads with no headwinds. But I do not know what the roads will be like today. The wind forecast, though, looks promising, and there is no rain either. Well, I just need to keep pedalling. And keep eating. I do not want to hit the wall again.
At around 9:30, I am thrilled to find a bicycle shop and restock on electrolyte tablets and some gels. And also a pharmacy and a supermarket across the road, where I get some plasters for my developing saddle sores and restock on food. These little victories lift my spirits. I meet another racer resupplying too, and we exchange a few words.
My mouth is now really bad. I have cold sores all over my lips, and the inside of my mouth is very sore too. It makes it difficult to eat. But I must keep eating. And I religiously try to do so all day. And it really helps. I feel pretty good, and I am finally making some progress again. The wind is finally more favourable too, and the route is very nice.
Later in the afternoon, I catch up with Cap 99 again. He seems to be struggling. I later find out he quits soon after 🙁
My hope for tonight is to reach Weert and stay at the same hotel where I had a booking the night before, as I know they have 24-hour desk service. It is already shortly past midnight, and I still have 20 km to go. I call the hotel to book a room, to make sure I have one on arrival, but it turns out they are fully booked… Oh, that is a bummer. What now?
I look for other hotels in the area and call many, including waking some guesthouse owners. Everything is either fully booked or they think I am crazy for looking for a room that late. Alright, I could cycle all night. I still feel quite OK. But I do not want to do the Limburg hills at night. And also, once I have started thinking about a hotel bed, it is all I want.
I desperately search some more and find a posh 4-star hotel in Weert, a bit off the route, but it doesn’t seem too far off. I call them and get the last available room reserved. Now I rush the remaining 25 km like mad to get into my posh hotel bed as soon as possible. I pass another rider, who is probably wondering where I am racing like mad at this hour. At least, thanks to my religious eating all day, I feel strong enough to really race. There is some gravel path, but I race that too, which even feels quite nice. The hotel turns out to be 5 km off the route. But whatever. By 2:20, I am in a hot shower and warm bed once again!
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Day recap:
Starting at 8:14
310.26 km, elapsed time 17 h 51 min 51 s (stationary for 3 h 36 min 54 s).
Hotel at 2:20.
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Day 6, Thursday, May 7
Weert – Finish
After getting to bed late and racing the last 25 km, I find it very difficult to get up. But I cannot be too late. Cap 13 has come almost dangerously close to me. And although I keep saying I am not racing, it would still be nice to maintain 3rd place in the female category.
I get up, eat a little bit of my food to start getting some carbs in, and lie down on the bed again. Gosh, how will I do the remaining 360 km if I feel like this? I know I must force in some more slow carbs to have more lasting fuel for the day. I go to the hotel breakfast and get some pasta salad and pancakes. I do not really have any appetite, and my mouth hurts like hell, too. But I force some food down and finally get ready to start again. I still need to get the 5 km back to the race route. I am back on the road only at 9:10, and back on the route only at 9:30. Cap 13 has, of course, started long ago and is maybe some 60 km behind me now. I am quite sure she would be faster than me on the hills, so it now feels almost like a race 😀
Once I start going, it does not feel that bad anymore. I feel reasonably strong and ready to tackle the famous Limburg hills. The weather is very nice, sunny and with a pleasant temperature. That helps. I am certainly glad I am doing this part in daylight, not at night. The feared hills are not as bad as I had imagined. Yes, there are steep uphills, but there are also downhills, and it seems nicely balanced. On the steeper hills, I push the bike up. I do not want to exhaust my legs and energy, as I would like to get to the finish without another night stop. So, I preserve my energy a bit. It slows me down, but in the end, it works out well. I continue to eat as well as I can.
I reach the top at 16:30, about 3 hours ahead of Cap 13. I get an encouraging message from my colleague – that is so nice and motivating!
Now it is ‘just’ 240 km to the finish. That is just a bit more than one Audax ride 😀 When night comes, I have about 130 km left. I think, well, that is just one easy Sunday ride, I can do it. But well, that one easy Sunday ride would still take at least 5 hours in good conditions, with a full tank, on known roads. It is easy to underestimate it. But anyway, I know I will cycle through the night to the finish, whatever it takes.
I do not feel too tired or sleepy. I get two Red Bulls and mix them 50/50 with water. That should bring me to the finish. And it does. Fortunately, that last stretch is easy, straight, fast roads again, as at the start. Cycling them at night also makes it faster, I think, as there is no traffic, and at crossroads I do not need to stop to see whether cars are coming, as I can see them from the lights.
And so, peddle stroke by stroke, the end comes, and I arrive back at De Proloog with the first daylight, at 5:28 am, where two local ladies are already sitting on a bench and chatting. I feel a bit out of this world, not quite sure what to do now. Fortunately, Michael, the organiser, happens to be in the café and awake, and comes to greet me and take a photo.
With a race like this, the finish is usually rather anticlimactic, and the self-support does not always end with the finish. Unless you have some friends or family there to greet you and have arranged a bed for you. That was not my case. I still had to think about what to do now at 5:30 in the morning. I could not get a hotel at this hour. I booked one soon, but check-in was only in the afternoon. Fortunately, Michael lets me into the café, and I can nap there on a bench and hang out until the afternoon, when I can finally get to my B&B.
Only after some rest can I really appreciate the accomplishment, but an accomplishment it certainly is!
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Day recap:
Starting at 9:10
360.47 km, elapsed time 20 h 26 min 10 s (stationary for 2 h 37 min 23 s)
Finish on Friday morning at 5:28 in 5 days, 21 hours, 38 min.
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Conclusions
Race Around the Netherlands was an experiment in seeing what it is like to cycle unsupported for many consecutive days. And I thoroughly enjoyed the experience. There were some tougher moments, but that was part of the fun, too – having these ups and downs, seeing how the body responded to food, rest, and effort. The Netherlands is a beautiful place to cycle. The route let us see its variety and beauty. The Dutch people were pleasant and kind.
Was there any chance I could have made it to my third hotel in time? Looking at my timings now, it is easy to think that I should have been able to make it. An earlier start, better nutrition to keep the power up… But at that moment, I was still doing pretty well. I should not be too hard on myself. Given that this was my first experience with a ride like this, I think I still did pretty well. Yes, there were things I could have done better, and I learned from them and will apply them next time. But it could also have gone so much worse. I did not have any technical or medical issues. Forty-five people (35%) did not finish the race, which is quite a lot. I went, I finished, and I even enjoyed it.
My equipment was pretty much perfect. I used all of it (apart from tools), even my emergency bivvy in the end when napping at the café. I did not miss anything.
The things I could improve, apart from my physical fitness, are a more efficient hotel routine and, above all, nutrition. I spent quite a bit of time in hotels, but slept only about 3.5 hours on average. And the major thing for improvement is nutrition, nutrition, nutrition. Eating enough was absolutely crucial, and also much harder than it sounds once the body starts to protest. On the days when I kept eating well, I could still ride strongly even after several days on the road. On the day when I did not, everything started to unravel.
In the end, my biggest let-down was not my legs, or fatigue, or saddle sores – it was my mouth. That was totally unexpected. I think that, if the race had been longer, I would have needed to quit because my mouth was completely messed up. On the outside, it was covered with cold sores, and on the inside, my tongue and gums were so sore. I am not sure how to prevent this in future, but that is definitely something I need to keep an eye on.
It was also awesome that some of my friends and colleagues followed my dot and sent encouraging messages. That made it more fun and more motivating. Thank you, guys!