Amsterdam Marathon 2026

 At the end of each year, especially when its an Ironman or a Zofingen year, I like to finish off with a marathon - this was true in 2022, 2023 & 2024. At the end of 2025 I had just cycled so rule did not apply, so with Ironman 70.3 on the calendar for this year, the rule was dusted off and I entered Amsterdam as it was big city and flat ! 

Logistically an easy weekend - 8:38 train from Grantham, into Kings Cross for 9:52, then walk around to St.Pancreas for 11:04 getaway, and arrive in Amsterdam for 4pm.  Metro 52 to station zuid, then bus 62 to NH Amsterdam Zuid hotel - simple !! (Actually, worked seamlessly and can recommend ! )

Pre Race Amble

Registration on the Saturday, we got there for 10.30 and queue reasonable, I wouldn't leave it later than this as when we left queue was massive. Nice easy registration and expo easy to navigate - I didn't buy anything ! 

Raceday - I could have got an uber for 40 euro. I went down to reception with 20 euro cash, but managed to get a place in someone else's for free. Roads closed near stadium so Uber got us to within a kilometre which was OK.  It was windy but not awful, and the rain that was forecast held off or was spotty. I was there early, and got shelter in a hotel lobby to kill time. I dropped my bag off and was left with a bin bag to wear to keep warm ! Our start was the pink wave and outside of the stadium.

The race 

I lined up in the pen just behind the 3:30 pacers. Before the race I had figured that I could maybe hang with these guys until mile 16 and then if I fell off my a minute a mile average over the remaining 10, then I would meet my 3:39 or better target !  As we started, we got funnelled through a narrower channel and I found myself 45-60 seconds off the pacers. I ran steadily ahead of pace schedule and could gradually see them coming back to me. This worked well as the early few miles passed very quickly. I got back in a run pack and this was the best place to be as other than being busy and having to be careful to follow the right runners, it was actually easy to keep pace and sit in. A toilet break at 4-5 miles saw me drop another minute off, but that was OK I just did what I did before.

Back in the pack by mile 7-8, I found the pace manageable, but some elbows, and handbags as runners jostled for position behind the pacers - this was evident as the paths narrowed, especially around the canals where a long out and back provided fun as runners faded and fell back. Overall through, manageable. At mile 16 I was amaz


ed to still be with the pacers, and tried to stay with them until mile 20. At 20 still there, so picked off the miles one by one. It was clear that my muscles were tightening but I wasn't hitting any wall, whilst a small drop off, it was only 20 seconds per mile so one happy Newham. BAck into Amsterdam and the heavens really opened - with just two miles to go, I didn't mind this. As we enetered the stadium, I knew the course was long and with just a half lap of the track to go, I found a little bit more. I crossed the 26.42 mile finishing line with just a few seconds to spare - 3:29:43  

A great marathon made better than a better than anticipated performance.  A two mile walk back to the hotel could have been planned better, but as an experience in logistics and race day feel, this was my best marathon event to date !