As my WAVE friends know, this post is long overdue. A couple weeks ago, I was a part of the WAVE team for the Batavierenrace - http://www.batavierenrace.nl/english . Bata is the world's largest relay race!
Here's some copy-paste info -
The route of the Batavierenrace goes over 175 kilometers and contains 25 stages, of which 17 are men's and 8 are women's stages. There are three shifts, a night- (stage 1-9), morning- (stage 10-17) and dayshift (stage 18-25). The night-shift starts with an official start, in Nijmegen at 00:00 AM at the University Sports Centre of the Radboud University. The morning-shift starts at Ulft at 06.30 AM and the dayshift starts at Barchem at 11.00 AM. The final stage is a combined men's and women's stage, which starts at the Old Market in Enschede, and finishes at the cinder track on the campus of the University of Twente.
I was in the first shift along with 8 other people, or so. When you run your leg of the race, someone from your team is biking next to you cheering you on. When you're not running or biking, you're hanging out in the stinky van that travels to each stage where we switch runner and biker. I was the first runner! Our group started at 1:30AM. Being the first runner was really exciting, because your competition is still right next to you. After few stages, the crowd thins out.
On to the pictures and videos! This is pretty much in order of how the event happened. Thanks to Farhad who was official photographer this whole trip and kindly narrated all the videos :)
Wolke and me in the van, ready to leave Delft
Grolsh van!
We first drove to our campsite at the finish line, we must claim a spot!
Super old tents were tricky to put up
Farhad gives us an intro. He was super stoked to run, not!
Mark, Martijn, & Farhad
Group one on the way to the start line!
We're totally ready.
We have 3 hours to kill before 1:30AM!
Lookin' good, Group 1. I'm MIA...
...because I'm getting ready to kick some butt!
This was a little pre-race entertainment. "Wow!" Makes me giggle.
My starting group, it's 1:20AM, we need to stay warm for 10 more minutes...
...so this guy got us pumped up.
I'm #345. There are 350 teams in this race, dang.
My trusty biking buddy, Mark.
He cheered me on along the way, and then we switched so I biked while he ran.
Simke, Alexander, Wolke, & Martijn - the rest of Group 1.
We were about to spend 7 hours together in a van (when not running/biking), woo hoo!
It was pitch black at some points, surprised I didn't trip while running
or wipe out while biking. Knowing my track record, that's quite a feat!
Farhad is ready for his leg of the race,
and he knows that dancing is the best warm-up.
Well, we finished our stage around 7am or so, and met the morning group before they started their stage. It was pouring with rain most of the time, which made for a dynamic van ride. The one line I remember from this trip is, "close the freaking door!" from Alexander, since he didn't have a dry change of clothes and was shaking in his boots. Good thing he can take a little teasing :)
Team Group One got out of our trusty van and moved over to the coach bus that would take us all back to the finish line/campsite/party location. It was still raining!
Trying to keep my trusty pillow dry.
She was almost stolen so many times this trip.
Who brings an air mattress but not a pillow camping?! The Wave'rs.
I got the last seat on the bus, keeping the bus driver entertained in between my dozes.
It was about 8am by then, and we had stayed up all night!
Back at the campsite, we're happy to be warm and dry!
Pre-nap breakfast time
Victor: ready to party already
Time to sleep: 9am-2pm
My group slept while the 2nd group ran.
Rise and shine!
While we were waiting for the 3rd group to finish,
we looked around campus and had some classic Dutch french fries with mayo.
Alexander & me - happy after fries!
It was almost-shorts weather.
Around 5pm, it was time to watch the last stage of runners finish the race with a victory lap around the campus' track. Keep in mind, there were 350 teams competing, with 25 people on each time. Add in spectators, and those who turned up just for the party that night, that's a lot of people. The race will be mentioned in the Guinness Book of World Records!
Eagerly waiting for the runners to finish
The Wave cheering squad, well some of us
The last runner has to dress up in a costume. The girls' heat finished first, and then the boys' heat followed with some more gutsy costumes. We saw some pretty quick changes right before the runners hit the track! Some were funny, some disturbing, but all were cheered on. Here's some costumes we saw -
Sweaty Snow White
Ready for Queen's Day this weekend!
Don't worry, I'm a doctor
Not entirely sure what she's going for here
Super Pink!
Here's our Waver - Julia!
She's wearing the team suit, cap, & goggles.
Quick change
500m to go, with a surfboard, props to you girl
Tehe
Time for the boys. Brace yourself!
How to make the banana costume more original: add a snorkel
About time I saw a speedo around here!
omg omg omg omg
OMG OMG OMG OMG
Running while drumming - impressive!
Here's our smiley banana man, Eric. Go Wave!
M-M-M-Mario!
She's a pinata...
... complete with a guy running after her with a stick.
Woman! Give me candy!
Tom, this one is for you since for some reason you want one of these hats...?
WARNING: the following video is not for children or easy-grossed-out people. Seriously, I'm warning you.
Bet you $100 they practiced, there was some serious technique in that.
I'll do my best to take your mind off that video. On with the weekend! Now that the runners are finished, it's time for dinner and the party.
Serving the Chinese food
Hungry runners
Geertje and my fellow Texan, Jay :)
Papa Simke thinking deeply
He did a lot of the organizing for this weekend. Everybody ran,
we didn't get lost, and we had a blast. Thanks Simke!
Time to get the party started. I know what you're thinking, a marching band
is going to get the party started? Well, you'll see...
The band toured around the campsite, picking up more groupies at each corner.
Victor, Farhad, and Simke love orange soda!
This is how we get pumped up!
My new favorite Dutch song
Here's what it's supposed to be, enjoy!
Orange soda!
Getting our dancey pants on
Some people kept warm until the bands started by huddling in the tent.
I preferred dancing to a marching band :)
The bands started playing later on Saturday night. There were stages all over campus with live music, dj's, and lots of dancing.
Go Wave! Plus a few photo-bombers. The guy in brown in front is very convincing though.
Mooie dames :)
Federica and Zarife dancing it up
Farhad, how did you manage this?
Watching the awards. Wave placed 55 out of 350, not too shabby!
So crowded - 12,000 estimated visitors at this party
Which drink has no alcohol in it?
We danced around to all kinds of music, Dutch sing-along bar songs
(that's what they sound like to me), Spanish music, English music, you name it.
I'm so excited I just want to throw full cans of beer at people's heads!
The next morning...
What boggles my mind is how Europeans are so into recycling,
but just throw their trash on the ground at festivals. That's all plastic!
I think half the country looked like this on Queen's Day.
Students are so messy!
Breakfast time...
The Dutch breakfast: bread, butter, & sprinkles. No joke!
I'm home in a week, who wants me bring them some sprinkles?
Actually, that site looks funny itself :)
Pro tent folders
Parachute! Like 3rd grade PE class!
Teamwork
Wolke found the bubbles
The Wave-mobile, she's a beauty.
Federica shows us what angry Italian drivers look like.
Go Wave! What a great weekend.
