Anouk

Hi hi,

I am Anouk Mickers, 44, mother of 4 teenagers aged 14, (almost) 16,17 and 18.

All my life I have been sporty but also struggled with my weight. In my childhood and young adulthood, my activities included playing handball for a long time, later taking up water polo and currently doing synchronised swimming. I have run before but when training for the half marathon in 2015, I lost my enjoyment of running. I was so focused on the ‘have to’ get and finish that running and training became a ‘have to’ instead of delightfully clearing my head and enjoying being nice. Although I did really enjoy the half marathon and the enormously nice atmosphere, I put the running shoes away after that and didn’t pick them up again for a long time.

After a dear friend died in 2023 and my brother narrowly survived a very severe and complicated flu, I started running again. Yet I just couldn’t get into it comfortably, it again felt like having to and not enjoying it, even though I want to so badly. Besides, I feel uncomfortable running outside on my own but recently my first running event ‘Rundje um ut hundje’ showed that training on the treadmill alone was not the solution for me, it differs too much from running outside and on the road.

I would so love to enjoy running again because I loved it before, I enjoy exercising, the health benefits it brings and it is the ideal sport for me to combine with my busy family and job as a behavioural scientist at a secondary school.

I hope that training together with and in the dream team can give me just that little push forward to be able to run the 10 km again with pleasure and pride in 2025 and continue to run and enjoy myself after this. The first meeting with the dream team members and trainers was very approachable, there was a pleasant atmosphere right away. The first training session was also enjoyable and with a lot of focus on each Dreamteam member and her goals. Everyone has their own goal and story, all of us are super motivated. I think this is going to be a really great running adventure for us together.

Together we are going to bang!

Greetings

Anouk

By now it is early January, we are over halfway through our Dream Team adventure. I found the beginning quite exciting; who will I meet, will it click, how will the running go, will I succeed? That tension has given way to fun, satisfaction and pride. After all, we are doing it together and it is going well, both among ourselves and athletically.

Every Wednesday and Saturday, we go out together and pep each other up where necessary, have fun and also self-deprecate, but we do it! I look forward to those workouts. Even when I’m tired after a day’s work, not a hair on my head thinks about cancelling. It’s far too much fun and has already made me feel more comfortable, both literally and figuratively.

And yes, it does get spicier now and the ‘talk’ has shifted a bit more to when we walk out, and that’s fine. We have our goal in mind and our 2 fantastic trainers are guiding us towards it. Each in their own way, but both invaluable to me. On my own, I would be quicker to slow down anyway and now I just manage. Vivian’s support with every conceivable question unburdens and gives support, what a whopper too.

We recently had a very cosy family training with our nearest and dearest, so nice to also see the people around the other participants for a change. And on Saturday we went for a ‘Christmas coffee’ after a lovely run on the Venlo Heath; cosy and totally profi with our new Venloop jackets.

Of course, besides the Venloop itself, there are some fun things planned, including the New Year’s Run. Also quite exciting but I’m going into it with confidence.

Teamwork makes the dream work!

Greetings

Anouk

The Venloop adventure with the Dream Team, I wouldn’t have missed it for the world! Training together and working towards that highlight on 30 March. During the training period, we got to know each other and the trainers and Vivian as coordinator better and better.

Love and sorrow were shared, laughing and sometimes crying together, cheering each other up and encouraging each other. Doing and experiencing this together was the real highlight for me. The icing on the cake was cheering on Sas together during the walk and of course the 10 km run at the Venloop.

Still, I found it quite exciting. I spontaneously forgot my running watch, but decided to take trainer Guido’s advice to heart: don’t look at my watch in between runs. Under Pascal’s expert guidance, we did the warm-up together and then entered the starting area.

Pretty busy and took it easy at the start. Then I ran by feel and especially enjoyed the encouragement: beforehand, during the Venloop from my family and acquaintances and the euphoria afterwards was great. And how much I enjoyed the running itself! That was my ultimate goal and I achieved it, together with the Dream Team. How time has flown by and how I am going to miss them, those jugglers. And how proud I am of our joint achievements, teamwork really makes the dream work 💪

That doubt you still have about signing up for next year: don’t, go for it!

Xxxx

Anouk