Record number of runners expected at the ABN
AMRO CPC Run The Hague
Half marathon and ten kilometres start in
'waves' at the request of runners
Entry for this traditional family event open
today
MAXIMUM
A maximum of 32,000 participants may take part in the ABN AMRO
CPC Run The Hague on Sunday, March 11, 2012. Because we expect
interest in the 38th edition of this traditional family event to be
much larger than we can accommodate, entry, which opened today,
will be closed the moment the maximum number has been reached. The
limit has been placed to guarantee the high level quality of this
Like2Run event.
ENTRY
This year, some 30,097 runners took part in the various elements
of the ABN AMRO CPC Run The Hague. That was a record that was
reached several weeks before the official closing date. Those
who want to be assured of a place are advised to register as soon as
possible.
WAVE START
To serve the participants even better, so called "wave starts"
will be introduced for the first time. Runners in the half
marathon and ten kilometres will be allocated to several starting
pens based on their expected finishing time and the starts will
take place in two waves.
Organiser Mario Kadiks: "We listened to our participants and
noticed that there was a great desire to start in two waves to
create a better flow in the course. We have therefore
introduced the wave start."
FAST COURSE
The ABN AMRO CPC Run The Hague has a fast course whereon besides
international top times, many personal records are established. The
half marathon is the largest in the Netherlands. More
important for the organisers is the ambition to make this the best
half marathon in the Netherlands.
MALIEVELD
The ABN AMRO CPC Run The Hague has not only a half marathon but
the Dunea 10 km Run, West 5 km Run, the ABN AMRO Youth Run, the
Ernst & Bobbie Children's Run, the Schools' Run and the
Business Runs. The Malieveld is the atmospheric beating heart of
the event.
SCHOOLS' RUN
The Schools' Run is the most popular and largest in the
Netherlands. This year an unprecedented 8,500 runners and no less
than 83 primary schools too part.
BUSINESS RUNS
Another very popular element is the Business Runs where
corporate colleagues and their clients run in teams. In March this
year, we had 489 business teams. Participant limits have also
been set for the Business Runs in the coming year.
SUNDAY
Since 2010, the ABN AMRO CPC Run The Hague is held on Sunday
instead of Saturday. It was once again a great success this year.
Sunday is a real events day, both for participants and spectators,
who come to the running festival in increasingly larger numbers.
For many residents of The Hague this is a tradition that they have
been taking part in since their childhood.
THE WORLD'S BEST
The world's best athletes come to the ABN AMRO CPC Run The Hague
every year with high expectations. The fast track saw a world
record being achieved by the Kenyan Samuel Wanjiru in 2007.
The Olympic marathon champion of Beijing 2008 finished in the Royal
city in 59 minutes and 46 seconds.
WANJIRU
Wanjiru, who died unexpectedly this year, was not the only
international elite athlete to visit The Hague. The Kenyan Patrick
Makau, now world record holder in the marathon, and Ethiopian
running phenomenon Haile Gebrselassie also impressed at the CPC
Run.
FINAL SPRINT
This year the winner of the ABN AMRO CPC Run The Hague was
decided on by an exciting sprint finish. The Ethiopian Lelisa
Desisa won from his coompatriot Bekele Azmeraw: 59.37 against 59.39
minutes. The best five athletes finished within the hour. Koen
Raymaekers, the Dutch number one, achieved three personal bests: at
the 10 kilometers (28.43), the 15 kilometers (43.32) and the half
marathon (01.02.09).
CHARITY
AMREF Flying Doctors are the ABN AMRO CPC Run The Hague charity
for 2012. Participants can make a donation to this organisation at
the time of entry. That way, they help to train doctors in South
Sudan and give the population there a healthier future. The
Hague has a year long campaign to support the reconstruction in the
former war torn country. This is done under the motto "The Hague
flies for the doctors of South Sudan".
