Marathoner Lander Van Droogenbroeck - News

When you want to see a great running movie, click on the picture = The real maine. Enjoy! Greetings Lander

Wed, 23 May 2012 09:51:26 -0800

The running virus, the legion grows

Tue, 22 May 2012 07:38:07 -0800

It's no secret that most runners are becoming addicted to running after training regularly
(3 times/week). Year after year the legion of running fanatics grows, congratulations to you all for spreading the running virus. Feel the passion and the beat:

Upcoming sunday a high number of athletes (around 30.000) will run the 20 km of Brussels, a beautiful hilly race in the centre of Europe. My normal race routine goes as follows:

Sleeping till 06.45 h.
Eating breakfast 07.00 h (3h before the race) about 5 slices of bread with Nutella and confiture (Nuttela is not perfect but this is another addiction of me). I only drink water so no juices or sportsdrink.
Arrival at Jubelpark at 09.00 h. Some chatting with the coach and the teammates. Receiving our bib number.
Warming up at Jubelpark at 09.15 h. Easy jogging and some sprints to get the muscles ready for a fast first km.
Lining up at 09.45 h. Handing over the last warming up clothes.
Start 10.00 h. Don't be nervous it's 20 km so there's time enough to catch the men or women in front of you.
Tip: Do not take energy gels or sports drinks in the first 10 km! Why: to avoid cramps or side stitches, so take only water in the first 10 km . Our coach Salavarda gives this advice to all his athletes. After 10 km you can still take a gel or some sports drinks.
To conclude I wish you all the best. Greetings Lander

Quite special training week in the pocket.

Sun, 20 May 2012 03:56:11 -0800

Last week I only ran three times because my hip was getting worse and worse.
My last run was on tuesday when I ran 8 times 1000m on the track with Vital. The times: 3’15”; 3’02”; 3’06”; 3’02”; 3’05’’; 3’05”; 3’14”; 3’07” (Recup 1' jog).
Vital paced me from start till finish and he did 10 repetitions in total. On saturday I had planned a training with Dame and on sunday a long run with Willem but I had to withdraw from both training runs.
Salavarda and me are not worried about my injury because it was caused by a fall and not by training. If I can run next saturday painfree during our normal race preparation routine, I will still start in the 20 km of Brussels. Below a nice picture by our coach of Abel Kirui (yellow shirt) during his London marathon preparation. See you soon. Greetings Lander

Next week 20 km through Brussels.

Thu, 17 May 2012 03:34:28 -0800

It will be a great race with a stiff competition, the whole Salavarda group (long distance) will be at the starting line. Including: Willy Nduwimana, Vital Gahungu, Florent Caelen, Guys Fays, Onesphore Nkuzimana, Audace Baguma, Frederique Collignon, Dame Tasama, Michaël Brandenbourg and me.
At the moment my training runs are the least impressive of the group (hip injury) but...

Hopefully someone of the Salavarda guys above wins the race but it will not be easy because there will be high number of other strong athletes trying to catch the victory.
May the best athlete win! Greetings Lander

Interclub 5000m at Merksem

Sun, 13 May 2012 00:02:15 -0800

The weather was perfect and the competion really well organised but I ran 15'12'' = 5th place, this is a poor result but it's simply a fact that I can not run faster at this moment. Our beloved sport is honest: the return = the investment so poor training = bad racing.
There are 14 days left to solve my hip problem for the 20 km through Brussels, it will be impossible to get in topshape at the starting line but without pain I must be able to run a steady race to support my team of Gala Priminvest.
There's no time left to do a lot of training but Salavarda will try to give me 2 hard workouts for Brussels upcoming saturday the group will train in Leuven. Stay tuned, greetings Lander.

If you want to see some great action pictures, click on the picture of Wilson Kipsang (KEN).

Thu, 10 May 2012 23:56:37 -0800

The pictures are taken by Brendan Bannon, a professional photographer. We met him in Iten during our training camp. Greetings Lander

Update

Thu, 10 May 2012 11:37:57 -0800

Fell hard on the ground today: combination of a slippery road and my natural clumsiness are a bad combination. Below a memory of my last marathon. Greetings Lander

Great video about the marathon preparation of Jan Fitschen in Kenia. Click on the picture.

Thu, 10 May 2012 11:31:55 -0800

He's a great guy on and of the track. I am sure he will run a fast marathon in the future!

Nice article about coach Renato Canova. Just click on the picture.

Tue, 08 May 2012 07:39:12 -0800

Green light.

Sun, 06 May 2012 09:03:56 -0800

For the upcoming week Salavarda will give me a normal training program untill today I didn't run fast. At the moment my body is ready for some more intensive training, on wednesday there's standing a first fast track session with my buddy Vital Gahungu on the menu. This workout on the track will give a good idea of our current fitness level. Next sunday I will give everything in the interclub, it's possible that I will run the 3000m and the 5000m.
To conclude I would like to congratulate Mika Brandenbourg and Ferahiwat Gamachu with their victories in the national 10 000m championchips. The both defeated some very strong and heavily talented athletes in the procress, our coach gets everybody fit when it counts.
Greetings Lander