Dec 4, 2021 – Round the world tour

Kagerzoom parkrun route map, from a GPS trace. — Kagerzoom parkrun route. Two laps, the larger loop first, all clockwise.

The first parkrun in December and I visited my current local, Kagerzoom, near Leiden. It’s named for the golf club around which you run – it is entirely contained within the smaller loop, above, so not the biggest course around, though it has a swanky driving range.

A golf driving range, off to one side of the parkrun course — Driving range

Flags flying at the golf club — Driving range

December 5th is gift-giving day for Sinterklaas in The Netherlands and so that had to be the theme for the day, with the run director in the outfit and hats chalked at start and finish.

Chalk drawing of a tall Sinterklaas hat in red chalk with a yellow cross. — Sinterklaas hat at the start

Two Sinterklaas hats, red with a yellow cross, at the finish, along with the event number, 18. — Sinterklaas hat at the start

It was a cold, grey day, if dry, and I’d done something to my knee that made walking difficult, but after a couple of days mostly on the couch, I was at least able to jog round. Concentrating on that meant I could pay a bit more attention to my surroundings than I sometimes do, and I took in the golf course on the inside of the loop, water stretching away on one side of the course and a large windmill at the junction of the two laps (straight on the first time, right turn the second).

A paved path on the route, with flags flying at the golf club entrance. — Route ahead, golf club right

A view over the water, to the North of the course, as a rowing boat "Double Dutch" goes past, with a windmill in the distance. — Route ahead, golf club right

This was a slightly more undulating course than the others I’ve done in The Netherlands – that still only adds up to a total of 5m elevation from the GPS, but there were a couple of distinct inclines to keep it interesting. It’s a good course to run fast, though, with a wide path that’s solid all round, and just a few puddles from recent rain.

Before today, Kagerzoom had only once had more than 40 runners since their first event’s record attendance of 65, but today there were 52, perhaps buoyed by promises of chocolate in the cafe afterwards.

View of the finish line from the course, with the parkrun 'feather' flag flying above it and volunteers waiting for finishers. — The finish line. The grass looks boggy, but it’s not from runners – we stick to the paths.

Dutch watch out for runners sign, early on in the loop, with a canal and green grass behind the paved path, and tall spindly trees dotting the golf course. — Watch out for runners

View of the finish line, with grass bordering the park and puddles settling by the side from rain in the week. — Run in to the finish.

The event was easy to find, and I parked just outside the golf course. I saw the “Near de parkrun” sign, but at a glance thought it was saying ‘not for parkrun’ and meant not to park there. It didn’t, and I could have passed through the gate and parked right by the start, but other parking places are also close. There are several other businesses on the site, along with just a few houses, some looking slightly out of place on a mostly business area (though there are some bigger ones by the water looked pretty nice). But depending on opening times, you might be able to go for a haircut, some trampolining or, er, monkeying around at Monkey Town, the indoor playground.

I settled for a walk/limp around the local streets and then my easy journey back ‘home’. The park is well-used by other runners and walkers, so there were plenty more people to say hello to before I wiggled my car through the narrow streets and back to the dunes of Noordwijkerhout.