Personal

My name is Wout and I was born in 1983 in Leidschendam, Netherlands. I grew up in Voorburg and later moved to Zoetermeer, where I still reside today. After earning my MSc in 2009, I moved to Utrecht to be with my girlfriend and start my PhD research on meandering rivers. After obtaining my PhD in 2013, I took a Post-Doctoral Researcher Associate position at Durham University in the UK and lived there for 2.5 years before returning to Utrecht for another postdoc. I have since left academia and worked at Arcadis for 2.5 years before I found my current job at Rijkswaterstaat.

I have a passion for exploring landscapes and enjoy hiking, running, and cycling. During my holidays, I love to go on hikes, especially in mountainous terrain, and I run regularly throughout the year. Some of my favorite hiking destinations include Norway's Hardangervidda and Corsica. My girlfriend and I have also visited a number of other beautiful places, such as Scotland, Canada, France, New Zealand, Italy, Iceland (wiht our daughter) and the USA. We're now looking for new adventures, possibly in Patagonia, but this time with our daughter Minke, who was born in February 2020 amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

I have a passion for both running and cycling. I have previously taken on several cycling challenges, such as the tourist version of the "Amstel Gold Race" circuit, which I successfully completed 5 times. I completed the 100 km circuit once, but the other times I took on the 150 km tour, which has more hills and was a greater challenge. I also cycled the 130 km course of the "Luik-Bastenaken-Luik," and in 2012, I rode the "Elfstedentocht," a 240 km tour that must be completed in one day, with my girlfriend.

Presently, I'm an avid runner, aiming to run 5-6 times a week. In 2012, I joined the AthleticPoint running club in Utrecht. When I moved to Durham, I joined the Durham City Harriers, but in August 2016, I returned to my old club back in the Netherlands. After 2 years, I sought to make a new challenge and joined Hellas in Utrecht, which helped me improve my 10 km, 15 km, 10 EM and marathon times. To date, I have run 15 marathons (including Rotterdam (three times), Amsterdam (three times), Eindhoven (three times), Berlin (twice), London, Zermatt, Boston, and Sneek) and several other races. After the COVID pandemic, I am eager to set new goals and continue to improve my running abilities. This year, 2023, I will do my first ultra run, the Eiger Ultra Trail run of 101 km.

Race values

Berlin 2014            Fitness = 54.50  Fatique = 33.90   Form =  20.60  TRIMP (from the race itself) = 421

Rotterdam 2015     Fitness = 87.13  Fatique = 52.15   Form = 34.98     TRIMP (from the race itself) = 446

London 2015          Fitness = 80.69  Fatique = 50.13   Form = 30.56    TRIMP (from the race itself) = 364

Eindhoven 2015     Fitness = 82.22  Fatique = 48.97   Form = 33.25     TRIMP (from the race itself) = 360

Zermatt 2016         Fitness = 70.91  Fatique = 31.91   Form = 39.00    TRIMP (from the race itself) = 783

Eindhoven 2016     Fitness = 73.74  Fatique = 41.87   Form = 31.87     TRIMP (from the race itself) = 390

Boston 2017               Fitness = 76.88  Fatique = 44.91  Form = 31.97     TRIMP (from the race itself) = 373

Berlin 2017                 Fitness = 84.35  Fatique = 54.80  Form = 29.55     TRIMP (from the race itself) = 394

Sneek 2018                 Fitness = 68.99  Fatique = 55.40  Form = 13.59     TRIMP (from the race itself) = 344

Eindhoven 2018      Fitness = 93.72  Fatique = 62.73  Form = 29.99     TRIMP (from the race itself) = 410

City-Pier-City 2016 Fitness = 77.36  Fatique = 69.45   Form = 7.91     TRIMP (from the race itself) = 181 (PB 1:17:12) 

Current (15-10-18)  Fitness = 69.71  Fatique = 80.35  Form = -10.64

Detailed explanation of the multi sports fitness (see also StravistiX)

The multi sports fitness trend is calculated from various heart rate stress. A heart rate stress is represented by an value called TRaining IMPulse or TRIMP. Training Impulse concept has been developed by Dr. Eric W. Banister. Basically, it represents the amount of heart stress during an activity: the longer you go at full throttle during an activity, the more TRIMP of activity goes up! 

TRIMP has both a positive and a negative effect. The positive effect is called fitness, and the negative effect is called fatigue. Fitness and fatigue can combined to provide a value of form or Performance.

The Fitness, Fatigue and Form graph and table is based off an impulse-response model first developed by Dr. Eric W. Banister in 1975. It was later redefined by Andrew R. Coggan. This model will show you:

• Your Fitness based on your chronic load

• Your Fatigue based on your acute load

• Your Form or stress balance

Explanations...

• The Fitness curve is the long-term average daily training load. Default period is fixed to 42 days (or six weeks), so it will take ~6 weeks for your Fitness to be accurate. It's basically the foundations, the potential availability of the athlete... You can't get into big rides/runs or races without a minimum of fitness acquired. If that curve is too regular or too flat, it is not usually a sign of good training.

• The Fatigue curve is the short-term average daily training load. Same way than Fitness but default period is fixed to 7 days (one week). Conceptually, fatigue is easy to understand: It's the tired feelings which limits your performance. This curve varies much faster than Fitness curve. On Fatigue curve, you can see the fatigue climbing sharply in response where you performed workouts with a high stress. But also go down quickly as you take few days off.

• The Form curve is simply the difference between Fitness and Fatigue, it's the right balance of stress you should look at to avoid over training for example. 

• Form = Fitness - Fatigue 

• When: 

  • +25 < Form : Transition zone. Athlete is on form. Case where athlete has an extended break. (e.g. illness, injury or end of the season).

  • +5 < Form < +25 : Freshness Zone. Athlete is on form. Ready for a race.

  • -10 < Form < +5 : Neutral Zone. Zone reached typically when athlete is in a rest or recovery week. After a race or hard training period.

  • -30 < Form < -10 : Optimal Training Zone.

  • Form < -30 : Over Load Zone. Athlete is on overload or over-training phase. He should take rest!