Successful running symposium Utrecht Science Park: ‘Physical and mental balance is key to success’

Moderator Imo Muller kicked off with tips on good preparation for the big match day. He then announced the first speaker Afke van de Wouw with her presentation: In balance to top form. In her presentation, Afke talked about the influence of stress on injuries, recovery and energy makers and takers, among other things. Training is not only about the physical aspect, but the mental aspect is just as important. We need to see the human being as a whole and work and personal life are also involved. So include ‘real relaxation’ in your training schedule, for example in the form of breathing exercises, meditation or yoga. Top athletes do this as well.

After the break, Fred Hartgens gave an interesting presentation on common running injuries and whether they are preventable. What many people probably already knew is that running is still among the most injury-prone sports and mainly in the lower extremities. It has been found that there is not much you can do preventively to avoid an injury, apart from following an appropriate running schedule and good footwear. The most important factor in getting an injury is if you have already had an injury once. In that case, there are only certain secondary preventive measures you can take to reduce the chances of the injury returning. Initial prevention of an injury is usually not possible, but secondary prevention in case of a recurring injury is.

Jill Holterman then took us through her path to professional top-level sport as an Olympic marathon runner and what choices she made in this. Her childhood dream was always to become a lawyer and this is what Jill worked hard for for years. At the time, Jill chose to pause her career as a lawyer and focus entirely on running. She found that a full-time job had a lot of impact on her running performance and it was difficult to combine. In 2021, Jill reached a big milestone and qualified for the Olympics in Tokyo. Her story revealed that Jill also deals with injuries regularly and that this is a tough mental battle, which you don’t always get out of easily. Jill’s goal is to always keep challenging and stimulating herself, and learn new things.

Finally, all speakers came together for an interesting panel discussion led by Imo, where the different disciplines and areas of expertise came together and some conclusions were discussed:

• Falling and getting up is part of it
• Self-knowledge and reflection is important for good performance Psychological flexibility training is important; learn to deal with uncomfortable situations
• Running requires a personal approach. What works for someone else may not always work for you, thinking about training schedule, nutrition, clothing, etc.
• The ideal marathon runner: is balanced, has discipline, is physically fit, mentally fit, has a lot of self-knowledge and knows his coping strategies.

We look back on a very successful evening. Many fascinating topics from both science and practice were discussed this evening. We thank all visitors and speakers and look forward to the Utrecht Marathon on 18 May with start and finish at the Utrecht Science Park.

Utrecht Science Park

The Utrecht Science Park is the biggest science park in the Netherlands, with more than 31,000 employees and 55,000 students. Medical centres, knowledge institutions and companies work intensively together to develop and apply groundbreaking science and solutions in areas such as health and sustainability. Sport and exercise play an important role in this. We are pleased that the Utrecht Marathon will once again start and finish at the Utrecht Science Park. Through the running symposium, we gave further substance to this great sports event.

Utrecht Marathon

Sunday 18 May 2025 is the day of the Utrecht Marathon with start and finish at the Utrecht Science Park. On this day, thousands of sports enthusiasts will run a distance in the beautiful Dom city and its surroundings.

Community event
For employees and students of the Utrecht Science Park, a special community event will be organised at the Utrecht Marathon, where you will benefit from a snack and drink, a relaxation area, toilets and wardrobe, among other things. When registering, indicate that you work or study at the Utrecht Science Park, and you will automatically be invited to this event.