"I love to race in the USA, I love ride rollercoasters, and I love triathlon...so the chance to do a lot of things I really like to do on one location, is a giant treat!" ~ Mariska Kramer

About Mariska

Bio:

Why do soccerplayers run behind a ball, why does Lance Armstrong ride up a mountain with 120 RPM, why do speedskaters skate lap after lap on an icetrack? Do you ever ask yourself that question? Would a reporter ever ask a sportsman this questions? Certainly I had to answer this question more then once; why do you do triathlon? My answer is quite simple; I just love it! That's why. Triathlon is just a lovely excuse to do thing things I like to do most.

Since the age of four, I'm an sportaddict. It started with gymnastics, tennis, aerobics, horsebackriding, cycling back and forth to school and to the swimming pool in Wommels, walking, climbing trees, and all those things you do as a child. On a little green bike I speeded up and down the walkway yelling "jihaa", just like the Dukes of Hazard.

When, years ago, the AVRO started broadcasting the triathlon of Almere, I was sold. How young I still was, I was deeply impressed by this phenomenon triathlon. One day, I want to do something like that as well. So, I bought a pair of sneakers and ran the Amsterdam marathon at the age of eightteen. I learned myself something what looks like breaststroke and bought an iron racebike. That first bike, thousands of kilometers I drove around on that thing. I loved being out on the bike all day. After one year I discoverd there were two levers on that bike as well and found out how I could shift gears. How did I know, I just started training running, biking and swimming. I went to the swimmingpool to see how long it would take me to swim 3800 meter. I cycled around Friesland to feel how far 180 km on a bike is and I ran marathons. No planning or scheduled training, I just did triathlon. I made a lot of mistakes, but also learned a lot about training and about myself. In 1995, the time was right for my debute on the long distance in Almere. It would be my third triathon, but being a thriathlete, one has to start in Almere. So I did, just 21 years of age. I made it to the finish line, but I never felt so bad after a race again. On my back, I had second degree sun burns. I was purple. My urine had the color of coffee and I really felt worn out. However, I was really happy I could call myself a 'real' triathlete from that moment on, and I knew that this is wat I wanted. It was my biggest acomplishment so far.

In 1996, I met an male triathlete, and he is still around me. He had a beautifull bike and a nice but, These are the main criteria for the right partner. We shared our passion for the sport and started travelling to compete in races outsite the Netherlands. We had seen most races in Holland and expanded our horizon to Belgium, Switserland, Portugal and France. With our love for the sport, the traveling and eachother, we went to check our borders and beyond.

In the new milennium, I kept on improving myself and beside some small victories came some bigger victories. To take my training a bit more serious, I contaced Rob Barel and started working together with him. In 2001, I was winner of the triathlon in Stein, one of the mayor long distance triathlons in Holland. Unfortunately my progress was suddenly stopped by an injury in my knee. In 2002 I had surgery on that knee, and soon later I was back in triathlon bussiness again. As age-grouper I finished 7th women overall in Ironman Florida, and qualified for the 2004 Ironman world campionships in Hawaii. In 2005, my main goal was Ironman France, one of most prestigious triathlons in Europe. With an outstanding marathon, only 4 men had a faster marathon split than mine, I was the first Dutch female to win this race. With this victory I also qualified for Hawaii as profesional thriathlete. I also won the womens race in Immenstadt and was elected as Dutch triathlete of the year by the dutch triathlon union. It just was a great year for me. In 2006 I choose to continue my carreer as full proffesional triathlete. A big step, but I enjoy it every minute of the day. I'm priveleged to live my by doing the things I like to do the most. Travel around the world, meet nice people and always give it my best at the races I'm competing in. I am just living my dream!

Aloha, ik gjin der plat foar !

2009 Race Results:

RACE	PLACE
20k Drachten	1st
NC duathlon Tilburg	1st
10 mile run Burgum	1st
Ironman Louisville	6th
70.30IM Benton Harbour	8th
2OD Triathlon Nieuwkoop	2nd
Duathlon Lelystad	1st
Powerman Falkenstein	2nd
Powerman Bastendorf	1st
Duathlon Oberursel	1st
Merenloop Grou	1st
70.3 Ironman Zuid Afrika	4th

 

www.mariskakramer.nl

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