I finished at 9:29… No pineapple for me:sob:
Already can’t wait till next year, hopefully see some of you out there then!
1 Like
Maybe its not sponsored by Del Monte (?) anymore…
How about the bottle of Deathmarch beer?
Also did they issue the medals this year on account of the shortened distances?
2 Likes
Medals issued, along with certificate which reads 100km - just to tease us I reckon… Not a bottle but a can this year 
2 Likes
Smashed it! I thought I was relatively fast (didn’t take any breaks until halfway point then 10-15 mins at each checkpoint. My exact finish time was 10:54.
3 Likes
You too, good effort mate!
I went for pretty much the same strategy, although because I was shattered I read “bornem” on a sign about 15k ish from the finish and thought I was pretty much done, went full speed to finish strong… But the end never came so finished on an hour and a half tab 
How are your legs today? I’m finding mine are seizing up whenever I sit down. Takes about 10 mins to be able to walk again
And that’s not to mention both my little toes have the entirety of their undersides blistered.
1 Like
I have some pretty bad chafing so I’m waddling abit but other than that I’m loving life. I was shocked when I took my boots off and had litterally no blisters, I came away very lucky!
Definitely going to cross that pair of underwear off the list on things to wear it Nijmegen next year😱
Thankfully I did some trial runs with different shorts and underwear on my training walks. I got a pair thinking they’d be great - 10km into a walk and they’re digging into my groin enough for me to do a 180 and change them.
I didn’t get any blisters where I taped but strangely got large blisters where I didn’t when I haven’t ever got blisters there before on 40km walks… Next time I’ll tape up every toe.
Wondering what walk to do next now. Maybe give Nijmegen another go, this time having to do 50x4 due to my age and as a “Civvie”.
That’s my plan for next year too. I still might train with weight though, I trained with about 15kg of extra weight, dropped it for the 2 days I did at Nijmegen and flew through it! Other than that, I’m thinking about doing some of the IML walks and get some clasps for that medal, not really sure on which are the best though… More short term I’m back in the Netherlands for Airborne in September, can’t wait!
It feels good when you know you’ve done well with the taping!
The best underwear for Nijmegen I found was the cheapest I could find, but they failed me this time! Now you say it, I’ve never walked in those shorts before so it may have been that😱
I’m a stickler for sticking with what works…
To avoid chafing from underwear: last year I wore boxers from Step One - before they guaranteed no chafing… they didn’t chafe.!
In previous years I’ve worn various cotton boxers from by wardrobe and worked ojt which ones were my faves - and kept them specifically for RM (yeah I know; REALLY sad!). But in addition I was given a tip by a friend who had walked the Compostella di Santiago… (Nijmegen on steroids!) to apply LIBERAL amounts of Vaseline all around any area prone to chafing…! By liberal I mean LIBERAL…!
It worked, but my undercracks were a right state - plus you sometimes need to top up the application whilst out - not easy in one of those orange portaloos - and don’t get me started on the effect of No2s…
I haven’t had blisters since my first year.
I went through several pairs of boots and multiple sock variations…
I’ve ended up with big standard AltBerg defenders, but with after market heat moulded orthotic footbeds from a company called SOLE - and wear a thin pair of cotton socks worn inside out, with a pair of thick, chunky woollen socks again, worn inside out.
The thin cotton ones naturally wick away sweat - the woollen ones create air space around my feet and allow the sweat to evaporate .
Lastly - by wearing two pairs of socks, there’s no friction affecting my feet - any rubbing is absorbed by the cotton / wool - preventing heat build up and preventing blisters.
In my first year and second year; I taped up and it worked a treat - but since then I haven’t needed to - and instead relished being able to soak my feet at the end of the day, or slather them in Body Shop Peppermint Foot Cream.
Different lacing techniques can help loads too - especially not over tightening; to allow your feet to naturally swell - but also by shifting some lace holes.
Same here really, I’ve not had any blisters since my first year (I’m on year 6 of road marching at different events which is quite good going blister wise I think!)
My feet have expensive tastes apparently, after my first event I experimented alot with boots/socks and found the best by a long way were a pair of OG Altberg Defenders, 1000 mile socks and Leucoplast tape, although I have mates who do the same in a pair of thin cotton socks and Magnum boots so its really what works best for you.
The only time I had chafing was Dodentocht annoyingly. Taping techniques and boots is something I’ve got quite nerdy about over the years, but it’s got me through some long marches😱
1 Like
Out of interest - how did you find the Dodentrocht? Thanks to a member of staff who is now not leading a civvy team this summer, they’ve suggested doing both Nijmegen AND Death March this year… on the basis that - provided we keep walking between the two events, our bodies should maintain enough conditioning etc…
The old advice certainly used to be do one - but not the other in any given year… but I’ve had another friend assure me of similar age and physicality / fitness, assure me it shouldn’t be an issue…
My plan was to do the whole of both Nijmegen and Death March in 2022, but due to the heat Nijmegen was halved and Dodentocht cut by a third, so I’m planning on doing both again this year but to actually complete this time.
Not sure how I’ll feel after doing the whole lot, but I could have quite happily carried on after the 70k we were allowed to do at Dodentocht and loved every moment of both walks. I’m very young though, barely a staff member so I have an advantage, but between Nijmegen and Dodentocht 2022 I had a 4 day gold DofE practice exped (20k each day up and down the hills in the Peak District), then the qualifier gold expedition the week after I got back from Dodentocht (again 4 days and 20km per day but up and down hills in the Lakes) so that might have offset the advantage abit 
Honestly from your comments you seem like a very experienced walker and if you feel confident I’d go for it🤔
1 Like
I was the same, no real muscle issues… Then after I finished I sat down at the train station in Bornem for 30 mins. My legs completely seized up and walking anywhere took 10x as long.
3 Likes
Ha ha ha - we’ve all been there!
It wasn’t until my second time at Nijmegen that I fully appreciated the importance of stretching after each walk…
We used to call it “the Nijmegen shuffle” or “waking like an arthritic penguin”
3 of the Dodentocht’s ive done have been on the back of Nijmegen.
No issue until the inevitable seizing up after the walk
2 Likes
Noice! Unfortunately I’m in Temporary RM-retirement at the moment (Funnily enough Enroute to have ingrown toe nail removal surgery due to a deformed toe nail caused by Dodentocht training)
Maybe next year!
Or you might see the light!