Ultrarunner Noor van der Veen: 'When You Think You've Reached a Limit, You Can Do So Much More'

Noor van der Veen, widely recognized as the Netherlands' premier female ultrarunner for distances exceeding 100 kilometers, asserts that the perceived limits of human endurance are often self-imposed. "People have no idea what they are capable of. When you think you've reached a limit, you can do so much more," she stated in a video interview from Italy, where she was preparing for the Ultra-Trail du Mont Blanc (UTMB).

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People have no idea what they are capable of. When you think you've reached a limit, you can do so much more.

Van der Veen's athletic journey began unconventionally. Unlike many elite athletes, she was not particularly sporty as a child or teenager, engaging only in horseback riding, which she doesn't consider a sport. Her initial attempts at running in her early twenties, fueled by a desire to counteract the effects of a lively student social life, were discouraging. She described having "zero confidence as an athlete." Everything changed when a colleague at an outdoor store introduced her to the UTMB, a grueling 176-kilometer race with nearly 10,000 meters of elevation gain around Western Europe's highest peak. "I remember being completely fascinated. That people could run such distances," she recalled.

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I remember being completely fascinated. That people could run such distances.

The very next morning, she ran five kilometers, and "suddenly, it worked." Now 33, Van der Veen is set to compete in the UTMB for the third time, having previously won major international races like the 330-kilometer Tor des Géants in Italy. She believes that ultra-athletics and trail running, while appearing extreme to outsiders, do not require superhuman physical abilities. While acknowledging the necessity of some aptitude for endurance sports and a significant commitment to training, she maintains, "In principle, anyone could run an ultra."

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Suddenly, it worked.

Before her ultrarunning career, Van der Veen, who grew up in Hilversum, was involved in mountaineering, including expeditions to challenging 5,000-meter peaks in Kyrgyzstan. The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, which closed borders and climbing gyms, prompted her to turn to running as an alternative, gradually increasing her distances. Furthermore, she cited the escalating dangers in mountaineering due to climate change as a catalyst for her transition. The deaths of four acquaintances on relatively easy routes prompted her to reconsider the risks. "I would find it a great pity if my life ended here. I want to live to be eighty," she explained, finding in ultrarunning the adventure and solitude of the mountains without the extreme perils.

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In principle, anyone could run an ultra.