BEACH MARATHON HOEK VAN HOLLAND - DEN HELDER

we didn't know it would took place today. So when we started 7.30 am cycling to the beach and found the seal lying on her (Sally) favoured site at the shore, already enjoying the first sunrays, we were very happy and stepped oh so carefully near by.
We noticed however that at the beginning of the Zandmotor, still far away from where we stood, there was a lot going on. We saw an ambulance, police-cars, police on motor and a group of people talking and gesticulating. Something was going on there, but what we could not easily guess.
We made photos of the seal, Mischa and I, from our distance not wanting to intrude. Suddenly a group of cyclists came riding at the rim of the sea, where the sand is the hardest, towards the seal. The first one shouted loud: Een zeehond!!!
To warn the others behind him. We were so surprised and horrified and then noticed that from the dunes a horde of cyclists were coming down to the beach and right for our nose they struggled on in the sand. They had shields with numbers on their bodies. I suggested it was triathlon in the dunes taking place, but now I have found out it was the 132 km beach marathon. The fastest time ever someone did was 3 hours, 28 minutes and 35 seconds (2007) with a south-west wind in the back.
Blipopportunity!! We saw someone with the number 840, and the limit of registration is now 1000, people coming from in- and outland.
We saw them all cycle till the last one! And then Sally the seal had her head up in the sea, but did not come ashore. So cold to the bones we went home and had our coffee.
My picture of the seal is on flickr, I'll wait to post one here till soon. Mischa's is to see at the link.

My haiku:

Under the waves hide
Keep your distance from the crowd
The seal under-stands

And the latin proverb:

The reward of a thing rightly done is to have done it.