Training tips

Our route makers Monique, Gijs and Bart have captured the 8 most important tips for you!

Download the training schedule for when you walk the 20 and 40 kilometer route (only in Dutch):

Train schedule

Tip #1: Replenish your minerals

Route maker Bart: “My tip is: you sweat a little while walking and you also lose minerals. To supplement that I always take a stock cube with me. You can then order hot water or tea at a rest point, and then you can use that stock cube to make a tasty stock to supplement those minerals.”

Tip #2: Bring an egg

Route maker Bart: “A tip for walking is: take food with you. For example an egg. Because while walking, your muscles break down a bit. They have to be rebuilt and you need proteins for that. And those proteins are in a (boiled) egg. So, bring an egg and eat it on the go!

Tip #3: Practice/train in the rain

Route maker Gijs: “Another tip: go for a walk when the weather is bad. There is always a change that it might rain during the Night of the Refugee and rain is always worse when you're inside than when you're walking outside :)

Tip #4: Breaking in your gear

Route maker Gijs: “Tip: if you are going to train for the Night of the Refugee, don't just think about your muscles and your feet. Your equipment, your clothing, everything you use during the Night of the Refugee, you have to get used to that. And maybe you still have make choices in what to wear or bring. Therefore: always train in the equipment in which you will walk the Night.”

Tip #5: Keep your hands free

Route maker Monique: “My tip for walking during the Night of the Refugee is to keep your hands free. The fact is that if you have to carry a bag in your hand all the time or leave it hanging halfway over your shoulder, your arms and hands can become stiff. Precisely because of the cold and the moisture that is there at night. Preferably wear a fanny pack or a backpack.

Tip #6: Choosing the right shoes

Route maker Gijs: “A practical tip about the equipment: the shoes. Many people take those high mountain boots because they go hiking. But remember that you have to lift them sixty or seventy thousand times during the Night of the Refugee. Lower, good, sturdy shoes are much more sensible. And then when you tie them, don't tie them very tight. Make sure there is some space between the laces, that they are a bit looser, because your feet will expand. And you need that space. So, keep that in mind.”

Tip #7: The three-layer clothing system

Route maker Bart: “A tip for clothing when walking is the three-layer system. The three-layer system allows you to maintain the temperature of your body. Not too hot and certainly not too cold. The three-layer system means first an insulation layer on your skin, then a layer that dissipates moisture and heat, and finally a protective layer, which blocks rain and wind.”

Tip #8: Practice at night

Route maker Monique: “My tip for the Night is: if you go for a walk, also go for a walk in the night beforehand, because you don't know what that's like. If you go for a walk, make sure you are seen well. Make sure you have a light or reflective vest on you."