Merel Vreugdenhil, 11 years old, has completed her first Nijmegen Four Days Marches

Eleven-year-old Merel has practiced many kilometers because she was allowed to participate for the first time in the Nijmegen Four Days Marches this year.

Despite sore feet, Merel enjoyed her first Four Days Marches: “This was really, really fun. Like one big party,” describes 11-year-old Merel Vreugdenhil from Hoogland about the Nijmegen Four Days Marches. An unforgettable experience. “It feels like carnival, but walking. It was so much fun.” Her feet did ‘hurt a little bit,’ but stopping for that? Merel, one of the youngest participants in the Nijmegen Four Days Marches, doesn’t do that. In fact, at the time of speaking, about 6 kilometers before the finish on the road called Via Gladiola, she had no time for it. There was simply too much to see, hear, and experience. “The first three days, I felt my feet at the end of the day. But the last day was really, really fun. People were everywhere along the route, and children had candies and cucumbers. It’s nothing like the evening four days. There’s so much music and joy,” she beams. “So much distraction – walking is going just fine.”

Merel, along with her mother Mariken Vreugdenhil, already knows for sure; they will participate again next year!

The biggest walking challenge

Merel samen met haar moeder Mariken Vreugdenhil (B XI a) weten het al zeker; volgend jaar doen ze weer mee!

The teenager embarked on her biggest walking challenge to date: the Nijmegen Four Days Marches, with around 47,000 participants this year. Each of them covers 30, 40, or 50 kilometers per day, depending on their gender and age. Merel, who turns 12 this calendar year and was eligible to participate for the first time, was part of it. She walked 30 kilometers per day, totaling 120 kilometers. A dream come true.

Tako has a megaphone and kept the atmosphere lively
 She didn’t undertake this monstrous journey alone but with her mother, Mariken Vreugdenhil, and the so-called #Vteam. This team consists of a hundred children aged between 11 and 15, drawing attention to friendship, peace, and safety. They were supported by former NOS Jeugdjournaal presenter and Child Correspondent Tako Rietveld, who showed with cheerful videos how important these topics are. So, on ‘pink Wednesday,’ the theme was unity and solidarity, and on Thursday, peace and safety. On that day, Pasha from Ukraine, who had to flee his country due to the war, joined. “But honestly, for me, it’s mainly about friendship now,” says Merel. “It’s just very cozy. Tako has a megaphone and kept the atmosphere lively. Everyone participated, very fun.” This unity was also visible when the team collectively reached the finish line. “We went over the finish line in a procession,” nodded Mariken. “It became one big party. It already was, but now it really was. We couldn’t wait. And then, of course, rest because we were looking forward to that after these days.”

Every day at half past 5
Not surprising when you consider that mother and daughter got up every day at half past 5, to appear at the start at half past 7. “Quite tiring,” says Merel, but “you get used to it a bit.” Many moments that she hoped to combat with her favorite licorice-nougat lollipops beforehand, she didn’t have. How many lollipops were eventually consumed? “About three or so?” grinned mother Mariken. “There was plenty of other candy – no time for lollipops, then.”

Merel met de Burgemeester Bruls van de gemeente Nijmegen

A kind of carnival while walking
All in all, the two look back on an unforgettable time. But does that mean they’ll be participating again next year? “Well, we’ve already decided,” laughs Merel. “We’re sure. It’s so incredibly fun. A kind of carnival while walking.” Mariken nods in agreement. “Merel’s father always walked the Four Days Marches, but the virus has completely caught us. The whole family is infected!”