Mieke Pullen facts for kids

Mieke Pullen (born Hombergen) was a talented long-distance runner from the Netherlands. She was born on July 14, 1957, and sadly passed away on January 28, 2003. Mieke was especially known for running marathon races, which are very long running events, usually about 42 kilometers (26 miles).

During her career, Mieke ran thirty marathons. She won several big races, including the Eindhoven Marathon, Amsterdam Marathon, Enschede Marathon, and Singapore Marathon. She also became the Dutch champion in the marathon four times. Mieke died at the age of 45 in a traffic accident while she was training in Haaren, North Brabant.

Mieke Pullen's Running Journey

Mieke Pullen started her running career a bit later than some athletes. She began taking running seriously when she was thirty years old. Even with a late start, she quickly became a top runner.

Early Marathon Successes

By 1988, Mieke was already competing at a high level. She finished third in the Zevenheuvelenloop race. She also ran her first marathon that year at the Eindhoven Marathon, finishing fifth. In 1989, she came in second at the Westland Marathon. The very next year, 1990, she won her first Dutch national title at the Westland race. She also achieved her first marathon victory in Eindhoven that same year.

Mieke showed she was one of the best runners in her country in 1991. She won the Eindhoven Marathon again, keeping her title. She also won the Amsterdam Marathon, showing her strength in long-distance running.

Breaking Records and Winning Titles

In 1992, Mieke ran a marathon in under two hours and forty minutes for the first time. She finished fourth at the Rotterdam Marathon and won her second Dutch title with a time of 2 hours, 38 minutes, and 6 seconds. She improved her personal best time even more at the Carpi Marathon, finishing in 2 hours, 37 minutes, and 15 seconds. Mieke also placed third at the Frankfurt Marathon that year.

After taking a break from marathons in 1993, Mieke returned strong in 1994. She won two marathons: one in Singapore and another in Zwolle. She also earned a third-place finish at the Enschede Marathon.

Later Career Highlights

In 1995, Mieke won her first half marathon race, which is about half the distance of a full marathon, at the Dutch Monster Half Marathon. She also won the 15K VTM Telecomloop race. In 1996, she competed in the Boston Marathon in America. Later that year, she won the Enschede Marathon with her best time of the season, 2 hours, 41 minutes, and 13 seconds. She also finished second in both the Eindhoven and Singapore races.

The year 1997 was one of Mieke's best, even though she was 40 years old. She won the Westland and Eindhoven marathons. At the Eindhoven race, she set her personal best time ever: 2 hours, 36 minutes, and 51 seconds, winning another Dutch title. She also won the Montferland Run 15K, a race she would win again the next year.

Mieke continued her success in 1998. She finished eighth at the Rotterdam Marathon with a time of 2 hours, 39 minutes. She also kept her Dutch title in Eindhoven, finishing second overall.

Final Wins and Master's Competitions

In 1999, Mieke finished tenth at the Rome City Marathon. She also came in fourth in Eindhoven, running her last marathon under two hours and forty minutes. Mieke had her final race wins around this time. She won the Almere Marathon in both 2000 and 2002. In 2001, she won the Groet Uit Schoorl Run and two half marathons in Drunen and Eindhoven.

As she got older, Mieke started competing in the "masters" category for athletes over forty. In 1999 and 2000, she won masters races at the Oostende Brugge and Zevenheuvelenloop events. In 2001, she traveled to Brisbane, Australia, for the World Master's Championships. There, she won the marathon title for women over 40. She was also a three-time winner of the veteran's race at the Warandeloop cross country event.

A Sad Farewell

On January 28, 2003, Mieke Pullen went for a training run in Haaren. While she was running, she was involved in a traffic accident. Her body was found the next day. Mieke Pullen was a dedicated and successful runner who achieved many great things in her career.