Who is Rob Plijnaar?

Hotelier

He is the director (together with his brothers) of Hotel Mitland in Utrecht, the Netherlands, which has grown since the 1970s from a tennis and bowling complex into a full-fledged hotel with conference facilities — a family business that has celebrated its 100th anniversary.

Photography

From a young age, Rob developed a passion for photography. Initially a hobby, it later became a professional asset for the hotel’s PR. And during sports events the camera is always cloth by.

Endurance challenges

Since his parents ran a tennis park, it was only natural for him to pursue tennis. But unfortunately, a skiing accident in the late 1970s ended his ambitions of advancing in the tennis world. In 1980, he began running — first short distances, later half and full marathons and triathlons.
In his quest to explore the limits of human endurance, he began running extreme (Ultra) Marathons at the age of 57, including: Marathon des Sables (Sahara, 2008), North Pole Marathon (2009), Atacama Crossing (Chile, 2010), Mount Everest Marathon (2015), Antarctica Ice Marathon (2016), Great Wall Marathon (China, 2017), ...and many others.

Ultra-marathons are mostly self-supported. You carry your entire "household" with you — about 12 to 15 kg of food, clothing, sleeping gear, and water. It’s not about time (unless you're aiming to win), but about finishing. A huge physical and mental challenge.

Marathon Grand Slam

In 2016, Rob Plijnaar became the first Dutchman to complete the Marathon Grand Slam: (ultra) marathons on all 7 continents and the North Pole. This archievement earned him a place in the elite group of the Marathon Grand Slam Club.

Both the North Pole (90°N) and South Pole (80°S) marathons are held far (2600 km) above and below the Polar Circle, with temperatures ranging from -25 to -47°C.