Maarten Hendriks

I left a boring IT career in 2014 and I moved to Switzerland from the Netherlands, and have no regrets about it! Today, I’m a glorified stay-at-home dad, which means that as well as running our house and caring for three kids, I’m currently renovating and extending our house for ourselves and our guests. I also manage the rental of an apartment and studio that I renovated. I run a lot, and also do other sports like ski touring, cycling and nordic skiing. I love to be outside and try to make every day an adventure— you can often find me climbing trees or sledding in winter! My wife is the pediatrician in our village and I organize everything around her demanding job. Flexibility is a big part of my lifestyle, all of which seems to comes together with a lot of freedom, fun and yes, hard work.

I feel that I am living “the other” life! My only employed work is supporting Run the Alps guests who are passing through Switzerland’s Bernese Oberland. I have started training to become an International Mountain Leader and I want to pursue a career where I get to run with others as a guide or trainer.

I do not need any free time. I would just get bored! (But, I admit, I’m a Netflix addict late at night…..)

I once bum-boarded down 1500 meters from the top of the Titlis – a 3200 meter high peak, just above Engelberg in Switzerland – wearing shorts! This was during Covid. I got to the top by running up the slopes of the closed ski area.

The point-to-point run between the villages of Lauterbrunnen and Kandersteg in the Bernese Oberland. This is a brutal run with a lot of elevation and steep climbs, including the Sefinenfurgge and Hohtürli passes, and the most insane views of the Eiger, Monch, Jungfrau and the emerald lake of Oeschinensee.