Brussels Marathon 2024

How about taking a running tour through our Belgian friends? Yes, you smart cookie, you’ve guessed what we’re about to discuss: none other than the magnificent, prestigious, famous, and iconic Brussels Marathon, scheduled for early November in Belgium! 💥👏

As with every year, AIMS (Association of International Marathons and Distance Races) warmly welcomes you to its annual Marathon, supplemented by an equally legendary Half-Marathon, a 7 km race, and a Kids Run. Your preconceptions that Belgium is only about beer and fries will quickly crumble! 😛 You’ll realize your mistake as you discover the monumental treasures of the global city that is Brussels and understand why the Brussels Airport Marathon & Half Marathon is a must-attend event for finishers worldwide (arguably the biggest running event, some say). Hurry up, spots for the 19th edition are selling like hotcakes 🧇.

But why, you ask? Well, for starters, its enticing distances challenge all competition enthusiasts 🏃‍♀️. With its 42 km, 21 km, 7 km, and kids’ race (great for keeping the little ones busy while mom and dad smash their record ⏳), runners can choose the challenge they wish to take on. And what a challenge! Each year, the Brussels Marathon gathers the world’s top performers and athletics stars ⭐. Can you outperform John Kelai and Jennifer Chesinon, who set incredible records in 2004 with times of 2h 10 min 59 s and 2 h 32 min 16 s respectively? 🤯 Perhaps not, but you might surprise yourself by achieving a great feat, as the course is known to be very smooth. Of course, not all participants have a marathoner’s spirit, which is why there's always the option to take on the half-marathon or the 7 km race, offering plenty of opportunities to soar like a rocket 🚀 and discover the capital of Europe in all its glory 🥰.

"Capital of Europe, really?", some might say from Strasbourg. The terminology may be up for debate, but no one can dispute the significant role the capital of Belgium plays in economic, political, cultural, artistic, and strategic sectors. Located in the Brussels agglomeration (or Brussels for the initiated 😎), which consists of 36 municipalities, the city today is the headquarters for numerous NGOs (over 1,400), the Council of the European Union, the European Commission, NATO, and hosts 120 international institutions and 159 embassies 🌍. The result is an extremely cosmopolitan population and a multicultural society. Fascinating, isn’t it? But hold on! "That's all well and good," you might say, "but what's there to see while I'm running?". And you're absolutely right! So, let's get back on track 🐑.

The city, which celebrated its 1,000th anniversary in 1979, is as renowned for its cultural, architectural, and environmental scale as it is for its politics. With its Walloon and Flemish influences, historical and artistic heritage, old town, and business district known as "Little Manhattan" (home to about thirty skyscrapers 🏙), the city is an open-air museum showcasing a wide variety of architectural styles and atmospheres ✨. As Sven Gatz announced, there are "superb boulevards", "iconic squares", and "green lungs" waiting to give you "an unforgettable experience." You will start your race in the historical heart of the city 🏛️. You will have the chance to see many of the capital’s major avenues, the Atomium at Place de Brouckère, and even the Pentagon.

This is also your chance to whip out your camera and spice up your Instagram feed! 📸 There will be no shortage of color, even if it tends to rain quite a bit! 😆 You'll encounter the Gothic style of St. Michael and St. Gudula Cathedral and Church of Our Blessed Lady of the Sablon, the Art Deco design of the Sacred Heart Basilica and Palais des Beaux Arts, along with the eclectic and surprising beauty of the Palace of Justice. Art Nouveau enthusiasts will also likely sense the influence of this style, for which the city was and remains one of the capitals, through the works of Victor Horta, Paul Hankar, and Henry Van de Velde (among others, as there are plenty more! 😍). Not to mention: nature lovers will find their bliss in the city and its surroundings, referred to as "one of Europe's greenest" 🌿 with no less than 8,000 hectares of preserved green spaces (half the region)! You can slip on your sneakers and hit the training ground in the Bois de la Cambre and the Sonian Forest. You might even be lucky enough to encounter some of the wildlife that inhabits these areas, such as deer, foxes, or endemic bird species. You’ll get to see a lot of these city aspects by joining the competition, lucky you 🍀.

Phew! It’s hard to know where to start with all this! You're left with a choice: nature 🌸, business district, historical area, museum 🎨, theater, opera, pubs, festivals, nightclubs, shopping, or a photo session in the city? 🤔 Tough to choose, we agree! So, we suggest you mull over your options over a nice pint of the best blonde beer at the bar 🍻. But remember, just one! We remind you, you've got a marathon to prepare for.

Excessive alcohol consumption is dangerous to your health, drink in moderation.