Races in Belgium

While the capital of Belgium is Brussels, the number one attraction for travelers in Belgium is the Venice of the North, Bruges! The medieval city, surrounded by and crisscrossed with canals, is a very charming place to visit. Like the "real" Venice in Italy, Bruges owes its architectural wealth to the boom period of the merchants. You should know that in the 15th century, the city was one of the most powerful in Europe... Brussels, for its part, is also highly appreciated by its guests, notably for its dynamic cultural scene. Music, theater, painting—Brussels is lived day and night! Tintin, Spirou and Lucky Luke are the spearheads of Belgian comics, known worldwide, and you’ll find traces of them in Brussels... Painters 🧑🏻‍🎨 have also left their mark on the country’s history. Set off to discover the many museums that display canvases by Magritte, Rubens or Ensor, to name just a few... Liège, located near the borders with the Netherlands and Germany, is a former principality. The prestige of the city, governed for centuries by a prince-bishop, is revealed in particular through its many religious buildings, such as Saint Paul’s Cathedral. The Coteaux de la Citadelle district will definitely win your vote... And while we’re at it, let’s take advantage of the city’s relief to show you that Belgium isn’t as flat as that! The Province of Liège is home to the Hautes Fagnes state nature reserve, where Belgium’s highest point rises: the Signal de Botrange (694 meters). Lovers of nature can feast on the fauna and flora of this region, covered with peat bogs and forests 🌲, like the Hertogenwald. The seaside on the west of the country is popular with Belgians for its beaches, especially when the sun is out ☀️. Oh yes, we almost forgot: check the weather before choosing your weekend in Belgium—the weather is sometimes cold 🥶 and rainy 💦... Well, you can always enjoy a good Belgian beer to warm up. As Belgium’s climate isn’t suitable for growing grapes, Belgian monks "got their revenge" by producing beer 🍺. And the quality is still there centuries later. Consume in moderation...

... especially if you’re coming to run in Belgium! Just look at how this "almost" flat country has put together a lovely race calendar for you. Whether on the road, on the trails or for walkers! The home country of Eddy Merckx hosts a bunch of great races, some with very evocative names! How about taking part in the Last Man Standing, a date counting toward the UTMB® World Series that offers different routes (Discovery trail, Short trail, Long trail) including one over 150 km? You didn’t think you were coming to Belgium to suffer, did you?! Well, yes. Go prove the Trail des 600 Boitheux (in Theux near Liège) wrong by finishing it properly! Road running fans have already marked the Brussels Marathon, which is run in the Belgian capital. Not far from there, south of the city, the Sonian Forest hosts the Brussels Trail every year! Finally, let’s not forget walkers, who can have a field day at the magical Trail des Fées. This event takes place in Bertrix, in the southeast of Belgium, in the least densely populated province in the country. Peaceful in the forest 🌲, in the middle of the Flemish Ardennes...

Belgium isn’t limited to trails and boulevards 🚴. Triathlon enthusiasts have a top-choice event on the Flemish coast: the Ironman 70.3 in Knocke-Heist lines up 1.9 km of swimming in the North Sea, 90 km of cycling on the flat roads of the Belgian coast, and 21 km of running along the seafront—an ideal half-distance format to test yourself without (too much) suffering. Two-wheelers aren’t left out either: the Belgium Bike Festival The Classics in Andenne, right in the heart of the Walloon Condroz, offers gravel and road routes ranging from 20 to 180 km over the region’s rolling roads and stony tracks. A two-wheel festival where everyone finds their distance, from a relaxed Sunday ride to a tough one for the peloton 🏅.

Belgium doesn’t mess around.