It was with some trepidation that I looked out of my hotel window on the morning of Sunday 2nd of October and saw bright blue skies and a vivid sun haze staring back down at me. Running a marathon is a difficult enough proposition, especially when your fitness level is questionable and your confidence is low. So the thought of setting out on this Belgian odyssey in 26°C heat was not one I was particularly relishing.
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| Pre-race near the triumphal arch in Parc du Cinquantenaire |
Having run this race in 2010 the course should have held no real surprises for me. although over the past twelve months I'd somehow forgotten just how many long uphill drags the course seemed to contain. The route starts a couple of kilometers outside the centre at the beautiful Parc du Cinquantenaire. It begins with a large circuit of the city then a long out and back to a park near to the airport before heading back through the Parc du Cinquantenaire, and back into the City Centre. The last section winding it's way through cobbled streets before finishing in spectacular style in the stunning Grand Place. Support was sporadic although quite vocal, that is until we arrived back in the City where large, loud crowds lined the streets to urge the runners over the finish line.
A bottle of fairly yucky sports drink and some honey cake was duly dished out at the finish, though I can't help thinking some of the local Belgian beer and frites delicacies would have been much more welcome.
To anyone thinking of running a non-UK marathon, I'd recommend this race. It's not the greatest running event in the world, but Brussels is a fantastic, welcoming city with plenty to see and do (and to eat and drink). It's cheap to stay in, easy to get round and there are regular cheap flights over from Manchester.
http://www.runabroad.com/ rate Brussels as one of the 101 races to run before you die, who am I to argue?
For more information, visit http://www.brusselsmarathon.be/
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