Marathon Details - Brussels Marathon

International Marathons > Belgium > Brussels > Brussels Marathon

Brussels Airport Brussels Marathon & Half Marathon

Brussels, Belgium

November 3, 2024

http://www.brusselsairportmarathon.be/en

More Info:	News
Results:	Top 3 Finishers by Year

Contact

Name:	Carrefour Running Tour
Address:	Brussels Marathon Postal box 73 B-3980 Tessenderlo Belgium
Phone Number:	+ 32 11 45 99 54
Fax Number:	+ 32 11 45 99 10
Email:	Email the organizers



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Reviews

Course 3.9

Organization 3.7

Spectators 2.6

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Number of comments: 37 [displaying comments 1 to 11]

More Comments: [ < 1 2 3 4 > ]

J. K. from London, UK (10/8/2017) "Scenic and spacious" (about: 2017) 6-10 previous marathons \| 1 Brussels Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 Yes there are hills. Short steep ones, gentle longer ones, and even steep long ones. My watch calculated a total elevation gain of 2900ft, far higher than any city marathon that I have run. But, despite this, I enjoyed it and would recommend the race to others. The weather this year was perfect - cool, slightly cloudy with a little sunshine, light wind. Being a big city marathon with fewer runners (around 1800 this year) the roads felt wide and uncrowded. The atmosphere was good, was small pockets of crowds cheering. Water and energy drinks were handed out regularly by smiling volunteers (sadly no gels or bars as advertised). The route took as through the green forests to the south of the city, and into the (cobbled..) roads around the impressive Grand Place. Unfortunately the ending was a slight letdown - a tiny 'recovery zone' past the well-supported finish line with only some water and energy drink bottles. No massages or food, and the baggage collection was a little messy. However, if you want a well-supported marathon in a pretty continental city (close to London), and are happy missing out on a PB (my time was 3:14, 10 minutes slower then my best the previous year), then I would recommend Brussels.
James Skinner from Gloucestershire, England (2/22/2017) "Challenging course in Europe's de facto capital" (about: 2016) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Brussels Marathon COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 3 The Brussels Marathon is a mid-sized event. Aside from the marathon there is also a half marathon, a 5k run and a kids run. The marathon goes off earlier than the other distances, starting at 9.00am. This separation is quite good in avoiding too much congestion both in the starting area and during the first few miles of the race. The starting area is quite impressive being situated at the entrance to the Parc du Cinquantenaire. This is also where the Expo Registration takes place. The registration process is well organised, although it is much smaller than many other Expo Registrations, particularly in comparison with the Amsterdam Marathon, which feels like a much bigger event all round. The weather conditions were fairly reasonable with temperatures in the mid-teens (16ÚC / 61F). However, there were some sharp showers around combined with a fairly strong breeze. This was much better than the forecasts had been saying in the run-up to the event. At one point, they were saying that heavy rain could be a possibility. Thankfully this did not materialise. The breeze did make the temperatures feel distinctly autumnal and significantly cooler than their actual figure. The course is mainly one large loop with the exception of the middle part between 20km - 34km, which involves coming back on yourself. This meant having a tailwind on the outbound section and a headwind on the inbound section. This part of the course also involved a series of quite long inclines. The course profile does suggest that Brussels is a hilly marathon and the historic race reviews would suggest this, however, the hills were more testing than thought not so much due to their gradient but more due to the length of them combined with the headwind on the inbound section. Based on this, it would be fair to say that Brussels is one of the more challenging marathons on the calendar with a sterner course profile than other marathon routes. Whilst much of the course takes you out into the suburbs, a sizeable proportion takes place through the city's parks, which are lovely and feature many wooded and lakeside areas. This was one of the highlights of the race coupled with the final mile, which brings you back down into the city centre and right through La Grand Place, which is the most famous square in Brussels. The streets narrow significantly as you approach La Grand Place before you suddenly turn the corner into the square to be greeted by large cheering crowds. This was by far the best crowd support on the course and it made for a very impressive finale to the race. The finish line was another 300 plus yards on from here in Boulevard Anspach, which was right in front of the iconic Brussels Stock Exchange. The finisher's medal is good with the ribbon in the Belgian national colours. This is a nice tradition. The baggage collection immediately following the finish was quite frenetic due to the trucks being so close to the finish area with the crowds and with the fenced off areas. It was not too long before the dark black clouds rolled in and the wind picked up significantly as had been forecast. The Brussels Marathon is well worth doing. However, it is most definitely one of the more challenging courses due to the hills and as such, it is better suited to the more experienced marathon runner. Preference would be for the Amsterdam Marathon, which has more charm, a much easier course and more of a big race feel to the event than is the case with Brussels.
P. L. from Finland (10/5/2016) "Beautiful route!" (about: 2016) 2 previous marathons \| 1 Brussels Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 Running the event in 2016, this marathon was hilly and chilly with 12-14 degrees celcius. I'd rate this event as 8/10 with few notes: + Spectators were supportive, they even called the runners with first names since they were printed on the numberpad :) route is really beautiful, not too much runners to begin with (~1500). Clear starting area, well marked changing rooms, expo area etc. - The ending. There was practically no refreshment (protein/carb) after the race, so you had to buy something from the closeby coffeeshops. The end area was also so crammed, no space to sit down and chill. Overall, no regrets! Would recommend.
E. V. from Brussels (10/4/2015) "great experience" (about: 2015) 2 previous marathons \| 2 Brussels Marathons COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 Really enjoyed the run, the cheering, the music(especially the violin player under the tunnels) and the weather just made it perfect. See you again!
T. C. from Johannesburg, South Africa (2/11/2015) "Brussels small and beautiful" (about: 2014) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Brussels Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 Brussels was my first international marathon and I was aiming for my first sub 3 hour race. It was a great experience and I ran most of the way with the leading lady. The profile is not the flattest I have run but the altitude and temperature were perfect. The rain meant little crowd support (good at the finish). This is a very small race and the two of us ran with no other runners for most of the way. On the plus side we got to start in the sub 3hr pen with only about 20 other runners so had the perfect start. I'd do Brussels once but think there are other better races to explore so maybe not worth doing more than once.
C. C. from U.S Military, Stationed in Aviano, Italy (10/5/2014) "BEST VOLUNTEERS I HAVE EVER SEEN!" (about: 2014) 4-5 previous marathons \| 1 Brussels Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 This marathon is very hilly, but it is a beautiful course and it keeps it interesting. The volunteers were amazing never once did I have to actually go to a table to get a drink or food they were right there with us handing it out, the sports drinks were in bottles which I liked. The medal is awesome, the shirt is awesome. The atmosphere of the race was just great! If you get a chance you really should run this.
S. W. from Belgium (10/16/2012) "A beautifull course,not too crowded." (about: 2012) 4-5 previous marathons \| 2 Brussels Marathons COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 This is by far my favourite marathon. I ran it twice (2011, 2012) and it has some beautifull stretches, passing via the royal palace, the beautifull Ter Kameren and Tervuren parks, and finishing on the famous Grote Markt. It's true the course mainly runs through the suburbs of Brussels, but it's the upperclass part of Brussels, so there are wide and beautifull lanes. Take care: It's quite hilly. Expect some harder work at km18, km30 and km38. There were about 2.000 participants for the marathon, and about 10.000 for the half marathon, which in my opnion was more then enough because the half-marathon runners join the marathon at km38. In this way it was allways possible to run your own pace. Sport drinks were handed out in 33cl bottles, which allows you to keep on drinking after the refreshment points. The people handing them out were very supportive. It's quite a tough race due to the hills, especially the one at km38. In 2011 it was my first marathon (3h47), in 2012 I managed to run it in 3h24. I'll certainly be back in 2013!
Julia Thorn from Melbourne, Australia (10/5/2011) "Needs more participants" (about: 2011) 50+ previous marathons \| 1 Brussels Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 1 I didn't expect much for this marathon after reading all the negative comments on this site. But it is not as bad as some make it out to be. The course is mostly very pleasant, if rather hilly and this year it was hot. The beginning and end are definitely the highlights, especially running towards the Cinquentenaire arch towards the end, and finishing on the Grande Place is fabulous. Several runners were being accompanied by coaches on bikes which is usually regarded as cheating. Spectators were thin on the ground, but that was just as well since most of the ones I passed were either smoking or smelled of smoke. Everyone seems to smoke here. Expo was disappointing, virtually nothing to see or buy but no queues either. I think the race would be much improved if it had more runners and would then have more of a big city marathon feel to it.
T. D. from Belgium (10/4/2011) "Patriotic & my first one" (about: 2010) 6-10 previous marathons \| 2 Brussels Marathons COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 2 Since Brussels is my capital, I have completed the marathon already 2 times. The first one in 2008, which was my first marathon ever. 4h of non stopping rain made it a hard and cold experience, but the feeling when I reached the finish (in exactly 4h) was amazing. The 2nd time I participated was on 10/10/10. Without any specific preparation during the summer (other priorities), I improved by personal record at that time (3h38). The course itself is the hardest I ran so far (Brussels, New York, Antwerp, Berlin, London, Stockholm) but I do like some variation instead of flat the whole time. Also the variation of city and a green environment makes it a nice course for me. The biggest problem in Belgian marathons I experienced are the spectators, or the lack of them. There are few or no spectators between 10K and 35K. Only around the finish line on sunny days (as in 2010) the streets are crowded. The transport of the clothing from the start to the finish line is well organized. It is a small walk between the finish line and the point where you can claim your bag, but it seems like doing another marathon :)
A. M. from New York (10/21/2010) "Unexciting Marathon" (about: 2010) 50+ previous marathons \| 1 Brussels Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 2 Only the first few and the last few kilometers were in Brussels. The rest of the race was in suburbs and in a forest - a beautiful forest, I have to add, and the only flat part of the course. The rest of it was very hilly and unexciting. Spectators were very few and very bored while waiting for their family member to pass - not cheering others at all. Water came in large bottles that were tossed away by runners after a few gulps. What a waste! The sport drinks came in smaller bottles and... sealed. If after 35 K you still have energy to unseal a bottle, good for you! Bananas were accurately cut into small rings but also un-peeled, which was inconvenient. There are very few runners around you if you are moving slower than the 4-hour pace, but the water stations were still there for you. The marathon course map both on the website and the one given to you at the expo (if you can call one small room an "expo") doesn't have any kilometer or mile marks on it. Never seen anything like this! I understood why when I was running. In my opinion, the KM markers were VERY approximate. In general, I expected the Brussels Marathon to feel like a marathon in a capital of the country, and in an official capital of the European Union. Instead it felt like a small, quite challenging but unexciting local marathon. It is a pity!

More Comments: [ < 1 2 3 4 > ]

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J. K. from London, UK (10/8/2017) "Scenic and spacious" (about: 2017) 6-10 previous marathons \| 1 Brussels Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 Yes there are hills. Short steep ones, gentle longer ones, and even steep long ones. My watch calculated a total elevation gain of 2900ft, far higher than any city marathon that I have run. But, despite this, I enjoyed it and would recommend the race to others. The weather this year was perfect - cool, slightly cloudy with a little sunshine, light wind. Being a big city marathon with fewer runners (around 1800 this year) the roads felt wide and uncrowded. The atmosphere was good, was small pockets of crowds cheering. Water and energy drinks were handed out regularly by smiling volunteers (sadly no gels or bars as advertised). The route took as through the green forests to the south of the city, and into the (cobbled..) roads around the impressive Grand Place. Unfortunately the ending was a slight letdown - a tiny 'recovery zone' past the well-supported finish line with only some water and energy drink bottles. No massages or food, and the baggage collection was a little messy. However, if you want a well-supported marathon in a pretty continental city (close to London), and are happy missing out on a PB (my time was 3:14, 10 minutes slower then my best the previous year), then I would recommend Brussels.
James Skinner from Gloucestershire, England (2/22/2017) "Challenging course in Europe's de facto capital" (about: 2016) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Brussels Marathon COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 3 The Brussels Marathon is a mid-sized event. Aside from the marathon there is also a half marathon, a 5k run and a kids run. The marathon goes off earlier than the other distances, starting at 9.00am. This separation is quite good in avoiding too much congestion both in the starting area and during the first few miles of the race. The starting area is quite impressive being situated at the entrance to the Parc du Cinquantenaire. This is also where the Expo Registration takes place. The registration process is well organised, although it is much smaller than many other Expo Registrations, particularly in comparison with the Amsterdam Marathon, which feels like a much bigger event all round. The weather conditions were fairly reasonable with temperatures in the mid-teens (16ÚC / 61F). However, there were some sharp showers around combined with a fairly strong breeze. This was much better than the forecasts had been saying in the run-up to the event. At one point, they were saying that heavy rain could be a possibility. Thankfully this did not materialise. The breeze did make the temperatures feel distinctly autumnal and significantly cooler than their actual figure. The course is mainly one large loop with the exception of the middle part between 20km - 34km, which involves coming back on yourself. This meant having a tailwind on the outbound section and a headwind on the inbound section. This part of the course also involved a series of quite long inclines. The course profile does suggest that Brussels is a hilly marathon and the historic race reviews would suggest this, however, the hills were more testing than thought not so much due to their gradient but more due to the length of them combined with the headwind on the inbound section. Based on this, it would be fair to say that Brussels is one of the more challenging marathons on the calendar with a sterner course profile than other marathon routes. Whilst much of the course takes you out into the suburbs, a sizeable proportion takes place through the city's parks, which are lovely and feature many wooded and lakeside areas. This was one of the highlights of the race coupled with the final mile, which brings you back down into the city centre and right through La Grand Place, which is the most famous square in Brussels. The streets narrow significantly as you approach La Grand Place before you suddenly turn the corner into the square to be greeted by large cheering crowds. This was by far the best crowd support on the course and it made for a very impressive finale to the race. The finish line was another 300 plus yards on from here in Boulevard Anspach, which was right in front of the iconic Brussels Stock Exchange. The finisher's medal is good with the ribbon in the Belgian national colours. This is a nice tradition. The baggage collection immediately following the finish was quite frenetic due to the trucks being so close to the finish area with the crowds and with the fenced off areas. It was not too long before the dark black clouds rolled in and the wind picked up significantly as had been forecast. The Brussels Marathon is well worth doing. However, it is most definitely one of the more challenging courses due to the hills and as such, it is better suited to the more experienced marathon runner. Preference would be for the Amsterdam Marathon, which has more charm, a much easier course and more of a big race feel to the event than is the case with Brussels.
P. L. from Finland (10/5/2016) "Beautiful route!" (about: 2016) 2 previous marathons \| 1 Brussels Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 Running the event in 2016, this marathon was hilly and chilly with 12-14 degrees celcius. I'd rate this event as 8/10 with few notes: + Spectators were supportive, they even called the runners with first names since they were printed on the numberpad :) route is really beautiful, not too much runners to begin with (~1500). Clear starting area, well marked changing rooms, expo area etc. - The ending. There was practically no refreshment (protein/carb) after the race, so you had to buy something from the closeby coffeeshops. The end area was also so crammed, no space to sit down and chill. Overall, no regrets! Would recommend.
E. V. from Brussels (10/4/2015) "great experience" (about: 2015) 2 previous marathons \| 2 Brussels Marathons COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 Really enjoyed the run, the cheering, the music(especially the violin player under the tunnels) and the weather just made it perfect. See you again!
T. C. from Johannesburg, South Africa (2/11/2015) "Brussels small and beautiful" (about: 2014) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Brussels Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 Brussels was my first international marathon and I was aiming for my first sub 3 hour race. It was a great experience and I ran most of the way with the leading lady. The profile is not the flattest I have run but the altitude and temperature were perfect. The rain meant little crowd support (good at the finish). This is a very small race and the two of us ran with no other runners for most of the way. On the plus side we got to start in the sub 3hr pen with only about 20 other runners so had the perfect start. I'd do Brussels once but think there are other better races to explore so maybe not worth doing more than once.
C. C. from U.S Military, Stationed in Aviano, Italy (10/5/2014) "BEST VOLUNTEERS I HAVE EVER SEEN!" (about: 2014) 4-5 previous marathons \| 1 Brussels Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 This marathon is very hilly, but it is a beautiful course and it keeps it interesting. The volunteers were amazing never once did I have to actually go to a table to get a drink or food they were right there with us handing it out, the sports drinks were in bottles which I liked. The medal is awesome, the shirt is awesome. The atmosphere of the race was just great! If you get a chance you really should run this.
S. W. from Belgium (10/16/2012) "A beautifull course,not too crowded." (about: 2012) 4-5 previous marathons \| 2 Brussels Marathons COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 This is by far my favourite marathon. I ran it twice (2011, 2012) and it has some beautifull stretches, passing via the royal palace, the beautifull Ter Kameren and Tervuren parks, and finishing on the famous Grote Markt. It's true the course mainly runs through the suburbs of Brussels, but it's the upperclass part of Brussels, so there are wide and beautifull lanes. Take care: It's quite hilly. Expect some harder work at km18, km30 and km38. There were about 2.000 participants for the marathon, and about 10.000 for the half marathon, which in my opnion was more then enough because the half-marathon runners join the marathon at km38. In this way it was allways possible to run your own pace. Sport drinks were handed out in 33cl bottles, which allows you to keep on drinking after the refreshment points. The people handing them out were very supportive. It's quite a tough race due to the hills, especially the one at km38. In 2011 it was my first marathon (3h47), in 2012 I managed to run it in 3h24. I'll certainly be back in 2013!
Julia Thorn from Melbourne, Australia (10/5/2011) "Needs more participants" (about: 2011) 50+ previous marathons \| 1 Brussels Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 1 I didn't expect much for this marathon after reading all the negative comments on this site. But it is not as bad as some make it out to be. The course is mostly very pleasant, if rather hilly and this year it was hot. The beginning and end are definitely the highlights, especially running towards the Cinquentenaire arch towards the end, and finishing on the Grande Place is fabulous. Several runners were being accompanied by coaches on bikes which is usually regarded as cheating. Spectators were thin on the ground, but that was just as well since most of the ones I passed were either smoking or smelled of smoke. Everyone seems to smoke here. Expo was disappointing, virtually nothing to see or buy but no queues either. I think the race would be much improved if it had more runners and would then have more of a big city marathon feel to it.
T. D. from Belgium (10/4/2011) "Patriotic & my first one" (about: 2010) 6-10 previous marathons \| 2 Brussels Marathons COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 2 Since Brussels is my capital, I have completed the marathon already 2 times. The first one in 2008, which was my first marathon ever. 4h of non stopping rain made it a hard and cold experience, but the feeling when I reached the finish (in exactly 4h) was amazing. The 2nd time I participated was on 10/10/10. Without any specific preparation during the summer (other priorities), I improved by personal record at that time (3h38). The course itself is the hardest I ran so far (Brussels, New York, Antwerp, Berlin, London, Stockholm) but I do like some variation instead of flat the whole time. Also the variation of city and a green environment makes it a nice course for me. The biggest problem in Belgian marathons I experienced are the spectators, or the lack of them. There are few or no spectators between 10K and 35K. Only around the finish line on sunny days (as in 2010) the streets are crowded. The transport of the clothing from the start to the finish line is well organized. It is a small walk between the finish line and the point where you can claim your bag, but it seems like doing another marathon :)
A. M. from New York (10/21/2010) "Unexciting Marathon" (about: 2010) 50+ previous marathons \| 1 Brussels Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 2 Only the first few and the last few kilometers were in Brussels. The rest of the race was in suburbs and in a forest - a beautiful forest, I have to add, and the only flat part of the course. The rest of it was very hilly and unexciting. Spectators were very few and very bored while waiting for their family member to pass - not cheering others at all. Water came in large bottles that were tossed away by runners after a few gulps. What a waste! The sport drinks came in smaller bottles and... sealed. If after 35 K you still have energy to unseal a bottle, good for you! Bananas were accurately cut into small rings but also un-peeled, which was inconvenient. There are very few runners around you if you are moving slower than the 4-hour pace, but the water stations were still there for you. The marathon course map both on the website and the one given to you at the expo (if you can call one small room an "expo") doesn't have any kilometer or mile marks on it. Never seen anything like this! I understood why when I was running. In my opinion, the KM markers were VERY approximate. In general, I expected the Brussels Marathon to feel like a marathon in a capital of the country, and in an official capital of the European Union. Instead it felt like a small, quite challenging but unexciting local marathon. It is a pity!

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Marathon Details - Brussels Marathon