The course of the Leuven Marathon has been announced. It is very similar to that of the recent European Running Championships, which the new event on Sunday 19 April builds upon. The biggest change is, of course, the marathon distance, where participants will enjoy a beautiful, green loop through the Forests of Brabant. The start and finish for all distances are at Parkpoort.
Organiser Golazo and the city of Leuven have made a conscious decision to stay as close as possible to the successful formula of the European Championships, which means participants can once again choose from three distances (10 km, half marathon and marathon) and run a very similar course that passes through the heart of the city (several times). All distances start at Parkpoort and head to the Canal via the Grote Markt and Keizersberg – once again the decisive factor for every distance. The half marathon first takes the same northern, flat and fast loop past Herent and Wijgmaal as the European Championships did, before returning to the Vaartkom. Just like the 10 km, the final kilometres take in Bondgenotenlaan and Ladeuzeplein to the finish at Parkpoort.
The new marathon course can best be summarised as: two city loops, a green loop and a flat loop. First, the 10 km loop and a first passage through the finish zone. The runners then dive into the green south side of Leuven via the Naamsepoort and the centre of Heverlee: the Heverleebos, part of the Forests of Brabant National Park. Between kilometres 14 and 21, they will mainly encounter long, wide gravel paths that are easy to run on and undoubtedly provide a pleasant change of scenery. After returning to Parkpoort, there is a second section through the city centre, this time without Keizersberg, but with a flat loop along the Canal to Wijgmaalbrug and back. The last part of the city loop leads to Parkpoort.
In consultation with the Agentschap voor Natuur en Bos (Agency for Nature and Forests), extra attention will go to the sustainability of the stretch through the Forests of Brabant. Supporters will be informed, supply zones will be strategically placed with accompanying waste zones, and an eco-team will check the course afterwards.
Currently, 14,000 runners have already registered. With 12 weeks to go, more will join them as registration is still open. Half of the current participants are running the half marathon. The event also attracts a young audience: 50% are younger than 34.
“We can already feel the running vibe in Leuven; in fact, it has hardly gone away since the European Championships,” says Thomas Huyberechts of Golazo. “That is why we will continue in the same vein with a beautiful and varied course with lots of entertainment to boost: DJs, live music, cheerleaders, etc. will create a festive atmosphere. This should be another great day for runners and supporters alike.”
Councillor for Sport Christophe Stockman: “After the success of the European Championship running courses in 2025, we are consciously continuing along the same lines, with an extra ace for the marathon: our green pride and joy, Heverleebos. This course shows Leuven at its best, a city where heritage, nature and sport come together seamlessly. The Leuven Marathon will thus not only be a sporting challenge, but also a real experience for runners and supporters.”
