On the sidelines: Antwerp Marathon 2025

Today I was supposed to run my 13th marathon, but a virus decided otherwise. I had already made the decision a few days earlier. It is irresponsible to run a marathon during or immediately after a viral infection. A while ago, I wrote an article on this blog about running while sick. https://dieterbruyneel.com/2025/03/19/wat-leert-het-hartprobleem-van-michael-somers-me/

It hurt to go to the big tent on Saturday where the race numbers were being handed out. I refused to pick up the T-shirt I was entitled to. The shirt would remind me of the time I was sick and couldn’t run the Antwerp marathon.

On Saturday, I went for a short run with my running buddy Jeroen near the MAS. It was nice to be able to run again after a week of rest.

We stayed at the Holiday Inn Express Antwerp City-North, a stone’s throw from the start of the marathon. We had dinner at Bacchus https://bacchusantwerpen.be, which I highly recommend. Runners can fill up on pasta, but there is also a more refined menu. This was our third time staying in Antwerp for the marathon, so eventually you start to know your favorite places.

After breakfast at the hotel, I went to cheer on my running buddy Jeroen. I waited for him at around kilometer 23 and then ran with him a little further. After that, it was time to explore the MAS building. It was worth climbing 10 floors to enjoy the panoramic view. On the roof, two men were operating a drone.

It was time to move to the finish area. There were some moving scenes that I could watch from the sidelines. Many athletes crossed the finish line with children by the hand. One of the participants was dressed as a pope and kissed his wooden cross as he entered the finish area. At the end, he also kissed the ground. A mother with the youngest marathon participant in her buggy crossed the finish line smoothly. TV personality Tine Embrechts finished well under 4 hours (3h 59m 45s). My running partner Jeroen Cornil arrived 25 minutes later.

Prime Minister Bart De Wever was apparently also on the course. His son Simon De Wever also ran the marathon.

Translated from Dutch with DeepL.com (free version)