The Brussels 20k has become a bit of a tradition. For the first few years, I ran the race together with some friends. While it’s hard to stick together in between the herd of people, we always had a lot of fun. But as it also meant we often had to wait for one another to regroup, I never really knew how fast I could run it. So, in 2015, I ran the race flat-out and set a really nice PB. It tasted like more, so this year I set out to beat that time.
One big advantage: Thanks to my time of 2015, I was allowed to start in the front of the first starter group. The fact that I wouldn’t have to zigzag through a massive pack of runners during the first 5 kilometres raised my expectations.
On the day of the race, I position myself somewhere in the front of the pack, and meet the Veldeman brothers (3 brothers who went to the Hawaii Ironman together). We chat for a bit while Ravel’s Bolero is playing at full volume, evolving towards its magnificent climax. A shot! We’re off.
Starting in the front truly is delightful. I don’t have to find space to run, don’t have to break, speed up, break again… I spot some other Delhaize runners (for the second year in a row, I’m running for Think Pink) ahead. This could be fun, a competition within the competition!
It’s hard, though. The goal is to finish around 1h10, which means 3'30” per kilometre, a bit over 17k/h. And that’s fast to my standards! I see one of the Delhaize runners move away from me, but hey, it’s a long way to go, and there’s the Tervurenlaan climb towards the end.
After a fast start, I have trouble keeping up the pace. 3'40”, 3'45” a kilometre. Not fast enough. Oh well, no drama, I’ll just try to beat last year’s time and if that works out, that’d be great! Moreover, I start catching other runners now!
Well in the second half of the race, I feel empty. It’d appear afterwards that I didn’t slow down one bit, and I was still overtaking other runners, but it didn’t feel that way. Show character now! Run! I catch up with a little group and stick around for a while, recovering. Before I know, I’m leading the pack, and they’re on my tail instead.
17k, the Tervurenlaan climb. Even though my gang and I are still overtaking other runners, the first of the Veldeman brothers overtake me. I cheer for them. They cheer for me. Good vibes here. I can’t keep up with them. These guys are fierce. A bit later, their third brother catches up with me as well. The genes on that family…
18k. The climb comes to an end and I speed up a little. I check my watch. It’s going to be a close call. I finish in an official 1h13'37”, 111th overall. 3 seconds slower, but 3 places better in the ranking compared to last year. Mixed feelings. The dominant feeling is the amazement to what I pulled off last year, starting in the middle of the pack.
In the end, I’m happy. My time definitely proves that my shape isn’t as bad as I’ve been thinking the last few months. And my time gives me a spot in the front group for the next edition, so I’ll just give that 1h10′ dream another shot next year.
