Antwerp (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – The 12-hour run will happen at Antwerp on Wednesday. Student associations compete to run the maximum possible number of 400-meter laps against each other in the competition. The contest winner is determined by which association covers the most laps during their 12-hour running duration, although this round used to be restricted to 10 hours.
As reported by VRT, on Wednesday, Antwerp will host its 12-hour student-run, where different associations will strive to finish as many 400-meter laps as possible while competing against each other. The student event that used to run for 10 hours now extends its duration to match the timelines of Leuven and Ghent. Participants, including Robbe from Kinesia, prepare their recovery methods by using caps and sweatbands and obtaining massage tables. Participants at the event can unwind through a day disco and enjoy drinks while experiencing a Ferris wheel ride.
In doing so, Antwerp follows the other student cities.
“Both Leuven and Ghent have longer student runs. We wanted to do that too,”
says organiser Alexander Bostyn.
“For the people who don’t walk, there’s also plenty of entertainment,”
says Bostyn.
“There’s a day disco, there’s drinks, there’s even a Ferris wheel.”
The runners prepare for a hot day.
“We had caps and sweatbands made,”
says Robbe, who runs for the Kinesia association.
“We advise our runners to cool down in the tent after their effort. We also have sports drinks and snacks. We even have a massage table with us, so that we can loosen the muscles of the people who are going to run. Let it be clear, we want to win,”
he concludes.
What is the history of student runs in Belgian university cities?
Belgian university cities like Antwerp, Leuven and Ghent maintain annual running competitions, which were introduced as student running events. As reported by VTK: Leuven, since the 1970s, it has had its legendary 24-hour running competition, which continues to draw thousands of participants and spectators.
Ghent’s student running event has established a 12-hour duration, which challenges participants through team-based shifts. The running event in Antwerp extended its duration from 10 hours to mirror the longer race formats of Leuven and Ghent, as student athletics pursue more demanding competitions.
