Running an ultra in Belgium – long trails in a small country

Who said you need mountains for trail running?

Certain races like the well–known UTMB have contributed to making trail running a discipline in its own right. Rugged terrain and climbs are in the DNA of trail running, but you don’t have to be in the mountains to have fun on the trails. Although Belgium is relatively flat, it has many trail possibilities and the altitude differences can (almost) compete with trails in the Alps.

Here, I present five unusual courses and ultras – routes with a distance greater than a marathon (42.195 km / 26.2 mi). When it comes to ultras, limits barely exist. These five trails are based on marked routes and official races. They range in length from 100 to 160 kilometres (62 to 100 mi), but you can split them up and complete them in several parts too. Enough to keep your weekends busy for a good while. All of the routes are loops, except the last one, which starts in Luxembourg and ends in Belgium.

Most of the proposed routes take place in my native region – the Ardennes. The endless forests and deep valleys offer some of the most demanding trails with significant accumulated elevation gain.

These routes are for experienced trail runners who are in good shape. You can't improvise an ultra! However, if you’re an amateur runner who wants to progress, you can divide the stages into daily routes to complete over one, two, three or more days.

May until September is the best time of year to run these routes. Some of the trails ford rivers and require fairly low water levels.

While running an ultra is a dream for many trail fans, few people manage it. In the end, running in the wild is a state of mind. It's about listening to your body and your feelings, appreciating your environment and feeling in harmony with nature.