Preparations and Details for the Hesbaye Marathon

Traffic authorized during the event

And it was only natural that the organization turned to Thomas De Vierman, the city’s sports animator. “Initially, the idea was to take a tour of all the villages in the commune. But there were two problems: the elevation and a passage through a neighboring town between Merdorp and Moxhe. We also had to close major roads, it was not possible “, he explains. Suddenly, an intermediate solution was put in place: a 21km loop, to be done once or twice depending on registration for the half or full marathon.Because the goal is not to come and settle and disrupt habitsemphasizes Laurent Saublens. In addition, it allows us to stay on a course as flat as possible. (Editor’s note: 100m of D + per loop) and to simplify things for law enforcement agencies. Because you have to realize that there will probably be three hours between the first and the last. There will always be a way for motorists to get around, except in the city center, it’s all a matter of common sense. “

Number of flaggers

Since mid-January, when Laurent Saublens’ proposal arrived at the offices of the municipal authorities, the two parties are therefore on the bridge. And at the time of writing these lines, everything seems to be in place to welcome the participants in the four races. Because in addition to the half-marathon and the marathon, two routes of 5 and 10km are also offered to those interested. “We were aiming for between 700 and 1000 participants, but we will be belowspecifies the linchpin of the event. But it is logical, all the tests observe a downward curve. We can all the same congratulate ourselves on the number (Editor’s note: 438 pre-registered Thursday morning) knowing that we can still register on site. Afterwards, everything is in order, but we are never really ready. The main thing is that we found all the signallers.” “Because it still takes 80intervenes Thomas De Vierman. We took a maximum of F99C paths, which are forbidden to cars, but there are still intersections. “

And it is not only at the level of the marshals that the organization must be attentive. The refreshments, scheduled approximately every 3.5km, also require a lot of preparation. “And here, I want to send a message on behalf of all the organizers. It would be good for participants to register in advance because for how many people should we plan? It’s hard thoughbreathes Laurent Saublens. P or a question of practicality, we have opted for cups rather than bottles. Because people tend to keep the bottles and it’s more difficult to manage in terms of waste. We have provided ferries for 200 meters after each refueling. And in addition to water, we offer isotonic drinks, energy bars but also crisps or sweets. Because we sweat so we need salty and, on the other hand, a candy is always a pleasure. The marathon is not only a physical struggle, but also a mental one.“

A medal and a t-shirt… not for everyone

And at the end of their effort, which will see them start and arrive at the city’s covered market, the participants, who must stay within six hours for those who take part in the marathon, will have the opportunity to receive a medal and a T-shirt. In any case, for those who were the fastest to register. “This concerns people who participate in the 21 and 42km. People need to understand that miracles are impossible. The medals are personalized and it takes six weeks to obtain themexplains Laurent Saublens. We made about ten publications and, when we booked, I took it upon myself to take a third more medals. It’s already not bad because it already costs a certain amount. We warned each time and the last medal was awarded on July 31, we could not do otherwise. Regarding t-shirts, it’s more or less the same. For the 5 and 10km, there is a prize giving ceremony with wooden trophies, just to stand out a little. And we have also provided personalized bibs, with first and last name, for each category, as long as the person registered before last Sunday.“

Nice touches for this first edition of the Hesbaye Marathon. But isn’t the greatest satisfaction that of crossing the finish line with the feeling of having given the best of yourself?