Marathon in Belgium?

[mrrun]

You don't see a guy for nearly 20 years and then discover that not only does he do marathons and ultras (pffff, anyone can do that), but also stuff like 24 hour non-stop races, carrying his own supplies, in whatever surroundings. 20 years ago we talked music and anything associated with it. 20 years later these two benign gentlemen talk hydration, strength exercises, running clothes, general fitness and shoes. Tellingly, we both wore running shoes on the night.

Another gent, missing from the shot, suggested we should run a marathon in Belgium. 'Where, what race?', I asked. 'None mate. Just us. Ferry to Belgium, hire a car, pick a location, run 42K and drink some beer'.

Some of the best running plans come together after meetings such as this. Who knows, we might just do that. Oh, btw, I'm the one wearing glasses.

[Frenc Half Marathon]

How great to catch up with an old friend who also runs - well, running is probably an understatement 😁. You both look very dapper, and I think your absent friend’s Belgium adventure idea is brilliant 🤩!

[mrrun Ultramarathon in reply to Frenc]

Ah thank you kindly.

He is no stranger to such ideas, having already run The Marathon du Médoc, a French marathon race run through the vineyards of the Médoc in the Gironde. Your only hydration there is red wine throughout.

Other great ideas (where he got me involved) were Brighton to Hove and beyond, then back (pre dawn, by the ocean), and Cambridge (through the night and pouring rain). The man is simply too persuasive.

😀

[Frenc Half Marathon in reply to mrrun]

Lol I’m tempted and I don’t drink or have the ability to run those kinds of distances! Where do I sign up 🤣.

[Hidden]

Yezzz come to Belgium! Can't recommend any routes in particular though. I just run in my own neighbourhood 😜. But I did hear that un Limburg the scenery can be very nice.

[mrrun Ultramarathon in reply to Hidden]

If you see three sharp dressed runners, you'll know it's us. 😎

[misswobble Marathon in reply to mrrun]

Sharp Dressed Man is a fab running tune by the way 🎸 🎶🎵

[mrrun Ultramarathon in reply to misswobble]

Indeed it is. ZZ Top knew how to spell it and I've always aimed to translate it into running as well. Except I wear basketball gear instead of silk suits. 😉

[misswobble Marathon in reply to mrrun]

I love the twangy guitar part 😁

[SkiMonday Ultramarathon]

Sounds great finding out that you've both developed an interest (obsession?) with the same thing. Personally, I'm going to stick with the easy stuff.

[mrrun Ultramarathon in reply to SkiMonday]

Not sure how to train hydration for the Médoc marathon though. Drinking 4 bottles of wine every day perhaps? My mate (the one behind all those ideas) told me that they've introduced the cut off so you cannot just drink. After a while they stop serving you so you've got to run as well. 🤪

[SkiMonday Ultramarathon in reply to mrrun]

🤣🤣🤣, I imagine that some people's strategy would be to stop at the first checkpoint and just drink.

[mrrun Ultramarathon in reply to SkiMonday]

Ha, yes, but they were quickly rushed away. What an original race though, eh? 😉

[SkiMonday Ultramarathon in reply to mrrun]

True. I was chatting to three people on the park and ride bus around 6:30 on Sunday morning who, I think, had, err, worked their way around that course.

Incidentally, are you the one with glasses and a beard ir the one with glasses but no beard?

[mrrun Ultramarathon in reply to SkiMonday]

No beard, always walking clean shaven. 😎

[Cmoi Marathon in reply to mrrun]

So I googled the Marathon du Médoc as I thought it sounded interesting. But it's 90€ to enter and entails lots of the sort of razzmatazz that scares me. Also, while the cut-off time doesn't look too bad for what I'd call a flat course, it seems such a shame to have to gulp down good food and wine while running.

I'll stick to my current strategy of staying at vineyards in our motorhome, where I can happily combine on-site wine-tastings and running with no pressure!

[mrrun Ultramarathon in reply to Cmoi]

Wise choice! I carefully watched the photos of a 'persuasive' running mate that documented his 'progress' along the route. From a very chirpy gent to a decomposing wreck in less than 5 hours, and running did not contribute to his exertions that much. He looked 'happy' though. 😜

[misswobble Marathon in reply to mrrun]

Before I was a runner, and when I was fat and unfit, I found myself in a pub crawl run - a proper organised event in our small town of many pubs. I had my hand stamped after receiving my drink in each watering hole along the way. To speed things up my friend and I grass surfed on an inflatable dolphin down a steep grassy embankment. Gawd knows where she found it 😁. We were ver ver drunk 😁. In fancy dress as well. We didn’t win. We didn’t miss a pub though 😉💪

The thought of doing a run involving alcohol ever again makes me shudder Nooooooo 😱

[mrrun Ultramarathon in reply to misswobble]

At 1908 London Olympics marathon runners believed alcohol and strychnine cocktails were performance enhancers and so they ran in 'enhancing' ways. It was perfectly accepted. They drank cognac, champagne, whatever, BUT, most didn't finish the 42K task. To this day I wonder why...

[misswobble Marathon in reply to mrrun]

Funny you should say that! I was swatting up on absinthe the other day! 🤓

[linda9389 Administrator Marathon]

Haha! Lovely! After the run last weekend we were wondering just how many people ran their Half Marathon because of a late night discussion in the pub (clearly the two guys with washing machines strapped to their backs ... but how many ordinary looking runners too 🤔😀)

[mrrun Ultramarathon in reply to linda9389]

Hang on!? Two guys with washing machines strapped to their backs? We need to up our game here!

[RunWillie Metric Marathon]

You also have to eat frites mrrun 👍🏻

[mrrun Ultramarathon in reply to RunWillie]

Oh, I don't mind frites at all. 😉

[Cmoi Marathon in reply to mrrun]

With mayo.

[misswobble Marathon in reply to Cmoi]

Oooh. Lush 😋