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Leuven Marathon
The Leuven Marathon is a hilly course of 42.2 km with 162.8 m of climbing. Its lowest point is 12 m and its highest 78 m above sea level. Next race: Sunday 11 April 2027.
At a glance
- Race day
- The 2027 race
- Distance
- 42.2 km26.2 mi
- Marathon
- Total climb
- 162.8 m534 ft
- Highest point 66 m217 ft above lowest
- Time limit
- 5 h 30 min
The course
Pick a place, or drag along the profileThe 2026 marathon course starts and finishes on the ring road at Sportoase, crosses the centre past the town hall and the Sint-Pieterskerk, climbs the Keizersberg once, runs the Vaart canal and loops through the Heverleebos between km 14 and 21.
Start, finish
© OpenStreetMap contributors
- Photo: Vynckier, Geert, CC BY 4.0
- Photo: Wouterhagens, Public domain
km 1.4mile 0.9
Leuven Town Hall
The organiser's course description takes runners past the Gothic town hall on the Grote Markt, at about the second kilometre.
km 1.5mile 0.9
St. Peter's Church
Beside the town hall on the Grote Markt, passed in the first two kilometres.
km 2.9mile 1.8
Keizersberg
The organiser calls it the first sharp test of the course, a short climb taken once in the marathon.
Photo: Vynckier, Geert, CC BY 4.0
km 8.5mile 5.3
Ladeuzeplein
The square in front of the University Library, passed on the way back to the ring around km 8.5.
Photo: Wouterhagens, Public domain
km 18.8mile 11.7
Heverleebos
The organiser places the forest stretch between kilometre 14 and 21, on wide avenues and good forest tracks.
Height drawn many times taller than life · GEDTM30
0 10 20 30 40 km
0 10 20 26.2 mi
Your 5 gels, at the orange marksFor a 4:00 finish, one every 40 minutes
- km 7mile 4.4
- km 14.1mile 8.7
- km 21.1mile 13.1
- km 28.1mile 17.5
- km 35.2mile 21.8
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- Town hall, Keizersberg, the Vaart and the HeverleebosCentre, Keizersberg, the Vaart and the Heverleebos, back to the centre at about km 38.
- 163 m of climbing between 12 and 78 m above sea levelAbout 163 m of climb; high point near km 17 in the forest, low point near km 35.
- A 5 hour 30 limit, 18 or older, race packs at the Philipssite5:30 limit, minimum age 18, race pack pickup at the Philipssite from Friday 9 April.
Course notes 3 short reads on the course
km 0 to 42.2GeometryTown hall, Keizersberg, the Vaart and the HeverleebosCentre, Keizersberg, the Vaart and the Heverleebos, back to the centre at about km 38.
The organiser describes the 2026 route in order: from the ring at Sportoase via Parkstraat and Naamsestraat to the Grote Markt and its Gothic town hall, then the Keizersberg, the first sharp test, and down towards Wilsele and the Vaart, past the AB InBev head office and back along the canal to the centre. Bondgenotenlaan, the Ladeuzeplein and the University Library lead back to the ring. Between km 14 and 21 the course runs on wide avenues and forest tracks in the Heverleebos. It passes the start zone again around km 25 and the Grote Markt a second time, turns off before the Keizersberg towards the Vaart for long flat kilometres past the 30 km point, and returns to the centre around km 38 for the same closing kilometres. The finish is at Sportoase.
Sourced
km 0 to 42.2Gradient163 m of climbing between 12 and 78 m above sea levelAbout 163 m of climb; high point near km 17 in the forest, low point near km 35.
The 2026 course reaches its highest point, 78.4 m, at km 17.1, inside the stretch the organiser places in the Heverleebos between km 14 and 21. It reaches its lowest point, 12.2 m, at km 34.8 on the long flat kilometres along the Vaart. The total climb comes to 162.8 m. The organiser names the Keizersberg as the first sharp test of the course, climbed once in the marathon.
Measured
Whole courseConditionsA 5 hour 30 limit, 18 or older, race packs at the Philipssite5:30 limit, minimum age 18, race pack pickup at the Philipssite from Friday 9 April.
After 5 hours 30 minutes the traffic-control teams ask for the roads to be reopened, and runners still out no longer appear in the official results. The minimum age on the day is 18 for the marathon, 16 for the half marathon and 12 for the 10K. Race packs are collected at the Philipssite on Friday 9 April from 11:30 to 18:00, on Saturday from 10:00 to 18:00 and on Sunday from 7:30 to 14:00; they are not posted, and someone else can collect yours with your confirmation or e-ticket.
Sourced
Race weekend
Expo and bib pickup at Philipssite, LeuvenBefore race week 2 key dates
-
15 Mar 2027
Last day to change distance or name, and to register as a group Changes until 23:59 by email to the organiser; groups of at least ten register through the online module. Runners who register by this date get a personalised bib. -
10 Apr 2027
Online registration ends Until Saturday 10 April 2027, as long as the chosen distance is not full.
Friday 9 April Bib pickup
-
11:3011:30 AM–18:006:00 PM
Expo and bib pickup Philipssite, Leuven
Saturday 10 April Last bib day
-
10:0010:00 AM–18:006:00 PM
Expo and bib pickup Philipssite, Leuven
Bib in hand?A number belt holds it without pins through your race top. Clip it on tonight.
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Sunday 11 April Race day
-
07:307:30 AM–14:002:00 PM
Race pack pickup Philipssite, Leuven. Packs are not posted; someone else may collect yours with your registration confirmation or e-ticket. -
07:307:30 AM–18:006:00 PM
Waypoint Leuven Marathon Expo Philipssite, Leuven -
Time not published
Marathon time limit 5 hours 30 minutes to reach the finish; after that the roads are reopened and runners no longer appear in the official results. 5:30 limit: 7:49/km for 42.195 km5:30 limit: 12:35/mi for 26.2 mi
Times as published by the organiser, in Leuven time, checked . Confirm on their site before you travel.
The forecast for Sunday
Race morning, on the record
We hold no start time for this race, so the record is read at 09:009:00 AM, local time.
Add to calendar .ics file, times in Leuven time
Entry
Race fuel
Energy gel
5 gels for Leuven, plus 1 spare
Finish
One every 40 minutes, the orange marks on the profile, by the clock:
Under about 75 minutes most runners need no gel: water at the aid stations does it.
- km 7mile 4.4
- km 14.1mile 8.7
- km 21.1mile 13.1
- km 28.1mile 17.5
- km 35.2mile 21.8
For your long training runs:
Our pick: SiS BETA Fuel gel, box of 6, strawberry and lime. 40 g of carbohydrate a gel, about twice a usual gel, from two kinds of sugar your body takes up side by side. Enough for race day and two test long runs.
Easy to forget on race morning: pack them with your bib the night before.
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In Canada the button opens GU Energy Gel, Salted Caramel, 24-pack, the best seller there.
Outside the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Austria and Switzerland, the UK and Ireland, Spain and Portugal, Italy, the rest of the EU and Canada the button opens GU Energy Gel, Chocolate Outrage, 24-pack on Amazon.com, the best seller there.
Anti-chafe
Compeed anti-blister stick, 8 ml
An invisible layer before the start keeps seams, straps and shoes from rubbing skin raw.
Put it on before you leave for the start: heels and toes, inner thighs, under a bra or heart-rate strap.
Try it on a long run first, like everything you use on race day.
Get it on Amazon
We earn a small fee if you buy through these links. The price is the same.
Number belt
Compressport Race Belt
Holds your bib without safety pins through your top, with loops for up to 8 gels.
Clip the bib on the night before, so it goes on with your shorts in the morning.
Keep the number on the front, where officials and photographers can see it.
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Electrolytes
SiS Hydro electrolyte tablets, tube of 20
One tablet in a bottle puts back some of the salt you sweat out.
One tablet in 500 ml of water in the hour before the start.
Only if you have used them in training: nothing new on race day.
Get it on Amazon
We earn a small fee if you buy through these links. The price is the same.
Blister plasters
Compeed blister plasters, medium, 6
One in a pocket cushions a blister if one starts.
Put it on clean, dry skin and leave it until it comes off by itself.
Give a couple to whoever comes to cheer, so they are there at the km you need them.
Get it on Amazon
We earn a small fee if you buy through these links. The price is the same.
Questions about the Leuven Marathon
- Is the Leuven Marathon course flat?
- No, it is a hilly course: 162.8 m of climbing over 42.2 km. The highest point is 66 m above the lowest.
- When is the Leuven Marathon 2027?
- Sunday 11 April 2027.
- What is the time limit at the Leuven Marathon?
- Runners have 5 h 30 min to finish.
Keep exploring
More races to look at after the Leuven Marathon.
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