TREK Antwerp Marathon.
The TREK Antwerp Marathon runs the city loop twice: from the Kattendijkbrug in the docks into the centre, along the Meir, past Central Station, through Zurenborg and Antwerp South and back to the Scheldt quays. 88 metres of climbing over 42 kilometres and 90 percent of the route in the flat band – a personal-best course whose real test is running the same lap a second time.
No date has been announced for the next edition yet. The course, elevation and route profile are from the most recent edition.
TREK Antwerp Marathon: Course, Route Profile & Map
The gun goes at nine on the Kattendijkbrug in the Eilandje, the old dock quarter north of the old town. The route passes the Havenhuis, turns into the centre, runs the Meir past the cathedral and Central Station – one of the finest railway stations in Europe – and continues clockwise through Zurenborg and the Groen Kwartier into Antwerp South, past the KMSKA and across Marnixplaats. Kloosterstraat takes it back to the Scheldt and the quays carry it north into the Eilandje.
And then you do it again. That is this race's character: the loops are deliberately laid so spectators see the same runners several times, and the dozens of music and entertainment points are placed accordingly. For you it means passing familiar crowds at kilometre 21 with half the race still to come.
Elevation is not a factor: the course sits between zero and 17 metres above sea level, not one section rates as a climb, and the 88-metre total comes from bridge ramps and quay walls. What is left is the surface – asphalt with patches of old cobble in the historic centre – the wind over the open Scheldt, and a finish at the MAS, the red sandstone tower on the Bonaparte dock. Eleven refreshment stations serve the loop; around 4,000 runners take on the marathon, and a good 20,000 start across the three distances.
| Start | Length | Ø | Max. | Gain | Cat. |
|---|
Climb categories follow the road-cycling convention and rate the terrain itself (length and gradient) regardless of sport: Cat. 4 marks the easiest rated climbs, Cat. 1 the hardest, and HC (hors catégorie, “beyond categorization”) is reserved for the most brutal ascents. Short climbs below the Cat. 4 threshold stay unrated.
How to pace TREK Antwerp Marathon.
Start under control
On a course where 90 percent of the distance is flat and not one section counts as a climb, nothing regulates your pace for you. This race is run on even splits, and the mistake it punishes is a first lap run too hard. Set your goal pace and stay deliberately under it for the first ten kilometres even though everything feels easy.
Hold your rhythm
The decisive passage is not a hill but the return to the Kattendijkbrug at kilometre 21. You run through the finish area and the thickest crowds with a half marathon still to go. Let the noise carry you here and you lose the second lap. Plan a deliberately quiet kilometre 22.
Spend what is left
The second lap is also the windier one: the open Scheldt quays and the bridges in the Eilandje offer no shelter, and in October the wind here usually comes off the North Sea from the west. Find a group for those stretches. The eleven refreshment stations are close enough together to drink to a plan rather than to feel – use that, because this course gives you no natural changes of rhythm otherwise.
Training plan for TREK Antwerp Marathon: 12-week build
Build the base
As an age-group runner, expect somewhere between three and five hours out there. The effort is about as uniform as a marathon gets: a continuously aerobic run with no change of terrain, no climb to unload the muscles and no descent to change your stride. That monotony is the demand.
Train race pace
The second lap from kilometre 21 decides the race, for two reasons: muscularly, because the same movement without any variation fatigues over four hours; and mentally, because you pass a second time through places you already know. Preparation has to address both.
Rehearse the course
So put the emphasis on marathon-pace volume rather than hill work: long runs of 28 to 34 kilometres with 12 to 20 kilometres at goal race pace in the back half, plus one threshold run of 20 to 40 minutes a week. Run at least two of those long sessions as a lap you repeat several times – it trains exactly the head-work Antwerp's second circuit asks for. Some of it belongs on hard asphalt, because nothing on this course is soft underfoot.
Arrive fresh
Mid-October in Antwerp typically brings ten to 15 degrees, high humidity and wind off the North Sea – good marathon conditions, as long as you are ready for the wind and the wet. Train deliberately on open, unsheltered routes, test your race and wet-weather kit in tempo sessions, and rehearse fuelling: with eleven stations you can drill a fixed drinking rhythm instead of improvising on the day.
Courses
Download the TREK Antwerp Marathon course as a GPX file for your watch or bike computer.
Let YOUB adapt your plan for TREK Antwerp Marathon dynamically
Ben connects your goal, the course, current load, recovery, and calendar. Your plan stays pointed at race day even when real life is not perfectly plannable.
Everything about TREK Antwerp Marathon.
How long is TREK Antwerp Marathon?
TREK Antwerp Marathon is 42.2 km long. That distance shapes how much aerobic endurance, pace durability, and race-specific work belong in the training plan.
How much elevation gain does TREK Antwerp Marathon have?
TREK Antwerp Marathon has around 88 m of elevation gain over 42.2 km. That affects pacing, muscular load, and preparation for late-race sections.
What is the route profile of TREK Antwerp Marathon?
TREK Antwerp Marathon is classified as Flat, averaging 2.1 vertical metres per kilometre. 91% of the route is flat, 4% climbs moderately (2 to 6%) and 0% is steeper than 6%.
Is TREK Antwerp Marathon a loop course?
Yes, TREK Antwerp Marathon is laid out as a loop: start and finish are in the same place.
Is there a GPX file for the TREK Antwerp Marathon course?
Yes. The TREK Antwerp Marathon course is on this page as a free GPX download — ready to import into Garmin, Wahoo, Komoot, Strava or any other app that reads GPX.
How should I prepare for TREK Antwerp Marathon?
Preparation for TREK Antwerp Marathon should account for 42.2 km, 88 m of elevation gain, current training load, and available training time. An adaptive plan helps place key sessions without ignoring recovery and real life.
What pacing strategy works for TREK Antwerp Marathon?
The pacing strategy for TREK Antwerp Marathon should reflect 42.2 km, 88 m of elevation gain, and your current fitness. Start controlled and keep margin for sections where the profile or fatigue makes target pace harder.
When does TREK Antwerp Marathon next take place?
No date has been announced for the next edition yet. The most recent one was held on October 18, 2026.
Where does TREK Antwerp Marathon take place?
TREK Antwerp Marathon takes place in Antwerp, Belgium.
Which distances does TREK Antwerp Marathon offer?
TREK Antwerp Marathon offers 3 distances — Marathon: 42.2 km; Half Marathon: 21.1 km; 10K: 10 km.
How do I register for TREK Antwerp Marathon?
Registration runs through the organiser: antwerpmarathon.com. YOUB shows you the course, elevation profile and training plan for your preparation.
