Maredsous Christmas Night Trail.
La Blonde is the shortest course of the Maredsous Christmas Night Trail and its discovery option, but not a gentle one: on its loop from the abbey and back it packs more climbing per kilometre than any of its longer siblings. What it really teaches is how to run up and down hills cleanly in the dark.
Maredsous Christmas Night Trail 2026: Course, Elevation & Route Profile
Start and finish are at the Abbaye de Maredsous. The first kilometre runs easily enough, then the course drops away and sends you into a short ramp at km 1.3 that touches 16 percent. From km 2.5 comes the longest climb of the loop, just over a kilometre and 77 metres of gain, taking you to the high point around km 3.7. A large share of the evening's climbing is already behind you by then.
The second half stays rolling but loses its edge. Two moderate climbs at km 4.75 and km 5.9 keep you working, then the path falls until km 8, nearly as low as the opening dip. From there it rises back to the abbey with no marked ramp, but you will feel it.
What sets this apart is not the length but the setting: a Friday evening in December, a start after dark, the abbey's heritage at both ends and a Christmas-market atmosphere around the event. With up to 1,500 runners across the four courses, this is no lonely night run. There is one refreshment station on course and another at the finish.
| Start | Length | Ø | Max. | Gain | Cat. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| km 1.3 | 0.4 km | 9.2 % | 15.9 % | +35 m | — |
| km 2.5 | 1.1 km | 7.2 % | 14.3 % | +77 m | — |
| km 4.8 | 0.7 km | 5.5 % | 9.7 % | +40 m | — |
| km 5.9 | 0.7 km | 4.7 % | 10.6 % | +33 m | — |
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 Maredsous Christmas Night Trail.
Start under control
Because the loop asks for its hardest work early, there is no warm-up phase to borrow against. Keep the first kilometre relaxed and take the following descent with control: the ramp at km 1.3 arrives abruptly, and by headlamp you only see it once you are already on it.
Hold your rhythm
La Blonde is decided between km 2.5 and km 3.7. Run that climb evenly, or walk its steepest metres briskly, and you crest with air to spare and can actually run the long second half. Force it and you end up jogging through the very section that suits a faster rhythm.
Spend what is left
The typical trap of a short course is the heart rate of the opening minutes. Ten kilometres sounds like race pace, but with this much climbing for the distance, no road pace means anything. Run by effort rather than the watch, and keep something for the last rise back to the abbey.
Training plan for Maredsous Christmas Night Trail: 12-week build
Build the base
Age-group runners need roughly 1:00 to 1:30 hours for the loop, depending on trail experience. That is short enough to stay near the top of your aerobic range almost throughout, and the dense run of ramps and drops keeps pushing you above it. La Blonde asks less for endurance than for the ability to switch gears: lift on the climb, recover on the descent without switching off.
Train race pace
The minutes that matter sit in the long climb following the first steep kick. Prepare exactly that sequence: hill intervals of four to eight minutes, each opened by a short hard surge so your legs are already tired when the long part begins. Once a week, add a rolling steady run of about an hour to practise the constant change of rhythm.
Rehearse the course
Nearly a quarter of the course is steep, uphill and downhill alike. So build in regular downhill stretches, run loose and with short steps rather than braking. That protects your quads, and at night it counts double.
Arrive fresh
For many newcomers the real novelty is the dark. In the weeks before 18 December, run several evenings by headlamp on paths you do not know by heart. You find out how bright your lamp needs to be, where the beam should sit, and how much the night distorts your sense of pace. Dress for a December evening in Belgium on those runs, so that lamp, layers and gloves hold no surprises on race day.
Courses
Download the Maredsous Christmas Night Trail course as a GPX file for your watch or bike computer.
Let YOUB adapt your plan for Maredsous Christmas Night Trail dynamically
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Everything about Maredsous Christmas Night Trail.
How long is Maredsous Christmas Night Trail?
Maredsous Christmas Night Trail is 10 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 Maredsous Christmas Night Trail have?
Maredsous Christmas Night Trail has around 271 m of elevation gain over 10 km. That affects pacing, muscular load, and preparation for late-race sections.
What is the route profile of Maredsous Christmas Night Trail?
Maredsous Christmas Night Trail is classified as Hilly, averaging 28.2 vertical metres per kilometre. 12% of the route is flat, 31% climbs moderately (2 to 6%) and 12% is steeper than 6%.
What climbs does Maredsous Christmas Night Trail have?
The hardest climb of Maredsous Christmas Night Trail starts at kilometre 2.5, runs for 1.1 km at an average of 7.2% and gains 77 metres. 4 climbs are mapped in total.
Is Maredsous Christmas Night Trail a loop course?
Yes, Maredsous Christmas Night Trail is laid out as a loop: start and finish are in the same place.
Is there a GPX file for the Maredsous Christmas Night Trail course?
Yes. The Maredsous Christmas Night Trail 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 Maredsous Christmas Night Trail?
Preparation for Maredsous Christmas Night Trail should account for 10 km, 271 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 Maredsous Christmas Night Trail?
The pacing strategy for Maredsous Christmas Night Trail should reflect 10 km, 271 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 Maredsous Christmas Night Trail 2026 take place?
Maredsous Christmas Night Trail 2026 takes place on December 18, 2026.
Where does Maredsous Christmas Night Trail 2026 take place?
Maredsous Christmas Night Trail 2026 takes place in Anhée, Belgium.
Which distances does Maredsous Christmas Night Trail offer?
Maredsous Christmas Night Trail offers 4 distances — 10 km — La Blonde: 10 km; 15 km — La Brune: 15 km; 22 km — La Triple: 22 km; 30 km — L’Extra: 30 km.
How do I register for Maredsous Christmas Night Trail?
Registration runs through the organiser: trail-maredsous.be. YOUB shows you the course, elevation profile and training plan for your preparation.
