Running in Belgium

Arthur Bamps lives in Jette (Brussels), Belgium, but was born in Leuven in June 1952. He is a radio/telephone operator in a taxi company.

Arthur has been a runner for almost 10 years and does not belong to a running club. He runs 4 or 5 times a week, and when asked how many kilometers he runs during a work out, Arthur said, "I run more on time than on mileage. Minimum run is about an hour and the long runs can take up to two. For endurance the speed, if you can call it that way, would be more or less 8 km/hour. For the faster training it could be 12 km/hour". When Arthur runs, he runs alone, because he is lucky enough to run home from work.

Fortunately, running in Jette does not depend on the weather conditions. Arthur says that in one day you can experience the four seasons. The wind is the weather condition that Arthur minds the most. Only a few days in the year will the weather affect running in Brussels, and that is when it is icy and snowy.

Arthur owns three pair of running shoes, and runs with a Pulsimeter and rucksack. He listens to the FM radio on Flemish Radio 2. They play what you could call the more melodic popular music.

There is a Dutch edition of a popular American running magazine that Arthur reads, and he reads a French running magazine as well.

Although running is widely accepted in Belgium, Arthur says that he is still one of the few pavement runners. The only warning that a visiting runner should be aware of, according to Arthur, is dogs in the park.

Running is popular in Belgium, and slightly more popular among men than women. Very few runners run with dogs.

Along with his regular running schedule, Arthur tries to run one or two marathons each year. Some of the marathons that Arthur has participated in include Helsinki, Malta, Echternach, Interlaken, as well as a few in Belgium. In fact, Arthur's most favorite run in his whole life was at the "Jungfrau Marathon" in Switzerland.

Run The Planet would like to thank Arthur Bamps from Belgium for taking part in the Planeteer Spotlight.