Wanterlaf à Leudelange

Angelo, wondering why he married a runner

Today, I figured out where all the fit Luxembourgeois gather! I ran my first Luxembourg race, an 11.5K through the picturesque surrounds of Leudelange (a fifteen-minute drive southwest of Luxembourg City), and the 300 or so runners were lean locals. I didn’t hear any French, only Luxembourgish.

The route was much more hilly than I’d anticipated, with one particularly long incline. I’ve never willingly incorporated hill workouts into my training, but if I want to race in Europe, it is going to be essential.

Part of the course was on trails, which was fun, but caused annoying bottlenecks. This was a pretty laid-back race, though, with no chrono and even a few dogs running alongside. There was also a Nordic walking component, which started earlier. I don’t understand the point of Nordic walking, but the people I passed seemed to be enjoying themselves.

Overall, this was a casual, quiet race. There were two spectators (an older couple sitting on their front porch) and a family with two pre-teen boys handing out water. The race began and ended at Hall Omnisports, the local gymnasium, so there was access to food stands, tables and showers.

The best part was the €6 entry fee! At that price, I’m looking forward to returning next year.