DHL Ekiden is back! And we are proud! Super proud of this edition, which will be more than ever for everyone.
On Saturday 21 October, the 19th edition of the DHL Ekiden will take place. Whether you are a participant or supporter, you don’t want to miss this. Registration for the new edition is possible from now and until 9 October. Belgium’s biggest relay marathon attracted more than 800 teams to Brussels last year.
The purpose of the competition
Anyone who can form a team of six runners is welcome on the day. How it works? As a team, you cover the total distance of a marathon, i.e. 42.195km. Your first, third and fifth participants cover a distance of 5km. Your second and fifth participants cover 10km. And finally, the last participant runs the remaining 7.195km.
the trail
The course goes right through the Park of Laeken, in the shadow of the Atomium. We start and finish at the Koning Boudewijnstadion. All relays also happen there.
Children aged 4 to 12 can have fun on a 1km course. The start of the Kids Run will be given at 12h. At 1pm, the starting gun will resound for the first runners of the DHL Ekiden.
Collaboration with FEB
To attract even more companies this year, they have entered into a partnership with the Federation of Belgian Enterprises (FEB), the country’s largest employers’ federation. They want to raise awareness of the importance of sport and a healthy lifestyle at work.
“We are delighted to partner the DHL Ekiden,” said Pieter Timmermans, CEO of the FEB. “Regular exercise and well-being at work are more important than ever. This event provides a great opportunity to highlight these values. We look forward to working with our member sector federations to make this sporting day a success.”
Sven Gatz, minister of finance and budget in the Brussels Capital Region, is also looking forward to the event.
“I am a big fan of this running race on the Heysel plateau around the King Baudouin Stadium because it is a wonderful team event: six runners covering different distances that add up to a marathon. We welcome almost a thousand teams in Brussels every year, ranging from all kinds of associations to, above all, many companies. The DHL Ekiden is always an exciting race.”
That’s right! It is an exciting competition because the success of the team depends on each participant. So everyone on the team has an important function.
Teambuilding
The format of the DHL Ekiden offers a perfect opportunity for companies to engage in team building in a sporting way where the sense of community prevails. Besides an open ranking, there is also a separate company ranking. This makes the Ekiden a great opportunity for companies as well.
Sustainability
We are also committed to sustainability. An ecological charter places respect for the course’s environment at the heart of the event. Among other things, participants will be encouraged to come by public transport or by bike, ample bike parking will be provided, and environmentally friendly materials will be used as much as possible during the race, e.g. reusable cups at refreshments. Green teams will keep the event site tidy.
“For the third year in a row, we are the proud main sponsor of the DHL Ekiden. We are extra proud of this edition because this year we want to set this running race apart from all others by making it more inclusive than ever, with a lot of focus on sustainability and, of course, unseen team spirit.”
Danny Van Himste, CEO of DHL Express Belux
inclusion and team spirit
Inclusion and team spirit are reflected in the collaboration with Tous à Bord, an organisation dedicated to making sport accessible to all. Like last year, several teams from Tous à Bord will be at the start of the DHL Ekiden. They will run alongside people with physical and mental disabilities and push their buggies all over the course. Also, through a collaboration between DHL and several other organisations, vulnerable children from Brussels will be invited to participate in the Kids run for free.
Do you value these values as much as we do? Then take a look at our careersite.
