I spent the last few days in Leuven, Belgium, the home of many American middle and long distance runners who have made the town their base during the European season. Some members of Total Sports management team as well as the New Jersey-New York Track Club are among those who take over the trails of Leuven as they prepare themselves for their Euro seasons and for some the Olympic Games.

Leuven is a pretty unique place as it isn't one of Belgium's big cities like Brussels or Antwerp but still has the bustling feel of a town of nearly 100,000 residents. The center of all the action in Leuven is its town square where the town hall and St. Peter's church are located. Both were constructed in the 15th century, and despite damage suffered during World War II, they are both still standing strong today.


Town hall and St. Peter's church side-by-side


The beautifully intricate town hall

The bell tower on top of St. Peter's church has a small figurine that rings the bell at the top of every hour. Pretty neat.



European town squares are pretty lively places. Every evening locals and tourists alike flood the area in pursuit of tasty food and drink. Restaurants vary from serving sushi, pizza and Mexican food as well as the tastiest of Belgian beers. My two nights of eating out consisted of a steak dinner on one night and spaghetti bolognese with a healthy portion of cheese sprinkled on top on the other. Speaking of beer, here's a fun fact - Stella Artois was founded in Leuven and continues to be brewed in the town. 

French fries are a big deal in Europe. In America fried taters are typically a side dish served with hamburgers and other main food items. They can serve a similar role in Europe but can also be served by themselves. Rather than being dipped in ketchup, fries are often served with mayonnaise. That's right, mayonnaise, just like John Travolta described in Pulp Fiction.


Fries equivalent of the Hamburglar

Finally, a little story on the track in Leuven. It's located at the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, the oldest Catholic university in the world still in existance and the biggest university in Belgium (according to Wikipedia, so take it for what it's worth). At this point of the season, pretty much every runner is on the track doing final sharpening work before their European races. As a result, they're forced to deal with the interestingly shaped Leuven track. The oval is more like a circle; the straightaways are just 35 meters or so long, making the turns extremely long and gradual. The common start/finish line and the 200 meter mark are almost straight across the field from each other. It's a pretty funky configuration, but most of the athletes were able to adjust and get in some good speed work prior to their next races.



For more pictures around the town of Leuven, check out the entire photo gallery here.

Thanks to Stephen Haas and the Total Sports crew for providing me a place to stay for a few nights. It was much appreciated!