Brussels Ekiden is a six-person relay covering 42.195 km as a team. The legs are 5 km, 10 km, 5 km, 10 km, 5 km and 7.195 km, in that order. Each runner completes one assigned leg. The October 17, 2026 edition has passed; no next edition date was confirmed on the official pages checked October 18, 2026. Use this guide to understand the format, not as an open-entry announcement. Organizer homepage.
Assign six runners to six legs
The 2026 FAQ says one runner cannot cover multiple legs or enter multiple teams. If someone withdraws, check the organizer's replacement process; do not solve the vacancy by assigning a teammate an extra turn. Official FAQ.
How the exchange works
The baton is a tasuki, a relay sash passed to the next runner inside the team's assigned exchange zone at King Baudouin Stadium. The FAQ describes one zone for all of a team's changes, arranged by team number. Coaches and supporters are not allowed into that exchange area. Save the edition-specific zone plan when it becomes available, and agree on a meeting point outside it. Exchange rules.
A useful rehearsal is simply to practise removing, passing and putting on the sash without rushing. Decide who tracks the incoming runner and how the next runner gets the update. A phone message alone is a weak plan if the receiving runner has already put their phone in a bag. These are team-planning suggestions, not additional race rules.
Why the individual results may not add up
The practical-information page distinguishes the nominal legs from the shorter individually timed sections. Timing mats are at the stadium entrances and exits; time spent in exchanges contributes to the total team result. The organizer lists individually timed sections of 4.7, 9.8, 4.7, 9.8, 4.7 and 6.1 km. That distinction matters when interpreting a split or comparing it with a standalone road race. Timing explanation.
For planning, add realistic expected leg times and an explicit exchange allowance. For example, three 30-minute 5K legs, two 60-minute 10K legs and a 45-minute final leg total 4 hours 15 minutes before that allowance. These are illustrative inputs, not the event cutoff, a prediction of your result or a recommended pace. Use the running pace calculator for individual estimates, then check the rules for the actual edition you enter.
What to recheck for a future edition
The 2026 practical page identifies the stadium and Park of Laeken course, while the homepage now links results. Neither establishes a 2027 date, entry fee, registration window or unchanged route. Wait for an explicitly dated new announcement before making non-refundable travel plans. Once announced, check the team composition rules, entry deadline, replacement procedure, collection time, exchange map and transport information together.
The team captain can use the checklist below to keep those decisions in one place. For the longer assignments, use the 10K training overview to choose an appropriate preparation starting point. Give each runner the instructions for their own distance; preparing six people for assigned relay legs is a different task from preparing one person to run a marathon.