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12/10/2026

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17/09/2026

What did your life look like 10 and 20 years ago?

By September 2006, I was already too old to believe that the world was at my feet, but still young and foolish enough to take the leap into self-employment as a (self-proclaimed) exercise physiologist (and diving into some intense years). In illo tempore, I genuinely believe there were no more than three lactate meters in our city of around 100,000 inhabitants. I don't know the current figure, but it wouldn't surprise me if the number had increased a hundredfold.

Ten years later, in September 2016, I experienced one of the most intense days of my life up to that point, inspired by that trend. I organised my first course on lactate testing - an initiative that, to the best of my knowledge, was unique among our neighbouring countries. During the preceding two summer months, I had worked tirelessly on the syllabus, a document that is still worth being seen (and the basis for my latest book). It was a make-or-break moment for me; it felt as my life depended on it. Thankfully, it was rather the first kind of moment: since then, almost 10 others in Flanders, Belgium, have followed my example - though as far as I know, no one in e.g. the Netherlands has yet.

I am currently giving serious thought to my next step. I feel the need to do so, even though I cannot yet give it a concrete form. I draw strength from the indirect compliments that my previous ideas have received, and I hope that, by September 2036, I will be able to look back on my decisions with the same satisfaction.

PS, I would like to express my sincere thanks to several colleagues, without whom I could never have taken these steps. However, I will not mention their names so as not to risk forgetting anyone.

01/08/2026

Eigenlijk zou ik wel eens écht willen weten waarom de Belgische Atletiekbond nog 6 (zes) marathonlopers aanduidt op amper 15 dagen vóór hun Europese Kampioenschap (de marathon wordt gelopen op zondag 16/8). Vijftien dagen, dat is normaal gesproken het moment waarop een marathonloper (m/v) aan de tapering-off begint.

Als je nu van één sportfederatie mag verwachten dat ze de trainingsprincipes en de 'kunst' van het pieken beheerst, dan is het wel deze. Wil ze misschien enkele atleten een kans geven om ervaring op te doen op internationaal niveau?

Met haar huidige aanpak, zonder duidelijke motivatie van haar beslissing, doet ze haar imago m.i. weinig eer aan. De strategie draagt zeker ook niet bij aan de m.i. nog voor substantiële verbetering vatbare educatie van de vele adepten van de moeder aller sporten.

Belgian Athletics heeft een nieuwe lijst vrijgegeven met namen van atleten die mogen deelnemen aan het Europees kampioenschap. In vergelijking met de oorspronkelijke selectie zijn er heel wat nieuwe namen, omdat er kritiek was op de (aanvankelijk) strenge Belgische limieten. Onder meer Rani Rosius e...

23/06/2026