Leuven (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – KU Leuven ended the Belgian Beer Mile Championship after 10 years on its Heverlee campus, citing alcohol policy. Organiser Maximilien Monteyne regrets the decision and is seeking a new location.
As VRT News reported, the Belgian Beer Mile Championship will no longer take place on the KU Leuven sports campus in Heverlee. KU Leuven has now decided to stop hosting the event. The university stated that it no longer fits with its current health and safety policy. Alcohol-related activities are not allowed under the updated rules for campus events.
What led KU Leuven to end the Belgian Beer Mile after 10 years?
The organisers are seeking a new venue to host the championship. Many runners say they will continue the competition elsewhere.
“Exercise and drinking don’t really mix, we know that,”
says Maximilien Monteyne, one of the organisers.
“Those who participate in the Beer Mile are usually very athletic. The event was actually initiated by triathletes. They drink little to no alcohol 364 days a year, but at the end of the season, they can relax a bit. And even then, they still want to run.”
“KU Leuven and the city of Leuven are more committed than ever to responsible alcohol consumption. An event like the Beer Mile on the athletics track of our sports campus no longer fits into those plans.”
KU Leuven
Organiser Monteyne said he regrets KU Leuven’s decision to stop hosting the Belgian Beer Mile Championship on its sports campus. He explained that the organisers were ready to work with the university to promote a clear and responsible message about alcohol use.
“Although I understand that KU Leuven has a role to play in setting an example, we were genuinely willing to think together about how to convey a responsible message. So I think it’s a shame that we didn’t actually get that opportunity,”
he said.
“For about five years now, participants have been able to choose to drink non-alcoholic beer,”
says Monteyne.
“I insisted on that, because I hardly ever drink alcohol myself. But making the event alcohol-free for all participants isn’t really feasible. Then we’d no longer be included in the world rankings, and a Belgian Championship wouldn’t be very worthwhile. Besides, only participants get beer from us; spectators don’t.”
The organisers are now reviewing how to continue the event in the future. They want to keep the championship enjoyable and accessible to the public while ensuring it meets safety rules.
“That’s why we ask participants to come in their most playful outfits,”
says Monteyne
“If I’m honest, I think a lot more alcohol goes down the drain at the average staff party or annual fair,”
says the organiser.
Comments
20 responses to “KU Leuven Concludes Beer Mile Tradition After 10 Years, Monteyne Responds”
Who knew that combining beer and running could be seen as a health hazard? I suppose next they’ll ban the waffle races too—gotta keep those calories under control! 🍻🏃♂️
Ending the Beer Mile? Must be a bold move to promote health—because nothing says ‘fit and athletic’ like running with a pint in hand! 🍻🤷♂️ Quite the slippery slope, innit?
Looks like KU Leuven decided that beer and running don’t mix—who knew? 🍺🏃♂️ Maybe next they’ll ban the annual cheese-rolling contest for being too cheesy. 😂
Oh, splendid decision, KU Leuven! Who wouldn’t want to swap a joyous beer sprint for the thrill of dry campus policies? 🍻🚫
So, KU Leuven decides that a little jog and a pint are too much for their precious health policy—guess we should just stick to chardonnay and yoga, eh? 🍷🏃♂️
So KU Leuven thinks ditching the Beer Mile will make it a healthier campus—classic! Maybe next they’ll ban fries to tackle those pesky carbs. 🍻🥔
Ending the Beer Mile? Brilliant move, KU Leuven! Who needs a little fun when you can promote responsible alcohol consumption, right? 🍻💁♂️
Oh great, let’s just swap the Beer Mile for a Tea Trot while we’re at it. Nothing screams “athleticism” like sprinting for your life to the nearest non-alcoholic brew, right? 🍺🏃♂️
Looks like KU Leuven has taken the concept of “responsible drinking” to a whole new level by banning the Beer Mile—what’s next, a marathon with only water stations? 🍻🏃♂️
Looks like KU Leuven decided to swap beer for books—next they’ll be banning study breaks for coffee! 🍻📚 Cheers to the responsible adults!
Oh là là, who knew a bit of jog and a pint could be such a hazardous combo? Next, they’ll ban the annual “chocolate and treadmill” event—sacrilege! 🍻🏃♂️
Guess it’s time for the triathletes to swap their brews for herbal tea then! 🍵 Who knew running in circles while drinking could be so dangerous? 🤷♂️
Guess it’s time for KU Leuven to swap the beer for herbal tea and call it a day—nothing says athleticism like jogging in a sensible cardigan, right? 🍵🏃♂️
So, KU Leuven has decided that running while *really* enjoying a pint doesn’t fit their health policies anymore—who knew?! 🍻 Maybe they’ll just hold a ‘sipping soirée’ next time instead. 😏
The end of the Beer Mile? Truly a tragedy for athletes who just wanted to “hydrate” in style! 🍻🏃♂️ Can’t wait to see the new venue—perhaps they’ll host it at a fancy Italian restaurant with a side of pasta? 😂
Looks like KU Leuven has decided that running a beer mile is a bit too “athletic” for their campus. Who knew that mixing cardio and lager was the real danger to health? 🍻🤷♂️
So, KU Leuven decides that the only thing running faster than a beer mile is their commitment to sobriety. Guess they really think we’d rather sip herbal tea while sprinting! 🍵🏃♂️
So, KU Leuven thinks ending the Beer Mile is a brilliant idea, huh? Right, because who needs a bit of fun when you can just jog responsibly in a cardigan instead? 🍺🏃♂️
Oh brilliant, nothing screams “responsible drinking” quite like ending a decade-long tradition of running and guzzling beer! 🍺🏃♂️ I suppose next they’ll be banning our beloved frites too, eh?
Who knew that mixing running with beer could be such a scandal? Guess the only marathon these folks will be doing now is a marathon of lectures on responsible drinking. 🍻🏃♂️
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