Rainbow Runners
Rainbow Runners is a team of runners who advocate for LGBTQIA+ rights, open to members of the community, their families and their allies, without regard to age or physical fitness.
The goal of the Rainbow Runners is bringing LGBTQIA+ visibility to the Brussels 20km, a major public event in Brussels, taking place each year in May, which is Belgium’s official Pride Month. The group participated in the Brussels 20km in 2022, 2023 and 2024, and plans on doing so again in 2026. The Rainbow Runners initiative is supported by the City of Brussels.
While they participate in a public running event, or a “competition”, Rainbow Runners is not a competitive group. Everyone is welcome to run with them and set their own personal objectives. The group is followed by a professional trainer, helping each member develop their own personal training program, responding to the needs of each individual. Therefore, being part of the Rainbow Runners provides a great opportunity both for non-experienced runners to approach the discipline, and for others to improve their performance.
Besides participating in the supervised trainings for the Brussels 20km, members of the Rainbow Runners can also run with the BGS Running group during their weekly non-supervised running sessions. Moreover members of the BGS Running and BGS Triathlon groups regularly join the Rainbow Runners to run the Brussels 20km with the Rainbow Runners T-shirt.
Rainbow Runners is for you if you want to meet people who share the same values and to train with a diverse and inclusive group of runners towards the common goal: to fight for the rights and visibility of LGBTQIA+ people.
- 20 km of Brussels
We are currently are preparing for the next edition of the Brussels 20km on 31 May 2026. The group trainings take place every Tuesday from 19:30 to 21:00 at the Terdelt athletics track in Schaerbeek. Where indicated, the trainings take place under the supervision of a professional trainer:
| Date | Type of training | Time and location |
| 21 Jan | Supervised training with a coach | 11:00, Terdelt Sportpark |
| 28 Jan | Supervised training with a coach | 11:00, Terdelt Sportpark |
| 4 Feb | Supervised training with a coach | 11:00, Terdelt Sportpark |
| 11 Feb | Non-supervised training with a coordinator | 11:00, Terdelt Sportpark |
| 18 Feb | Non-supervised training with a coordinator | 11:00, Terdelt Sportpark |
| 25 Feb | Supervised training with a coach | 11:00, Terdelt Sportpark |
| 3 Mar | Supervised training with a coach | 11:00, Terdelt Sportpark |
| 10 Mar | Non-supervised training with a coordinator | 11:00, Terdelt Sportpark |
| 17 Mar | Non-supervised training with a coordinator | 11:00, Terdelt Sportpark |
| 24 Mar | Non-supervised training with a coordinator | 11:00, Terdelt Sportpark |
| 31 Mar | Easter break | No training |
| 7 Apr | Supervised training with a coach | 11:00, Terdelt Sportpark |
| 14 Apr | Non-supervised training with a coordinator | 11:00, Terdelt Sportpark |
| 21 Apr | Supervised training with a coach | 11:00, Terdelt Sportpark |
| 28 Apr | Supervised training with a coach | 11:00, Terdelt Sportpark |
| 5 May | Supervised training with a coach | 11:00, Terdelt Sportpark |
| 12 May | Supervised training with a coach | Pride Week specific training, TBC |
| 19 May | Pentecost break | No training |
| 26 May | Brussels 20km | 10:00, Cinquantenaire Park |
To properly train for the 20km race, each participant is advised to run three times per week. A great way to do so is by attending the regular BGS running sessions, but you can also train individually and share your runs with the other participants on the WhatsApp and / or Strava groups.
Registration through Rainbow Runners is open until 15 February 2026. There is a registration fee of €30, which includes the professional training, registration in the Brussels 20km and one of our amazing Rainbow Runners T-shirts!
If you aren’t yet a member for the current season 2025-2026, we will ask you to pay the BGS registration fee (€20) in advance so that you are covered in case of injury. If you decide to join other BGS activities in-season, you won’t be asked to pay this fee again. If you have financial difficulties, contact us and we will find a solution for you.
And if you’re already registered as an individual for the 20km and would like to join our team, you can still do so via your registration, or contact us and we will do it for you.
