Marathon races near Hückelhoven

The Wilhelminaberg Trappen Marathon course for runners includes a 248-meter staircase with 508 steps. This race takes place in Landgraaf, South Limburg, situated on the 93-meter Wilhelminaberg, which is the highest slag heap in the Netherlands. It is a lap-based road and stair race, offering distances from 5 km up to a marathon, alongside a kids run and a Business Run for teams of up to five. Each standard lap is 1,090 meters. Consequently, the 5 km requires 5 laps, the 10 km is 10 laps, the 10 mile is 16 laps, the half marathon is 21 laps, and the marathon is 42 laps. The full marathon involves runners ascending the staircase 44 times, totaling 22,350 steps. This is why Dutch media refers to it as the toughest marathon in the Netherlands. The kids run features a scaled-down version of the central element: it begins at the base of the stairs and concludes at the summit.

The Nationaal Park Marathon Hoge Kempen guides participants off-road through Hoge Kempen National Park in Maasmechelen, Limburg. This late-winter Sunday event offers four distances: 7 km, 14 km, 21 km, and 42 km, suitable for short-distance hikers, trail runners, half-marathoners, and marathon runners. The route highlights the park's unique landscapes, Belgium’s only national park. Participants can register online, find support along the course, and use chip timing. A portion of each registration fee supports nature projects within the park.

The Heuvelland Marathon takes place in Zuid-Limburg during March. Both the marathon and half marathon begin in Vaals, with all distances concluding in Gulpen. This is a hilly trail-running event, not a road marathon. The 42.2 km course involves approximately 943 metres of climbing, the half marathon has 456 metres of ascent, and the 14 km option still includes 287 metres of elevation gain. The route crosses diverse nature trails between Vaals and Gulpen, meaning mud is a possibility. Finishers receive vlaai, a local Limburg tart, instead of a standard medal photo. The event accommodates walkers via the Heuvelland Walk and includes relay teams of 2 or 4. Participants consist of local Dutch runners and international visitors. A recent edition saw a record 1,300 participants, and the marathon distance has been recognized for the UTMB Index.