Jean-Luc & Bernadette: Over 30 Years of Passion at Kuristo!
- 3 days ago
- 4 min read
How long have you been part of the club?
Jean-Luc: Since 1994.Bernadette: Since 1996.
Are you casual, regular, or hardcore runners?
We are both regular runners. However, we no longer do back-to-back runs two days in a row.
Have you always been athletic?
JL: Yes, since middle school, our gym teacher, who was a former Belgian long jump champion, organized athletics training on Wednesday afternoons at the Stade des 3 Tilleuls in Watermael-Boitsfort. That’s where I developed a passion for sports and running.
B: Yes, since adolescence, when I practiced tennis, aerobics, and athletics.
How did you get into running? And how did you join Kuristo?
JL: As I mentioned earlier, my passion for running started in middle school with athletics. A few years later, we enrolled our first daughter in the White Star athletics club. When I took her to her training sessions at Stade Fallon, I saw a group of joggers starting their workout. It was the Kuristo group, and I quickly joined them.
B: A year after enrolling our first daughter in athletics, we enrolled her sister. From that moment on, I started running and also joined Kuristo. For many years afterward, the whole family trained together because the White Star and Kuristo training sessions were held on the same days and at the same times.
What is your most memorable race?
JL/B: October 2004. After a 10-year hiatus, the marathon returned to Brussels. In the weeks leading up to it, a dozen Kuristo members prepared for the event with a rigorous training plan. On our end, we continued our weekly training of about 50 km (including competitions) with the other Kuristo members. On marathon day, the weather was cool and clear, and we woke up early. We looked at each other and wondered: Is today the day for our first marathon? Yes or no? We each went to a corner of the house with a pen and a piece of paper to write down our answer. We exchanged the papers—we had both said yes. We quickly packed our bags and headed to the metro station to reach the Heysel Plateau, where the marathon started (with the finish line at the Grand Place in Brussels). There was also a 10K race (same-day registration was still possible). The Kuristo members saw us arrive and thought we were there for the 10K. But no, we were there for the marathon. They called us crazy and reckless, saying we would crash and burn. We were calm because, in our minds, we were starting without pressure or time goals. That’s how we finished our first marathon pain-free, in 3:50 (JL) and 4:38 (B). That day, among the super-trained Kuristos (some will recognize themselves), there was one dropout and several others, who aimed for a time between 3:30 and 4:00, finished in over 4 hours. The moral of the story…?
What is your worst race memory?
JL: A fall during a training run in the Soignes Forest. I tripped over a tree stump, and my hand hit the ground, resulting in a deep open wound. I went to the ER to clean and stitch the wound. Despite careful treatment, my hand swelled the next day, requiring antibiotics. Unfortunately, the antibiotics didn’t stop the inflammation. A red line appeared, climbing up my arm, so I rushed back to the ER. They told me my immune system was collapsing and that I needed hospitalization for strong IV antibiotics. Luckily, after 48 hours of treatment, I was out of danger.
B: The 2007 London Marathon. Jean-Luc had won a voucher for an all-inclusive trip to the London Marathon at the AXA Foulées. We got an extra registration so I could participate too. During the race briefing, we asked if there would be food and drinks at the aid stations, and the answer was yes. After 10 km, we still hadn’t seen any solid food. Other participants confirmed there wouldn’t be any, and we had to rely on kids handing out candy along the route. That was enough for Jean-Luc, but not for me. The last 5 km were tough—I was zigzagging all over the place. After crossing the finish line, the British Red Cross took care of me and helped me refuel. Half an hour later, I was back to normal.
Do you prefer trail races or urban races?
JL: I enjoy both types of races, but I’m not a fan of rough terrain in trail races.B: Trail races.
What are your hobbies outside of running?
JL: Gardening, but preferably in the sun.
B: Baking (the old-timers will remember the famous "bodding" cake served after the first relay in the Frozen Relays race), gardening, knitting, and sudoku.
What is your favorite workout?
JL/B: None in particular.
What race do you never want to miss?
JL/B: The Crêtes de la Hulpe, for its beautiful route through the Soignes Forest and Solvay Park, but especially for the post-race family party at our nephew’s house, which is right next to the finish line.
What is your goal for the year?
JL & B: To start and finish about 30 races and triathlons this year—without injuries.
What is your ultimate dream?
JL/B: Already achieved in 2007: running the New York Marathon.
What movie or TV series has marked you?
JL/B: We love crime series, especially Meurtres à…, which showcases many French cities and landscapes.
What book would you recommend?
JL: The Long Run by Flanagan. It’s a book my friend René (Nicolay) lent me, about a fictional 5,063 km trans-American race during the Great Depression in 1931.
B: Not a specific book, but I enjoy books by my favorite authors: Ch. Signol, V. Grimaldi, and PH. Besson.
What is your favorite dish?
JL: A childhood favorite: meatballs in tomato sauce with fries.
B: Monkfish with vegetables.
What is your favorite drink?
JL: Without hesitation, wine—especially chilled Provence rosé.
B: Champagne, for special occasions.
Where is your dream place to live?
JL: Provence. It’s a dream we live for 6 months a year (I could see myself living there 12 months a year).
B: Same as J-L, but I love the balance of 6 months in Provence and 6 months in Belgium.