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| Meet the Ambassadors 2025
Kwinten Derave
Program: marathon
"Last year, I tried to run a full marathon without a proper plan...which might explain why I got injured in the final week of training. Lesson learned: spontaneity is fun, but not for marathon prep.
This year, I hope that, with the support of my Sofico colleagues and a proper training program, I’m able to cross the finish line—preferably upright and smiling!"
| Training updates
Follow Kwinten's journey
April 2, 2025
Final update
The Morning Before – Finally, Race Day!
A short night. Too short. The race started at 9:00 AM, which meant I had to eat (white bread with jam, because runner’s diet) at least two hours beforehand to avoid digestion issues. Losing an hour to ‘summer hour’ was unfortunate.
But surprisingly, I didn’t feel tired at all. Adrenaline, maybe? 😊
I arrived at the event around 8:00 AM and was immediately energized by seeing the other enthusiastic Sofico running ambassadors. The mix of excitement and nervous tension was tangible. We were all in this together.
During the Race
(Over)confident Start
The plan was simple: stay ahead of the pacer with the red flag (3:45 finish time).
At first, this was easy. I think I even ran a couple of minutes ahead of the pacer in the first half of the marathon. I felt invincible, giving high-fives to kids, smiling, even celebrating already.
Somewhere in the first 10K, the following picture was taken of me looking like I had already conquered the race. Spoiler alert: I had not.
Professional drink change
Around km 27 our much anticipated and carefully planned isotonic water exchange took place in ‘het Keizerpark’. Would it go smoothly? Would it be a disaster?
I was surprised myself how smooth it went. For a brief moment, I felt like an elite athlete.
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From overconfidence to reality
Kilometer 30. The fresh feeling was gone. Enthusiasm gave way to realism.
Still 12 kilometers to go.
Uh-oh.
Had I started too fast? Where was the red pacer? Was he getting closer?
No more high-fives with kids. No more celebrating. Just focus.
From reality to fear: The return of the red pacer
7 kilometers left.
My watch told me what I already felt: my heart rate was climbing, my pace was dropping. Then I saw it: the hill of the ‘Vooruit’ and the look of pure fear on the faces of the few runners still around me. Mentally, this was the hardest moment.
Luckily, the amazing crowd and the thought of reaching the finish line kept me going. But at this point it was no longer fun. At all.
2 kilometers left. I looked back.
The red pacer was there. And coming closer. Fast.
A few instances later he was right next to me. For a split second, I considered letting him pass. But something in me refused. I pushed harder. Matched his pace.
Somehow, I could stick with him.
YES. I MADE IT.
Final time: just under 3:45.
I actually had tears in my eyes. Pure happiness. Mission accomplished. I was quite sure I had the mental will to finish it, but I'm still very happy that my body held up too.
What a ride!
A big thanks to Sofico for giving me the opportunity to be part of this amazing program and to everyone who supported me over the past months. Congratulations to my fellow Sofico ambassadors and to everyone who participated as well! See you next year… for a HALF marathon. Maximum. 😉
February 14, 2025
Running preparation time
Recently, I told my wife I was going for a ‘small run.’ But by the time I was finally ready and opened the door to leave, she actually thought I was coming back.
“It takes you longer to get ready for a run than it takes me to get ready for a party” she grinned.
I have to admit, she has a point. The time between saying I'm going for a run and actually running has increased significantly over the past few months.
But in my defense, there’s a lot involved! Here’s a picture of all the things I bring with me nowadays to go ‘for a run’.
Seventeen items .. Seventeen! Sportdrink with isotonic water, a light for me and the dog, earphones, a ‘yelleke' with energy, smartwatch, dog poop bags...
Knowing that several of them have a designated spot in the house (which is rarely where I last left them), and that four of these essentials require charging, each with its own separate cable?! it is indeed quite an operation to get out of the door.
Every item has its function and purpose, but looking at myself all geared up, I sometimes wonder… have I taken this too far?
Friends & Support
Last weekend, I spent some time with friends in the faraway land of Limburg, near Peer (Belgium). Knowing I had to stick to my training schedule, I warned them that I’d need some “me time” for my run.
But instead of running solo, I was pleasantly surprised, several of them wanted to join me! What started as a quiet training session turned into an energizing group effort.
The last straight line
My training plan is still ramping up, but despite all the effort, I’m sleeping great and feeling full of energy during the day. Honestly, I’m enjoying it more than I expected.
That said, I’m also looking forward to marathon week, a laid-back week where my only job is to rest and recover before the big day.
Tick-tock… almost there!
January 8, 2025
Combining hobbies with marathon training
As the marathon approaches, the intensity of the training gradually ramps up. According to my running schedule, I’m supposed to run two 45-minute sessions during the week, and one longer run of nearly two hours on the weekend.
The most challenging part is balancing marathon training with my other hobbies. I play soccer twice a week and have recently discovered Capoeira, an fun Afro-Brazilian martial art that combines elements of dance, acrobatics, and music.
Because of this, my weekly planning feels like a complex puzzle, and it’s not always possible to complete all my running sessions. On the bright side, I think soccer can be seen as some kind of an interval training, while Capoeira greatly enhances core stability. I’d like to think that both hobbies contribute to my marathon preparation in their own unique ways.
Running experience in Tenerife
During the Christmas holiday, I spent 10 days in Tenerife. The climate is perfect for sport training, and therefore it attracts adrenaline hunters and (other - kidding 😉) professional athletes, such as Tadej Pogacar , and Jonas Vingegaard to train on altitude with beautiful vistas.
The first picture of the iconic volcano ‘Teide’ was taken during a run on the first day I arrived. On my last day, I returned to the exact same spot for a second picture. Even the clouds looked strikingly similar. Comparing these photos, I think I might have even lost a bit of weight during my time on the island.
Next steps
I’m really looking forward to the second test day on January 16th with the other Sofico Ambassadors. It’ll be great to catch up in person, share stories, and hopefully see noticeable improvements compared to the first test day.
November 4, 2024
A difficult start + altitude training in Rwanda & Uganda
A difficult start
The start of my training program did not go as smoothly as I had hoped, because I managed to get injured before the actual start.
In a desperate attempt to beat my 7-year-old cousin at football in early September, I ended up twisting my ankle pretty badly.
The verdict? A few days of ‘mandatory’ homework on crutches and nine sessions with a physiotherapist. Not exactly the ideal start for marathon training!
Luckily, I was able to join the Sofico ambassador kick-off session by biking instead of running.
And thanks to a personalized training program (including cross-training at the gym) I was able to resume outdoor running by mid-October, together with my (in the meantime slightly overweight) dog, Melva.
Altitude training in Rwanda & Uganda
Because of my (admittedly) pretty moronic injury, following a ‘normal’ training schedule had not been entirely feasible at the beginning, and this was not about to change immediately…
My brother and I, along with a Rwandan partner, run a small tourism company called ‘Responsible Travel Africa’ in Rwanda & Uganda, and therefore, we had a trip planned to these countries.
So, I had to figure out how to combine my travels with my marathon training. Fortunately, this turned out to be easier than expected, as both countries offer numerous sporting activities.
Rwanda, the land of a thousand hills
My first workout during the trip was an early morning run in Kigali, the capital of Rwanda.
According to my training plan, I was supposed to do a long, slow-distance run of 40 minutes at a low heart rate. Spoiler alert: it didn’t go as planned!
There’s a reason Rwanda is called ‘the land of a thousand hills,’ and I felt like I experienced every single one of them in person! This, combined with the fact that Rwanda is located practically on the equator and has an altitude of 1600 meters, meant that I completely lost control over my heart rate, ending up as red as the tomatoes I passed on the market during my run.
With the UCI World Championship cycling event taking place in Rwanda next year, there is also a growing interest in everything related to cycling. On the second day, we rented mountain bikes ourselves and took a scenic tour around Kigali, crossing the beautiful Akinyana bridge and catching a local football match.
Uganda, the pearl of Africa
Mburu National Park.
After spending some time in Rwanda, we went to Uganda and visited Lake Mburu National Park. The unique aspect of this park? There are no dangerous animals to worry about, which means we could run and bike freely without being attacked by a lion.
I had already done a safari by car in the past, which in itself is amazing, but doing this while running or biking truly added a new dimension to the experience. Without the noise of a car engine, you don’t scare the animals, and you feel even more in tune with nature.
I did a short but hard run of about 5km, and a bike ride of 32 km in the park.
Fort Portal
Finally, we went to Fort Portal, a city close to the border with Congo, where I did a stunning hike of about 18 kilometers, passing small villages, volcano craters and the ‘Mountain of the Moon’ (named after legendary mountain range at the source of the Nile’) university.
To conclude
With the first hurdles behind me, I’m feeling motivated to tackle what’s next. From the laughter at the ambassador kickoff to my first high-altitude run, I learn that every moment, challenge, and mile counts in its own way. It’s encouraging to know I’ve got the Sofico running community behind me, sharing this journey. Here’s to more runs and more hills, and crossing that finish line together!
September 17, 2024
My mental coaches
In this picture, taken right after the "5 Kerkenloop" in Wortegem, you'll see me with my two mental coaches.
First, there's my dog Melva, a Border Collie who could probably run a marathon while chasing squirrels—and still beat me to the finish line. She pushes me to run faster and longer (but does not understand the concept of "rest days”).
Then, there's my wife Fernanda, who kindly reminds me that I’m not, in fact, invincible, and that training hard is great—as long as I don’t end up needing crutches again..
