The race, in three figures
The race, in words
Merlijn Vernaillen finished 997th of 1,363 men in the Open division at Mechelen 2026, in 1:31:27.
A station race more than a running one: 57% of the field beaten on the stations, against 25% on the runs. Stronger after halfway: 2:16 better against the middle of the field than before it. The roxzone cost time: 13:55, behind 96% of the field.
Mechelen gave the field time back: about 3:00 faster than the average race this season, by 1,568 athletes who raced both.
Eight blocks
Bar = field beaten · tick = median
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Block 01 8:11Running 1 3:46v median +0:05
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Block 02 6:54Running 2 4:39v median +0:02
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Block 03 9:12Running 3 4:58v median +0:05
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Block 04 10:47Running 4 5:28v median +0:35
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Block 05 12:45Running 5 8:20v median +3:17
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Block 06 6:27Running 6 4:51v median −0:05
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Block 07 9:39Running 7 5:07v median +0:13
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Block 08 13:44Running 8 5:33v median +0:04
Roxzone, per block
Approach · Exit 13:55
Against the middle of your field
Men · n = 1354
A pace, not a person: at every mat, the middle of the 1,354 men who finished.