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The idea arose in 1979, the year the United Nations declared the International Year of the Child, when Marcel van Henneigen, a gym teacher at Peter Stuyvesant College (PSC), came up with the idea of holding a run around the Schottegat. This run, named the Schottegatloop, was intended for students but also open to other participants. A student from Peter Stuyvesant College designed a logo for the occasion, from which stickers were made.

For the very first Schottegatloop, over 500 participants showed up at the start early in the morning of Sunday, June 17, 1979—men, women, young, and old—who had previously obtained a health certificate from their doctor. At the finish line, Anthony Owers was the first man to cross in a time of 1:01:15. Nel Geerings was the first woman to finish.

After the success of 1979, it was decided to hold the race annually. In 1980 and 1981, the Schottegatloop was again organized by Marcel van Henneigen with a small group of enthusiasts, including Henri Lauffer, Robby Griffith, Mike Snijder, Norbert Hendrikse, Orlando Cuales, and Ronald Claes.

On September 24, 1981, the Road Runners Club Kòrsou was officially established at the notary. The first board consisted of Marcel van Henneigen (chairman), Mike Snijder (vice-chairman), Henri Lauffer (secretary), Norbert Hendrikse (commissioner), and Robby Griffith (treasurer).

In the first year, over a hundred members joined, and more running events were added. The ten-kilometer Coca-Cola Run, the oldest race (since 1982), has always been a popular distance. In 2003, its name was changed to Kareda Cerilio Maduro.

In 1984, the Xerox race was added. The shortest race, the Klipkleun (five kilometers), was first held in 1985. In 1988, the Fatum Run and Citco Run were introduced. The first half marathon (21 kilometers) took place on December 19, 1982, and Curaçao’s first marathon was held on December 13, 1998. The Breakfast Run was added to the race calendar in 1987.

In 1987, club training sessions began. Hans and Ria Jongkind were the first trainers for RRCK. They held training sessions three times a week for sprints, hurdles, and middle- and long-distance running at the Suffisant Stadium. In 1989, long-distance training began around Sentro Deportivo Kòrsou (SDK) and on the Koredor.

Over the forty years, the club has had eight presidents: Marcel van Henneigen (1981-1984), Mike Snijder (1984-1996), Ronald Lieuw-Sjong (1996-1998), Stanley Marks (1998-2001), Harold Westerhof (2001-2003), Erwin Calmes (2003-2011), Marilyn Alcalá-Wallé (2012-2014), and Gersji Rodrigues Pereira (2014-2018). Due to the pandemic, no new president was elected in 2019, and no large-scale running events were organized.

The “Roadrunners” have become a tradition in Curaçao over the years. Performance has never been the main focus; it’s mostly about the camaraderie, along with a beer and soup afterward. Togetherness is the motto, and for forty years, runners and walkers alike have eagerly looked forward to the next event.