The VPBank VnExpress Marathon HCM City Midnight tournament on March 3 brought 11,000 athletes to conquer the overnight race, explore the vibrant city and welcome many new champions.
Kicking off the VnExpress Marathon series in 2024, VPBank VnExpress Marathon Ho Chi Minh City Midnight left many impressions in terms of organization and expertise. Nearly 11,000 athletes across the country had interesting, safe and attractive experiences during the event days.
Running all night in the center of Ho Chi Minh City
At 11pm on March 2, a corner of Truong Dinh and Nguyen Du streets - usually quiet even though it is in the heart of District 1 - became unusually lively with music and the arrival of thousands of people. In green outfits, people lined up at the starting gate, filling the street right in front of Tao Dan Park, warming up, chatting and waiting for the starting moment to experience the largest night race in Ho Chi Minh City.
At exactly 0:00, the starting signal sounded, and the athletes rushed forward, beginning their journey to explore Saigon at night. This was the second time the race was held on the most beautiful race track. From Tao Dan, 11,000 people in 4 distances of 5, 10, 21 and 42km took turns going through the central streets of District 1, no different from a night tour.
Along the way are a series of famous symbols of Saigon such as Dinh Doc, Notre Dame Cathedral, Opera House, Bach Dang Wharf,... The three distances of 10, 21 and 42km also conquered two bridges Ba Son and Thu Thiem. The thunderous footsteps of thousands of athletes covered the streets, stirring up the Saigon night. Thousands of people also enjoyed playing in the central area, pouring out to cheer and support, creating an impressive and magnificent sports scene on the weekend.
Ms. Giang Ngan - representative of Garmin Running Club said that the feeling of running in the largest city in the country at night is very different and interesting. Although she participated in the first season, she and more than 100 GRC members still want to continue experiencing this feeling. "There are parts where I see Saigon bustling and bustling, so I am very excited. There are also quiet parts that help runners relax, look at and feel everything around. This is something that can only be achieved by running at night," Ms. Ngan said.
This year, the organizers have adjusted the starting times for each distance. In particular, 10km starts at 0:00, 5km at 0:30, 41km at 1:00 and 21km at 2:30. This adjustment helps athletes have the most spacious and comfortable competition space. The distances also do not encounter conflicts on the race track leading to congestion. Many people running HM sub3 or FM sub5 and above can also watch the red sunrise from the bridges.
The race track is "lit up"
The 21km and 42km distances go through Bui Thien Ngo and Nguyen Thien Thanh streets, about 3km long on the Thu Thiem peninsula. This section of the road has no lighting system and has been a concern for many runners participating in previous marathons.
VPBank VnExpress Marathon Ho Chi Minh City Midnight, with the desire to ensure safe competition conditions, has made efforts to light up this route. From 2am, when the first full marathon athletes ran through Thu Thiem peninsula, 100 Green SM drivers started their electric cars to light up the route. The overnight efforts of the Green SM drivers helped brighten the route, leaving many impressions and supporting the athletes to compete at a faster speed.
Dan Quyet - the 42km champion, was worried about the dark road affecting his speed before the race. After the race, he said that the efforts of the organizing committee had helped the high-performance runners maintain a stable pace, no longer worry about potholes, gravel and complete their goals. Tieu Phuong - the first Vietnamese female runner to complete 6 major races, was also impressed with this stretch of road. She said the image of the drivers shining lights for the runners was both memorable and emotional.
VPBank VnExpress Marathon Ho Chi Minh City Midnight puts the safety of athletes first. In addition to the "light route", the race has arranged 18 water stations. Each station is nearly 100 meters long with many tables of purified water, Revive electrolytes, bananas, watermelons, cold sprays, ice boxes, and foam. 11 fixed and mobile medical stations are on duty at all hot spots. About 200 volunteers, traffic police, and militia are mobilized to regulate traffic and direct athletes.
Impression in the eyes of international runners
More than 600 athletes from many countries around the world is a record number in the VnExpress Marathon system. Most of the athletes after completing the race were impressed with the organization and the different experience on the race track.
Sean Cotter (Ireland) clearly felt the excitement of Saigon at night when running 10km. He crossed two famous bridges and clearly observed the hustle and bustle of Ho Chi Minh City. Scotter also enjoyed the enthusiasm on the race track when 11,000 people joined together. Along the way, he was cheered on by many locals and volunteers. "The cheering of the fans along the way, the clapping, the calls, even just their presence was enough to give us strength. I feel happy and grateful that they were there and helped us complete the race", the foreign runner shared.
Mr. Luke (France), has lived in Vietnam for more than 10 years but this is the first time he has participated in a midnight event. Having lived in Vietnam for a decade, he understands the culture and lifestyle of the local people very well. However, when participating in the race, this runner had a very different feeling about Saigon. "This is the first time I have seen the streets so airy and cool. Even though I finished with sweat pouring down, I felt excited. If I have the chance, I will definitely participate in the night race again next year," Luke shared.
Like Scotter and Luke, hundreds of foreign runners praised the race and the exciting experience in the middle of the night. The Vietnamese sportsmanship also impressed international friends.
The new champions
Dan Quyet is the name that left the clearest impression at VPBank VnExpress Marathon Ho Chi Minh City Midnight. For over two years, the runner born in 1990 has been tirelessly participating in tournaments within the system with the desire to win the overall championship. At the tournament last weekend, Dan Quyet's wish was realized.
He let his rival Truong Van Tam lead for more than 85% of the race, persisting with the strategy of chasing and saving energy. At the decisive kilometers, taking advantage of his rival's slowing down, the 34-year-old runner accelerated to overtake. Dan Quyet won the overall championship with a time of 2:41:28, 16 seconds faster than Truong Van Tam.
"I am so happy and excited because this is a long-awaited achievement. I didn't expect to have such a good race," the 34-year-old runner said when he won the overall championship for the first time in the VnExpress Marathon system.
Another surprise factor is Doan Thi Oanh in the 21km event. Oanh is a physical education teacher from Vinh Phuc, who has only started participating in competitions since the beginning of 2024. The event on March 3 was the first time she competed in the South, but she created a shock when she surpassed a series of names such as Phuong Trinh and Doan Hien to win the championship after 1:26:02. The championship makes her a factor worth watching in the following tournaments.
Doan Oanh said winning a major tournament in the VnExpress Marathon system was beyond her imagination. This is the motivation for her to strive to train and achieve many new milestones in the future. Most recently, the female runner will participate in the VnExpress Marathon Imperial Hue on April 21 with the goal of seeking PR.
Nguyen Huu Loc - the men's 21km champion, is also a fairly unfamiliar name in VnExpress Marathon competitions. He finished first after 1:14:00, faster than two other prominent names, Duy Thang and Ly Nhan Tin. Huu Loc is an athlete under the Dong Nai athletics team, and has not participated much in grassroots marathon events.
In addition to the new champions, the 42km women's category saw a familiar name, Pham Thi Hong Le, take first place. This is the 7th time the runner from Binh Dinh has won a tournament in the VnExpress Marathon system.
Many personal records
Running in the middle of the night in quite hot weather, but hundreds of runners still completed their personal record (PR) goal at VPBank VnExpress Marathon Ho Chi Minh City Midnight. According to statistics from Vietnam Best Marathon, only counting the time mark under 4 hours, there were 96 athletes achieving new PR. Among them, Huynh Anh Khoi, top 3 overall, set a PR with the parameter of 2:42:42 and Hoang Van Hon (2:44:14) entered the top 60 fastest marathon runners in Vietnam of all time.
In the women's category, the most notable PRs were Tra Giang (3:12:22) and Nguyen Thi Ngot (3:16:13). With their ever-improving speed and ability, Tra Giang and Nguyen Thi Ngot have the potential to become female runners competing for championships in the next tournaments.
After VPBank VnExpress Marathon Ho Chi Minh City Midnight, the next tournament in the system will take place in Hue on April 21. This is the 4th time VnExpress Marathon has come to the ancient capital of Hue. The tournament is expected to have a scale of 11,000 people. The race course has been adjusted but still retains its characteristic green features, helping athletes explore the ancient and modern beauty of Hue City.
Hoai Phuong
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