Doctor Tran To Anh, once introduced by Dan Tri as an athlete who successfully conquered the 70km long-distance race in Mai Chau (Hoa Binh), is someone who always has a healthy and positive lifestyle.
The incredible achievements of this woman in her fifties are not due to "miracles", but rather a process of persistent training, closely following a scientifically designed, personalized plan and curriculum.
From the "introductory" distance of 6km, to 21km, 42km, 70km and now, the retired runner in his 60s is aiming to conquer 100km at the Vietnam Mountain Marathon taking place this coming November in Sa Pa, Lao Cai.
At 3am, in the dark, quiet Mai Chau village, the lights of headlamps flashed, connecting to form a long streak.
“Be careful of the cat ear rock,” the warning from the leading group quickly spread throughout the group.
The energetic footsteps of the runners, after passing through a few "peaceful" starting kilometers, stopped before the first obstacle.
Observing the lights of the person in front of her to map out the direction in her mind, Tran To Anh, a 57-year-old runner from Hanoi, focused on finding a safe place to place each step.
It was pitch dark, visibility was reduced to the few metres of light from her headlamp. The woman could only imagine that the terrain was steep and rocky.
Going uphill twice, then downhill again, she passed the first 10km, also at dawn so that this runner could clearly see the terrain around her: rolling, green mountains.
Near CP1, the terrain was flat and there were no more rocks. Many runners took advantage of the opportunity to speed up and improve their performance, making up for the previous kilometers of slowing down.
However, for this woman in her 60s, the "flat road" is a more difficult challenge than the mountains she has just overcome.
“The running track is just a small concrete edge across the field, just enough to fit your feet, and slippery. Vestibular disorders, a disease of middle-aged people, make me feel like I’m balancing on a tightrope, ” the woman described, adding that she had many times felt dizzy and almost slipped into the ditch running along the road.
The balancing challenge was difficult but not too long, the runners quickly regained their form and conquered the next 20km "as easily as running", with more than 2.5 hours left over the COT (time limit).
At 9am, from the valley in Xom Panh (CP3), looking forward, one could only see steep, golden-yellow mountainsides because the sun had risen high. The scene immediately extinguished the middle-aged woman's previous confidence.
“This distance is too much for your age,” the runner suddenly remembered the advice of an acquaintance.
A month ago, she decided to register for this race with a somewhat spontaneous reason: to "graduate" from the 70km trail run before the age of 60.
In an effort to prepare for the race, Dr. To Anh devoted all her energy and spirit, based on advice from her "seniors", information from the organizing committee and personal experience from previous trail runs.
True to its name, layers of jagged rocks shoot up from the ground, sharp enough to easily break the will of even experienced runners.
The sun rose higher and higher, doubling the difficulty as the athlete's body continuously lost water and salt through drops of sweat pouring out like a shower.
By midday, when the heat was at its peak, her body was signaling a “red alert.” She recounted: “I started to feel dizzy. But when I looked down at my watch, my heart rate was only 120 beats per minute, which was still fine.”
Heatstroke! The athlete quickly diagnosed her condition and immediately adjusted her tactics.
“I lowered my goal, walked slowly step by step and took a sip of electrolyte water every few steps. I took a break every few steps to regain my strength,” the doctor in his 60s shared.
The 10km journey from the foot of the mountain at an altitude of 100m above sea level to the cloud hunting spot at CP4 at an altitude of 1068m is described by the female doctor as a journey of "nowhere to hide" in the middle of the fiery Mai Chau pan.
In the middle of the almost vertical mountainside, scattered on both sides of the road are runners who stopped due to exhaustion, injury or cramps. According to statistics, this is also one of the stages with the most athletes dropping out.
From CP4, the temperature peaked: 40 degrees Celsius. A long stretch of road ahead was bare hills one after another. The small treetops of just over 1 square meter had become “oasis” for many runners.
Finding shade becomes the new task for athletes at this stage, when the harshness of the weather is at its peak and strength is near rock bottom.
“Every time I saw a tree shade, I hid and rested. Twice, I slept for a few minutes to regain my strength. But when I continued walking, the younger people were surprised to see me,” she shared. Just like that, she gradually overcame the two most difficult CPs, “Cloud Hunting Point” and “Hang Kia”, both at an altitude of over 1,000m.
At the rest stops, the female athlete did not rest for long to avoid getting cold. During this time, she took the opportunity to eat porridge, bananas and prepare enough water to continue on to the next CP.
“After half a day of climbing the mountain, enduring the scorching sun from 9am to 5pm, I bet every step, every breath.
Even when you see the top coming up, you still have to maintain iron discipline. A little bit of a change in pace can push your body over the threshold in an instant,” the runner emphasized.
Late in the afternoon, the sun and To Anh both went down the mountain, darkness began to cover the long road and challenges still lay ahead.
The last CPs are still difficult terrain in dense forests and rocks. Normally, athletes can “downhill” (downhill movement) on such mountain descents. However, with the rocky terrain, groups of people continue to “search the way” at night to reach the final trail.
“There it is,” the female doctor’s running companion shouted. About 500 meters away, the green welcome gate gradually appeared with cheers.
“I did it,” the U60 athlete was excited as if on fire. His legs, heavy as lead after 20 hours of trail running, suddenly felt as light as walking on clouds.
At 11:21 p.m., the volunteers burst into cheers when they saw a middle-aged woman cross the finish line, head held high, face radiant.
"I've reached the finish line beautifully," To Anh excitedly showed off her early gift to herself for her 57th birthday.
On the organizing committee's system, the name Tran To Anh appeared in the top 5 of the U60 age group and was also the oldest person in the U60 group to conquer the 70km trail distance (the actual distance was longer than 73km).
In fact, this female doctor only got into marathons by chance after retiring: "Covid-19 made staying at home so boring."
From the “introductory” distance of 6km, to 21km, 42km and now, the “veteran” runner has conquered 70km. Numbers that just a few years ago, she thought “only humans could do”.
A journey of a thousand miles always begins with a single step, and so it is with Dr. To Anh.
“Always listen to your body, have fun but don't go beyond your limits,” Dr. To Anh shares a particularly important principle when an elderly person participates in this harsh sport.
As a doctor, To Anh has a clear understanding of what her body needs. Based on the body index displayed on the health monitor, as well as her own feelings, this runner will make appropriate training adjustments.
“Because I am old, my heart rate and blood pressure are two indicators that I pay close attention to. I cannot do anything beyond my health limit.
"Dedicated to my passion for sports, but my health is important," the female athlete shared, admitting that she is a rational person (partly due to the nature of her job), so it is quite easy for her to control her emotions and excitement when running.
When participating in the race, the female doctor always "reserves" some of her energy, which she says will ensure she is always in the safe zone.
The woman cited the competition in Mai Chau: “In the last kilometers, I had enough energy to run to improve my performance, but I chose to walk. Playing is to try your best, but not to the point of being exhausted.”
To create impressive achievements in long-distance races, the U60 doctor highlights the role of physical foundation.
“I was lucky because before joining the “foot-crazy” world, I had been working out at the gym for many years. The physical foundation I had built up beforehand helped me get into the marathon quickly,” she said.
The more she challenged herself with higher achievements, the more she understood how much physical strength this sport required.
Careful in preparation and knowing one's own strength when "fighting", the 57-year-old doctor emphasizes the "golden formula" for jogging to truly serve health.
“Limp legs in football, sunken cheeks in track and field. This is a funny saying but also a problem that many people face. For me, sports should be about getting stronger the more you play, not “trying too hard” for achievements and sacrificing your health,” To Anh stated her opinion.
She has set a new goal: to conquer the 100km distance at the Sa Pa trail race this coming November, and her weekly training is following her planned schedule, which is to accumulate 100km and climb 4,000m each week.
"I crave to exercise, crave to conquer myself many more times," the female doctor excitedly told about her desire to discover herself once more, because to her: The human body is so amazing!
After the social distancing period due to the pandemic, the desire to run helped To Anh and the VKL Runners club (a club of Long Bien running enthusiasts) find each other.
As the oldest female member, the "veteran" runner is affectionately called "mother sister" by everyone in the club.
“I admire young people with modern lifestyles, always cheerful and full of health. Every time I participate in races or practice with them, I feel several years younger,” she said of her teammates who are decades younger than her.
Running steps, as described by Ms. To Anh, are the bond that connects generations.
To Anh's eldest son unfortunately suffers from attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. As a doctor, she understands the importance of accompanying her child.
Running brings mother and son closer to each other. Now, the son starts accompanying his mother in races.
This woman’s resilience and perseverance probably comes from the perseverance and love of a mother. Seeing her child growing up healthy and strong, To Anh could not help but be moved.
The handshake of U60 and GenZ in the photo of mother and daughter finishing the Half Marathon (21km) in Hai Phong on the phone wallpaper, for To Anh, is her proudest medal.
Dantri.com.vn
Source: https://dantri.com.vn/suc-khoe/nu-bac-si-tro-thanh-ultra-marathon-o-do-tuoi-u60-va-2-bi-quyet-tao-ky-tich-20241019154225286.htm
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