Participating in the 'Tự hào Tổ quốc tôi’ (Proud of My Homeland) Half-Marathon Challenge, alongside Vietnamese runners, are numerous professional and amateur athletes from various countries.
Working at the Department of Oriental Studies - Van Hien University, Japanese lecturer Hirano Ayaka, along with 150 colleagues and students from the university, will join the 'Tự hào Tổ quốc tôi’ Half-Marathon Challenge organized by Nguoi Lao Dong Newspaper.
Like everyday activities
Initially considering running as part of a graduation celebration travel plan, after participating in a marathon in her hometown, Hirano Ayaka suddenly found herself fascinated with conquering distances, especially when achievements are recognized by shiny medals.
"After completing my first marathon distance, I felt very happy and believed that the enjoyment shouldn't stop there but rather continue by participating in more similar running events," Ayaka revealed.
Bringing her love for running to Vietnam where she has been working since September 2023, the Japanese teacher continues to engage in running events. Instead of running solo on various routes like back home, every early morning, Ayaka and her husband join a running club in the residential area where they live, as a way to make their daily lives more enjoyable.
Lecturer Hirano Ayaka Photo: QUỐC AN (Source: Nguoi Lao Dong Newspaper)
In addition to planning to participate in at least 2 running races in her home country each year, Ayaka also dreams of combining travel and running in Vietnam with her husband, especially since she has witnessed many races being organized in almost every province and city in the S-shaped country. She enthusiastically shared with us her plan to participate in 4 races in the first 7 months of 2024. Among them, the 'Tự hào Tổ quốc tôi’ Half-marathon is the second event she has registered for.
Anticipating Exciting Experiences
Ayaka believes that running races in Vietnam are easier to register for compared to Japan. Anyone can register to run almost on the day of the race in Vietnam, instead of having to reserve a spot months in advance, which is very difficult to arrange with scheduling and participation conditions.
Referring to the 'Tự hào Tổ quốc tôi’ Half-marathon organized by the Nguoi Lao Dong Newspaper, Ayaka eagerly stated: "The race showcases unique local characteristics, in a region with historical and cultural relics, very suitable for those who love experiencing both running and tourism. Running on rural roads in the outskirts of Ho Chi Minh City will definitely bring many interesting experiences."
In addition to her fondness for rustic running routes amidst urban areas, Ayaka also expressed her emotions about the "beautiful, unique, and distinctive" medals of the 'Tự hào Tổ quốc tôi’ Race. The young Japanese teacher also set a goal for herself to improve her performance in the 21 km distance.
Ayaka is one of many professional and amateur athletes from various countries participating in the 'Tự hào Tổ quốc tôi’ Race, alongside Vietnamese runners.
Testing the Running Routes
A week before the start of the 'Tự hào Tổ quốc tôi’ Race, the Organizing Committee along with the operational unit conducted trial runs and checked weather conditions on all three routes: 5 km, 10 km, and 21 km.
The trial runs and checks were conducted during the same time frame as the actual race. Accordingly, runners for the 21 km distance started at 5:45 AM; the 10 km group started at 5:50 AM; while the 5 km runners began racing at 6:15 AM.
The results measured by specialized software showed that the parameters and outcomes were consistent with the initial calculations, meeting the conditions for athletes to compete. Specifically, for the 21 km distance, the temperature was measured at 29°C, wind speed at 19 km/h, and humidity at 78%.
Air quality along the running routes was assessed using the Accu Weather application, with readings at a suitable level. Accordingly, the entire 10 km route had cool air and no direct sunlight, with the sun behind the runners at the finish line. For the 5 km distance, at the starting time when the sun rose at 11 AM, the air was cool.
The sunlight direction did not cause glare, and the entire running route was cool. When finishing at 7 AM, there was mild sunlight. The measured parameters were also at suitable levels for athletes to conquer. Previously, after receiving feedback from runners and accepting professional contributions from the Ho Chi Minh City Athletics Federation, the Organizing Committee decided to change the start time and the Cut-Off Time (COT) for each distance - 15 minutes earlier than the originally announced schedule, to minimize the impact of the hot weather in the Southern region.
Participating in the 'Tự hào Tổ quốc tôi’ Half-marathon, organized by the Nguoi Lao Dong Newspaper, Van Hien University is one of the institutions with a large number of members participating, with 150 members including staff, lecturers, and students of the university.
Mr. Nguyen Do Tung, Executive Director of Van Hien University, stated that through participating in the race, the university hopes that students will have a better understanding of the role of young people in society, not only focusing on self-improvement and personal development but also emphasizing the importance of harmony in all activities linked to social development. Participating in the 'Tự hào Tổ quốc tôi’ Half-marathon has significant meaning for the officials, lecturers, and students of Van Hien University against the backdrop of the nation commemorating the 49th anniversary of the reunification of the country.
The 'Tự hào Tổ quốc tôi’ Half-marathon - 2024, organized by the Nguoi Lao Dong Newspaper in commemoration of the 49th Anniversary of the Liberation of the South and Reunification of the country, takes place over two days. The Kids Run event (for children) was held on April 20th along with the distribution of race kits for participants, and on April 21st, the main competition event featured three distances: 5km, 10km, and 21km, catering to both amateur and professional athletes.
In the 21 km distance, both male and female champions will receive a reward of 12 million VND. Other runners who finish in the top 3 will receive prizes of 8 million and 5 million VND respectively.
In the 10 km distance, the first three runners to cross the finish line will receive rewards of 7 million, 5 million, and 3 million VND. The prize for the top 3 in the 5 km distance is 5 million, 3 million, and 2 million VND respectively.
The 'Tự hào Tổ quốc tôi’ Half-marathon - 2024 features unique running routes at Lang Le Bau Co historical site (located in Tan Nhut commune, Binh Chanh district, Ho Chi Minh City - a region rich in revolutionary tradition, closely associated with the anti-French resistance in 1948 and significant battles in history) and the traditional area of the 1968 Spring General Offensive. Lang Le Bau Co historical site was recognized as a city-level historical site in 2003.
To travel to Lang Le Bau Co historical site, there are various transportation options available, with the most convenient being motorbikes and buses. The historical site is about more than 10 km from the city center. Motorcycles from the city center via Vo Van Kiet and The Lu roads take about 40 minutes. If choosing to travel by bus, you can take bus route number 22 (Ben Thanh - District 8 - Le Minh Xuan Industrial Park), with a travel time of about 65 minutes, a frequency of 15 minutes/ride, and a ticket price of 6,000 VND/one-way.
Proceeds from the 'Tự hào Tổ quốc tôi’ Half-marathon - 2024 will contribute to the 'Tự hào cờ Tổ quốc’ program chaired by Mr. Truong Hoa Binh - former member of the Politburo, former permanent Deputy Prime Minister, and the ‘"Học bổng hỗ trợ học sinh, sinh viên dân tộc thiểu số, học sinh nghèo" (Scholarship for supporting ethnic minority students, poor students) program managed and operated by the Nguoi Lao Dong Newspaper.
According to the Nguoi Lao Dong Newspaper