My First International Marathon in Ha Long

I signed up for the Ha Long Bay Heritage Marathon for the scenic views, as the route looked so unique and picturesque. It is also Vietnam’s first and only marathon to receive the World Athletics Label Road Race. A few days before my flight, I had a cold and cough, and I feared I might not be able to fly out for the race. But since everything was already booked and I had done ample training, I decided to push through with the plan. A night before heading to Ha Long, I was shivering due to my condition and couldn’t taste my food, even though I badly needed to carbo-load. I felt a little better the next morning while in transit to Ha Long from Hanoi’s Old Quarter. The hotel where I stayed in the Bai Chay area had beautiful views. I could see the international cruise ships and rock formations from my window. The room was very spacious and worth what I paid for, except that you had to wait at least 30 minutes for hot water in the shower. It was understandable due to the cold weather, and something I will remember for next time.

The Grab rider didn’t know where the marathon venue was, so I had to take two rides to reach the race expo to pick up my bib. The first rider dropped me off somewhere, saying he wasn’t familiar with the location (via Google Translate). Other locals also couldn’t point us in the right direction when the rider asked around. It made me wonder how the marathon is so popular outside Vietnam. I left the expo early when I couldn’t find my name on the list for the 42KM runners. Only a few English names were displayed. I hope the organizers could include foreign runners’ names next time. I walked around to grab something to eat, then headed back to my hotel. I tried to rest as much as I could since it was race day the next morning.

It was very cold at 4 a.m. (at least for me), so I wore my race jacket until around the 21st kilometer. My initial goal during training was at least a 5:30 finish time, but with my condition, I just wanted to finish before the 6:30 cutoff time. I crossed the finish line still very proud of myself at 6:08, after battling colds and fatigue from around the 24th kilometer onward.

Indeed, the views are undeniably beautiful, especially the section where you run through the tunnel. The route was not crowded, and the cold watermelon along the course saved me from exhaustion. Of course, the finish line with the blue carpet and all the cameras had an international feel.

The Ha Long Bay Heritage Marathon was absolutely worth it.