Over 5,500 runners have finished their race at VnExpress Marathon Hanoi Midnight, the first large-scale night run in the capital city.
Amid the chilliness of Hanoi's winter, with the temperatures settling at around 16-17 degrees Celsius, thousands of locals gather at Hanoi's iconic Hoan Kiem (Sword) Lake on the night of November 28 to cheer on 5,500 runners at the VnExpress Marathon Hanoi Midnight 2020, themed "Run to the Light".
Thousands of locals gather at Hanoi's iconic Hoan Kiem (Sword) Lake on the night of November 28 to cheer on 5,500 runners. |
Previously, the race inauguration commenced at 5 p.m., with many points of sale and kid-friendly activities available to spectators.
Runners attending the 5 and 10 km courses start running at midnight from Dong Kinh Nghia Thuc Square and finish at the Dinh Tien Hoang and Lo Su intersection, right next to Hoan Kiem Lake.
Over the 5-km distance, athletes run through Cau Go, Ly Thai To, Ly Thuong Kiet, Nha Chung, Hang Gai, and Luong Van Can streets before finishing with a lap around the lake.
Athlete Nguyen Thi Oanh quickly follows, becoming the first female runner to finish the 21 km course. Oanh was also a winner at VnExpress Marathon Quy Nhon 2020. |
Those running 10 km race along Ba Dinh Square to Phan Dinh Phung Street before returning to the Old Quarter.
Runners pass by the city's iconic building nicknamed "Ham Ca Map" or "Jaw of the Shark" in Dong Kinh Nghia Thuc Square.
About 1,000 runners joining the 42 km course warm themselves up before starting off 30 minutes later.
Pham Thi Hong Le, a familiar face in the runner community, is the first female athlete to reach the 42 km course's finish line. Le was also a winner at the VnExpress Marathon Quy Nhon in 2019 and 2020. |
They head past the Hanoi Opera House and streets like Le Thanh Tong, Phan Chu Trinh, Ngo Thi Nham, Hue, Nguyen Du and Nguyen Dinh Chieu before continuing at Thong Nhat Park, and Tran Hung Dao and Ly Thuong Kiet streets.
The VnExpress Marathon Hanoi Midnight was organized by VnExpress, Hanoi's People's Committee along with TPBank.
Source: VnExpress