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Hanoi nightlife gets a kick from VnExpress Marathon

By Staff Reporters November 28, 2020 | 04:55 pm PT

The sounds of “thundering hooves” and cheers rent the air as thousands of runners finished the VnExpress Marathon Hanoi Midnight early Sunday morning.

Amid the coldness of Hanois winter, with the temperatures settling at around 16 degrees Celsius, thousands of locals gather at Hanois iconic Hoan Kiem Lake on the night of November 28 to show their encouragement to 5,500 runners at the VnExpress Marathon Hanoi Midnight 2020. Previously, the race inauguration commences at 5 p.m., with many points of sale and kid-friendly activities available to spectators.

The first ever large-scale night run in the capital city took place in the chill of an early winter, with temperatures at around 16-17 degrees Celsius. Thousands of residents gathered at the iconic Hoan Kiem (Sword) Lake on Saturday (November 28) night to cheer the 5,500 runners.
The VnExpress Marathon Hanoi Midnight 2020 was themed, "Run to the Light." Inaugural functions for the race – including music performances, many sales booths for a variety of products including food and sports gear, as we well as kid-friendly activities – began at 5 p.m, bringing people in large numbers to enjoy the race that started at midnight.

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 pass through Cau Go, Ly Thai To, Ly Thuong Kiet, Nha Chung, Hang Gai, and Luong Van Can before finishing with a lap around the Hoan Kiem Lake. Meanwhile, those running 19 km pass along Ba Dinh Square to Phan Dinh Phung Street before returning to the Old Quarter.

Runners attending the 5 and 10 km courses start running at midnight from the Dong Kinh Nghia Thuc Square. They finished their run at the intersection of Dinh Tien Hoang and Lo Su streets, right next to Hoan Kiem Lake.
For the 5 km race, the route runs 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. The 10 km race goes past Ba Dinh Square and through the picturesque Phan Dinh Phung Street before returning to the Old Quarter.

Runners pass by the iconic building in Dong Kinh Nghia Thuc Square.

Participants take the bend around the city's "Ham Ca Map" or "Jaw of the Shark" building at the Dong Kinh Nghia Thuc Square.

Bui Van Dung is the first runner to reach the finish line of the 5-km course.

Bui Van Dung is well in the lead as he approaches the 5 km breast tape.

About 1,000 runners joining the 42-km course warm themselves up before starting off 30 minutes later. They head past 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, Tran Hung Dao and Ly Thuong Kiet streets.

About 1,000 runners joining the 42 km race warm themselves up about 30 minutes before the race kicks off. Their route runs past iconic attractions like the Hanoi Opera House and then the streets of Le Thanh Tong, Phan Chu Trinh, Ngo Thi Nham, Hue, Nguyen Du and Nguyen Dinh Chieu before continuing at the Thong Nhat Park and Tran Hung Dao and Ly Thuong Kiet streets.

Le Thi Bich from northern Thanh Hoa Province reaches the finish line after 20 minutes and 27 seconds of the 5-km course.

Le Thi Bich won the 5 km race for women in 20 minutes and 27 seconds.

The first runner to reach the 10-km courses finish line.

The men’s 10 km race was won by Son Tien Phat.

Doan Thu Hang from the northern Thai Binh Province is the first female runner to hit the 10-km courses finish line.

Doan Thu Hang won the women’s 10 km race.

Do Quoc Luat is winner of the 21-km course.

Do Quoc Luat won the 21 km race for the second time, repeating his feat at the VnExpress Marathon Quy Nhon 2020 organized in the central town of Quy Nhon in July.
"This is the first time I have joined a night run in Vietnam. The weather and the race running past many Hanoi landmarks was a thrilling experience," he said.

Athlete Nguyen Thi Oanh quickly follows the becomes the first female runner to finish the 21-km course.

Nguyen Thi Oanh followed Luat in winning the 21 km race for the second time after the VnExpress Marathon Quy Nhon 2020.

Hanois resplendent St. Josephs Cathedral shines bright in the middle of the night. Organizers install high-power lighting systems along the way so runners could take great photos.

Runners go past the St. Joseph's Cathedral on Nha Chung Street that shines resplendent in the middle of the night. Race organizers installed high-power lighting systems along the way.

A woman waves as runners pass by the iconic Opera House.

Bac Mon (North Gate) of the Hanoi Imperial Citadel witnesses the sleepless runners.

At the Bac Mon (North Gate) of the Hanoi Imperial Citadel, a UNESCO heritage site on Phan Dinh Phung Street, volunteers high-fived runners in a gesture of encouragement.

Runner Trinh Quoc Luong becomes the winner of the full marathon course.

Trinh Quoc Luong triumphantly lifts the breast tape after winning the full marathon course of 42 km.

Pham Thi Hong Le, a familiar face in the runner community, is the first female athlete to reach the 42-km courses finish line.

Pham Thi Hong Le, a familiar face in the runner community, reaffirmed her credentials by winning the 42 km race for women, following up on victories in the 2019 and 2020 editions of the VnExpress Marathon Quy Nhon.
The VnExpress Marathon Hanoi Midnight was organized by VnExpress, Hanoi's People's Committee along with TPBank.