Vietnamese athlete 'enjoys the worst' to cope with deca ultra triathlon challenge

On Sunday, Vu became the first Vietnamese athlete ever to win a deca ultra triathlon. She had to complete 38 km of swimming, 1,800 km of cycling and 422 km of running and finished first in 13 days, 16 hours, 27 minutes and 55 seconds.

"I could only take a short nap every 22 hours and had many small meals. There were many challenges and even dangers. The only way I could cope was to enjoy the worst and embrace the journey to the finish line," Vu wrote on Facebook.

Triathletes need food that are rich in carbohydrates, protein and fat. They eat once before the long swim and again during cycling and running. But the major problem during cycling is fatigue.

"I was really sleepy when I cycled in the night and freezing cold when going past the Rhine river. Fortunately during the race, I met many athletes from different countries. We shared our experiences and inspired each other. While cycling, we kept talking to help each other stay awake," she said.

Thanh Vu takes a nap during Swissultra 2022. Photo courtesy of Thanh Vu

The 32-year-old athlete took 22 hours, 14 minutes and 17 seconds to complete 38 km of swimming. She took a a break for nearly two hours, take a short nap and prepare for the cycling leg. After finishing 1,800 km of cycling, Vu spent 179 hours and a half resting before entering the 422-km run, which she finished in 124 hours, 50 minutes and 26 seconds.

2022 Swissultr, took place from Aug. 14 to 29 in Switzerland, featuring 19 male and four female athletes. In the men’s event, four did not finish, while one quit before the race. In the women’s event, only Vu and French athlete Nadine Zacharias made it to the finish line.

After Vu completed the tournament, the president of the International Ultra Triathlon Association told her that in the past 30 years, there were only about 100 people that could complete a world deca ultra triathlon.

"It’s definitely an extremely challenging tournament, to the point that I even doubted myself at times," Vu added.