Thousands of runners poured into April 2 Square from Saturday noon to receive Bibs and race kits.
The VnExpress Marathon Nha Trang 2023 attracts more than 300 international runners. Most of them have running experience and some have won top prizes at marathons at home and in Vietnam.
Nearly two months after breaking her personal record at VM Quy Nhon, Nguyen Thi Kim Loan (L), residing in Stuttgart, Germany, has returned to attend the Nha Trang tournament
This time, she is joined by her husband, Christian Kohlhaas (R). Both chose to take on the half-marathon challenge. Loan aims to maintain her sub-2 (less than two hours) performance.
Last June in Quy Nhon, she finished the 21 km distance in 1 hour, 42 minutes and won second place in the 40–49 age group. "My husband and I often move between Germany and Vietnam. We returned to Vietnam a week ago and will stay for 6 weeks."
Kohlhaas participated in VM Nha Trang last year and was impressed by the good organization and the number of runners.
"I have been to Nha Trang many times and like it here because it is fully equipped. I can relax, watch the sea, and conquer the half marathon."
He also said that he loves Nha Trang cuisine. His favorite is fried shrimp with tamarind sauce.
Participating in the VnExpress Marathon system for the third time, Patrick Frano, 29, from Germany, is determined to conquer the 42 km distance safely and joyfully. Accompanying him was a group of nearly 15 friends, including both foreigners and Vietnamese.
Frano has been running for 10 years.
He had run in Nha Trang last year, and was emotional coming back. "I love the sea and the friendliness of the people. I also enjoy a lot of famous dishes; my favorite is fish noodles."
Chiu Kit Man and Kin Yu from Hong Kong have been following the VnExpress Marathon fanpage for several years. They registered for the 21 km distance.
Coming to Nha Trang for the first time, the couple said they love the beach, and though the weather was a bit hot, the food was delicious. Both said that the bib reception area at April 2 Square was quite large, and the procedure was fast.
"I carefully researched the information about the running track and found it to be reasonably arranged, running through beautiful roads," Chiu said.
The couple has participated in more than 10 tournaments. Every time they have a break, they make plans to go abroad to travel and try new races. "We like the feeling of running together, giving our best effort. The scenery and delicious food also give us memorable experiences," said Chiu.
Anthony Debant, 45, a former football player now living in France, brought his two-year-old daughter to receive the 10 km Bib. He married a Vietnamese wife and the family have gone to Nha Trang many times as they enjoy the sea view and the friendly people.
"VM Nha Trang is the largest race I have ever joined in Vietnam," Debant said, adding that he wants to live in Nha Trang or Da Nang in the future.
Eddy Sobieraj from Belgium registered for the full marathon, aiming to reach the finish line before 5:30 a.m., or in less than one a half hour. The 63-year-old runner has lived in Gia Lai in Vietnam's Central Highlands for 5 years and used to run the same distance at VM Quy Nhon 2022.
"I was impressed with the organization. There were many interesting items, and the water stations covered the whole track. The finish line was rewarded with fruit and food. The race kit bag also includes sunscreen and useful organic spray."
