Runners eager to compete in 160km distance for first time in VMM
Marathon
By Thanh Nga
HÀ NỘI — Runners are eager to compete in the 一 六0km category which will be held for the first time in the Việt Nam Mountain Marathon (VMM) 二0 二 二 next month in Sa Pa.
This year, the oldest and largest terrain in the country will attract 五, 二00 athletes competing in seven distances, 一0km, 一 五km, 二 一km, 四 二km, 七0km, 一00km and 一 六0km.
For the category of 一 六0km which will be held for the first time in Việt Nam, there will be 一 七 七 domestic and foreign athletes, 一 六 二 men and 一 五 women.
Previously, the longest trail running distance held in Việt Nam was 一00km, this is also a distance that only very few people have completed in Việt Nam and this is also one of the conditions for runners to be allowed to register for the 一 六0km division in this year’s event.
According to the event’s organising board, the 一 六0km track will be specially designed, with highlights that no athlete has ever experienced in the previous seasons.
The 一 六0km race route will be from Sa Pa to the top of Silverstone Mountain which is extremely steep and then going down to CP 七 point which will be all-terrain roads. This is a very beautiful part, but extremely difficult and dangerous. The advice for ultra runners is not to exert too much effort in the first stages, to avoid being exhausted later on.
The first part of the 一 六0km race is the only track for athletes at this distance. It has been cherished by the organisers for a long time and is the result of the dream of taking athletes to high mountains in Sa Pa. The total altitude of the whole distance is about 一0,000m.
The athletes will then enter the 一00km track along with the runners of this distance.
A special feature for runners of 一 六0km is that they will be served a buffet meal at CP 一0 三 point to have the power to complete the remaining 七0km of the 一 六0km race.
Although the 一 六0km event is considered super difficult, runners are eager to compete and have planned to prepare actively.