Blind Runner Runs 21km in 1 Hour 47 Minutes

Vu Tien Manh (23 years old) completed the 21km distance of VnExpress Marathon Ha Long after 1 hour and 47 minutes under the guidance of his companion.

Crossing the finish line of VnExpress Marathon Amazing Ha Long 2023 on the morning of September 10, Hoang Linh still held Tien Manh's hand tightly, guiding him through each step and avoiding obstacles. Linh also helped Manh get water, receive his finisher shirt and medal. Vu Tien Manh is an athlete of the Hanoi blind athletics team, and Hoang Linh is his familiar pacer in the 21km distance.

Vu Tien Manh finished with pacer Hoang Linh (Bib) — Vu Tien Manh finished with pacer Hoang Linh (Bib 83451). Photo: VM

VnExpress Marathon Ha Long is the second tournament in the VnExpress Marathon system that Tien Manh and Hoang Linh have run together this year, after the tournament in Hue . The two finished after 1 hour and 47 minutes. "Because my leg hurt, I had to slow down, so Manh had to run slowly. If he had run at his full potential, Manh's performance would have been even better," said pacer Hoang Linh.

Before that, at 2am, Vu Tien Manh got up to prepare, went to Vinhomes square to start at 4am. If you are not an acquaintance, it will be difficult to recognize this special runner. Manh warmed up his body like other runners, his movements were even more professional than many others, because he was used to competing. Stepping to the starting line, the two used a rope, tied to Manh's left hand and Linh's right hand.

According to Linh, in the first half of the race, the weather was clear, the road was wide and open, so the two brothers competed quite smoothly. Entering the conquest of Bai Chay Bridge, it was also raining heavily, the challenges started to increase. It was raining so there were many puddles on the road, plus the crowd on the bridge made the road blocked, causing some hindrance. Many runners running with him, realizing that Manh was visually impaired, they proactively gave way and shouted to clear the road with Hoang Linh.

With support from everyone, Tien Manh conquered the most difficult sections of the route easily. "I know that the specialty of VnExpress Marathon Ha Long is the slopes, so I practiced and prepared mentally early. Following the pacer's instructions, I proactively adjusted my steps to shorten them, reduced my pace according to the right strategy so it didn't take much effort," Manh shared.

Tien Manh and pacer Hoang Linh on the track. Photo: VM

Having competed together for two years, Linh and Manh understand each other down to every nudge. To have this understanding, they had to go through training, tripping over each other, and pulling each other's hands on the track to gain experience for both of them. "I practice with my pacer at least three times a week," the male runner shared.

Up to now, when running, the pacer does not need to say much, Tien Manh feels the signs and runs in the same rhythm and steps as Hoang Linh. "The race is long, running takes a lot of energy so the pacer cannot just talk. Especially when it is raining and crowded like today. I have to feel and adapt when receiving signals from Linh to save energy for both of us", Manh said.

The result of 1 hour 47 is a bit slower than the target, but for Manh this is a good result. After VnExpress Marathon Ha Long, Tien Manh and Hoang Linh aim to conquer VnExpress Marathon Hai Phong taking place in December this year, full marathon distance. "If he can do this, Manh will be the first blind person in Vietnam to run 42km. Currently, the two brothers are in the training phase for the tournament," runner Hoang Linh shared.

"I want to erase the gap between blind runners and normal runners. I want to be the first blind person to complete the 42km distance to inspire the community," Vu Tien Manh confided.

Members of the Blind Club and their pacers compete in the VnExpress Marathon Ha Long. Photo: VM

Vu Tien Manh is an athlete of the Hanoi blind track and field team. Coming to track and field in 2017, he started with short distances. Then in 2020, Manh got involved in long distance running and grassroots competitions after the pandemic break. Last year, he finished fourth in the 10km distance at a race. Meanwhile, Duong Vu Hoang Linh is the coach of the Hanoi track and field team, regularly supporting Vu Tien Manh in training.

Currently, Manh is the head of a running club for the blind, with about 40 members. Participating in the VnExpress Marathon Ha Long, in addition to Vu Tien Manh and Duong Vu Hoang Linh, the blind club also has two other couples running 21km and one couple running 10km.

Thanh Lan