Runner Nguyen Thanh Chung - Nguyen Chung Gmp and his runs imbued with human compassion in the war-torn land of Quang Tri.

TPO - The Tien Phong Marathon 2025 is not just a race, but also a journey of emotions, gratitude, and national pride. Running through the roads of Quang Tri – a heroic land steeped in historical traces – each runner not only pushed their limits but also listened to the echoes of the past. Tien Phong Newspaper is pleased to share the profound feelings of Mr. Nguyen Thanh Chung (Hanoi) after participating in the race in this sacred land.

Runner Nguyen Thanh Chung experienced a journey filled with many emotions in Quang Tri .

The National Marathon and Long Distance Championship organized by Tien Phong newspaper, often referred to as the Tien Phong Marathon, always brings a wealth of emotions and connections to runners, especially amateur runners.

At dawn on March 30, 2025, more than 7,000 runners strode along the roads and through the streets of Quang Tri province to feel the sacredness of independence, freedom, peace , and happiness. Quang Tri is known as the "land of fire" because every inch of land, every river, every place name bears the indelible mark of a time of bombs and bullets; enduring much suffering, sacrifice, and loss, witnessing countless scenes of devastation and destruction from war.

To achieve the peace and independence we enjoy today, to allow runners to stride through every street, more than 20,000 soldiers bravely sacrificed their lives, with the Truong Son Martyrs' Cemetery having recently gathered over 10,000 graves. And somewhere along the running routes of these runners, there still remains the blood, bones, and remains of these heroes.

Boatman going up the Thach Han River, row gently!

My friend still lies at the bottom of the river.

At twenty years old, I was immersed in the waves.

The shore will remain calm forever, for a thousand years.

The verses of veteran Le Ba Duong echoed in my mind as I took my first steps on the running track. I respectfully bow my head before the spirits of the heroic martyrs who sacrificed their lives so that our generation could freely and comfortably run.

On the 42km route, the group of runners suddenly passed the gate of the Highway 9 Cemetery. Without a word, the whole group stopped solemnly, placing their hands on their left chests and singing the national anthem in front of the cemetery gate . “The flag stained with the blood of victory carries the soul of the nation.” I have sung the Vietnamese national anthem countless times, but standing before the Highway 9 Cemetery gate and singing this line, I felt an electric current run through my body. There was something incredibly sacred, like an enlightenment in my mind. Each step I took carried a profound sense of gratitude.

For amateur runners like us, we understand that the marathon only truly begins at kilometer 32, when the body needs to fight muscle fatigue to complete the distance. At this moment, I recall the photograph at the ancient citadel museum, with the smiles of young soldiers before going into battle. Though he is gone, his smile lives on here. That smile is like a dose of spiritual medicine for runners.

Besides the spiritual encouragement from the spirits of the soldiers who sacrificed their lives to protect the war-torn land of Quang Tri, the runners also received enthusiastic and warm support from the people of Quang Tri. Along the route, people brought trays, pots, and pans to cheer them on; along the route, from the elderly to children, everyone eagerly waited for the runners to pass by to give them a high-five filled with love. The police officers and security personnel along the route also offered warm smiles. Even at a center for underprivileged children, the children stood in the rain and cold wind to welcome the runners. The fatigue seemed to vanish after each high-five and heartfelt smile. And along the route, the people sang the song "As if Uncle Ho were present on this day of great victory."

Despite the rain, people in Quang Tri poured into the streets to cheer on, encourage, and inspire the runners as they conquered the challenge (Photo: Tien Phong).

And so, stage after stage of the journey was conquered. The songs and melodies of "Our life is a marching song. Our life is a soldier's anthem" sung along the picturesque Hieu Giang River seemed to dispel fatigue and revitalize the runners.

And so, runners from all over the country gradually conquered the route in the heroic land of Quang Tri. Kilometer 40 was finally completed, and the An Lac bridge was the final challenge for runners before reaching the finish line. Strangely, as I ran up the An Lac bridge, a line from the song "An means to breathe, Lac means to go" by Thich Nhat Hanh echoed in my head.

Breathe safely, walk aimlessly.

An means to breathe, lạc means to go, to travel.

And so, crossing the An Lac bridge, I sped towards my destination, singing a triumphant song.

That's how I completed my Tien Phong Marathon 2025.

Grateful, proud, moved, warm, and deeply humane in the war-torn land of Quang Tri.

After the conclusion of the Tien Phong Marathon 66 in Quang Tri, numerous complaints about the race appeared on social media, including a lack of water in the first 10km, insufficient streetlights in the dark, unprofessional volunteers, and overcrowded bib distribution and baggage drop-off areas.

I believe that to have the Quang Tri we see today, to have a route that brings together runners from all over Vietnam in an atmosphere of independence and freedom, we need to cherish and be grateful for what the people of Quang Tri have gone through and sacrificed during the war to bring about the independence of our country as it is today.

Don't ask what the country has done for us.

But we need to ask ourselves what we have done for our country today.

Quang Tri, March 30, 2025.

See you again at the Tien Phong Marathon 67 – Nha Trang 2026.

Nguyen Thanh Chung

Source: https://tienphong.vn/runner-nguyen-thanh-chung-nguyen-chung-gmp-va-nhung-buoc-chay-tham-dam-tinh-nguoi-noi-dat-lua-quang-tri-post1729985.tpo