Crossing the finish line in the early morning sun, runners soared at the Tien Phong Half Marathon 2025.

Favorable weather, consistent performance.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Ngoc Lan, the first person to complete the 10km women's race, said she felt extremely happy to be in good form at the first Tien Phong Half Marathon in 2025.

The female runner believes that the cool weather and flat course helped her finish early. “The weather was quite nice today, so running 10km felt too short. I decided to run another 5km and still felt energetic. In the near future, I will register to participate in the 67th Tien Phong National Marathon and Long Distance Championship - 2026 in Khanh Hoa ,” Ms. Lan said.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Ngoc Lan finished first in the women's 10km race.

Commenting on the organization of the race, Ms. Lan said that the organizing committee had made thorough preparations in all aspects. Runners were well taken care of from the moment they received their race kits and water, to nutrition after the race.

Becoming the first to finish the women's 21.1km race, runner Le Thu Ha ( Dong Nai ) couldn't hide her joy. "This achievement almost broke my personal best that I just set in Quang Ninh. The feeling is amazing," Ms. Ha excitedly said.

Commenting on the tournament, Ms. Thu Ha highly appreciated the organizers' preparation. With her impressive results at the Tien Phong Half Marathon 2025, the female runner from Dong Nai hopes to continue maintaining her form and improving her performance in future races.

“This is the first year that Tien Phong newspaper has organized this event in the Van Phuc urban area. I find it meaningful and true to its name, 'Green Journey'. The urban area is very green and beautiful, and the weather is pleasant, so the runners felt very comfortable. The organizers were dedicated and thoughtful in every aspect, so I am quite satisfied,” added Ms. Ha.

Runner Lê Thị Hà finished first in the women's 21.1km race.

Amidst the vibrant atmosphere of the Tien Phong Half Marathon 2025, athlete Nguyen Van Long – often known in the running community by the nicknames “Long Marathon” or “Long the Eccentric” – impressed by finishing the 21.1 km distance in 1 hour and 18 minutes, placing 7th overall in this distance.

Long said that his joy came not only from exceeding the target, but also from the team spirit. "I am very happy that we exceeded the target we set for ourselves today," Long said.

Commenting on the race, the male runner said that the Tien Phong Half Marathon, despite being held for the first time in Ho Chi Minh City, has made a special mark in the Tien Phong newspaper 's series of races. Although the preparation time was short, the long-standing experience of the organizing committee was a crucial foundation.

“This race is the ‘second child’ of the Tien Phong National Marathon, which has been held for 66 seasons. This year’s race is just a pilot project, but it’s a new playground specifically for runners, regardless of whether they are professional or amateur,” Long said.

Hopefully the competition will be expanded.

In the men's 10km race, Le Thanh Tung was one of the first to finish with a time of 45 minutes and 26 seconds – his best ever. "This time I shortened my time by 45 seconds compared to the previous race. This is my best performance in the 10km distance," Tung excitedly stated.

He praised the route and the way the race was run: “The organization was excellent. The course was smooth, there were many photographers, and the water stations were extremely well-equipped.” This was Tùng's first time participating in a race organized by Tiền Phong newspaper , but he said he would continue to participate if given the opportunity. Regarding future plans, he said: “If Tiền Phong organizes the 42km race in Ho Chi Minh City, I will definitely participate.”

Le Thanh Tung (on the right) was one of the first finishers in the men's 10km race.

This runner also shared that running has helped him change his lifestyle. "Everything has benefited me – weight loss, improved health," he said with a smile. He also hopes that the scale of the race in Ho Chi Minh City will be expanded in the future to meet the growing demand of the running community: "Ho Chi Minh City has many running groups wanting to participate, but space limitations restrict the number of runners. I hope the race will be expanded in future editions."

For him, the special thing about the Tien Phong tournament is its focus on community health: "Tien Phong prioritizes community health over individual achievements – that's what sets it apart."

Journalist and runner Ngo Cong Quang completed the 21km race in 1 hour and 36 minutes. He was quite pleased with this achievement, as it was close to his best ever. According to him, this result came from serious preparation and consistent daily training with the 5h30 Community.

This runner attributes his achievement not only to his personal efforts but also to the enthusiasm, class, and professionalism of the Tien Phong Half Marathon. Despite it being the first season, he found the organization to be very thorough, from coordination to the race space.

Journalist and runner Ngo Cong Quang (second from the right) with the 5:30 Community.

"Holding the race right in the Van Phuc urban area is a huge advantage, with its beautiful, inspiring route and clean, green, and airy environment. It's also a route I'm so familiar with that I could run it with my eyes closed," Quang said.

Regarding weather conditions, runner Ngo Cong Quang believes that this year's weather has been very favorable. The light rain the previous afternoon acted as a catalyst, making the course cool, while the weather on the morning of the race was beautiful and pleasant, creating a feeling of exhilaration, especially in the final days of the year.

As a member of the 5:30 Community, Quang said that the community participated in the Tien Phong Half Marathon with several dozen athletes, bringing together runners from Hanoi , Da Nang, and many others in Ho Chi Minh City. According to him, although they are active in many different locations, Van Phuc is always the most vibrant and well-organized place, so running events organized there always receive strong support from the 5:30 Community.