74-year-old American overseas Vietnamese completed 42km at VM Hue

Mr. Binh is originally from Hue. His love of his hometown and running was the reason why he flew home two days ago to attend the MetaSports Marathon. He reached the finish line with the enthusiastic support of the great Dang family. "The running track is poetic, the weather is ideal, suitable for professional athletes to improve their performance and runner movements beyond their own limits", Mr. Dang Cong Binh said and revealed that he was not familiar with the time zone and the weather. Hue.

Before the race, he did not set a specific time target, just hoping to be able to finish before the deadline to close the gate. During the long journey, he was surrounded by many people, visiting and asking to take pictures. People are impressed when the runner has white hair and a slim body, but dares to challenge at a full marathon that requires endurance and toughness.

Mr. Binh said he had outlined a strategy to conquer the long way, not to run too fast because he wanted to enjoy the beauty of his homeland and the fresh air in the early morning. Even in the last 20km, he also played the role of pacer, supporting runner Nguyen Trung Hieu (Bib 92727) to stabilize his breathing, balance his running force so as not to lose strength. The two chatted well, accompanying each other for the rest of the way.

"We finished together at 4 hours 46 minutes 9 seconds. Hieu was very happy to set a new record. In previous races, he often finished in 6 hours", Mr. Binh said. Over the years, he has a habit of exchanging and making friends with fellow runners with similar interests.

Doctor Dang Cong Thuan - Mr. Binh's younger brother - revealed that his brother is healthier and tougher than old men his age thanks to his love of running as "breath". For fear of Mr. Binh having a health problem, Doctor Thuan and his relatives always follow his brother's steps closely, promptly handling if a bad situation occurs.

MetaSports Marathon Hue marks the 45th race in the life of runner Dang Cong Binh. He said he was proud to have won six of the world's most prestigious races in the World Marathon Majors system that every athlete wishes for, including: Tokyo Marathon (Japan), Boston Marathon (USA), Virgin Money London Marathon (Japan). UK), BMW Berlin Marathon (Germany), Bank of America Chicago Marathon (USA), TCS New York City Marathon (USA). He flew dozens of countries just to participate in long races, both discovering his limits and improving his health.

Thanks to regularly reading MetaSports Newspaper to update domestic news, he knew about MetaSports Marathon Hue. Two seasons ago, he was busy with his own schedule, so he could not return home.

For many years, Mrs. Ly Ai Linh - Mr. Binh's wife - accompanied her husband in all competitions, supporting him from food, sleep, and necessary accessories to ensure safety on the track. "I just have to run, the rest my wife will take care of and spend money," Mr. Binh said happily. Ms. Ai Linh said that she supports all of her husband's decisions, just wishing him a happy and healthy life, enjoying his passion for running until the age of 80, 90 or 100.

Mr. Binh immigrated to the US 40 years ago, making a name for himself as a lawyer in California. After retirement, he and his wife spend a lot of time enjoying life, traveling and participating in their favorite running races.

Every year, he and his wife will take advantage of time to return home to visit their mother and younger siblings. Before the 2023 Lunar New Year, both returned to Hue for two weeks. After the VM Hue, they planned to stay for a week, then return to the US to participate in another race in California.

In its third visit to Hue, the MetaSports Marathon increased in both size and quality. The number of athletes increased from 4,700 to 10,500.