Long strides of the running movement in the Central region

In December 2020, the first season of MetaSports Marathon Hue was held after several delays due to Covid-19. The event is like a new breeze blowing into the running movement of the ancient capital with a large scale organization, professional running track, and many facilities for participants. The tournament also contributes to awakening the potential of the region, which is considered a latecomer in the national marathon movement.

At that time, the North Central region like Thua Thien - Hue, Quang Binh, Quang Tri or bordering Da Nang and Quang Nam did not have many runners. In Hue, the number of clubs is quite small, only Hue Citadel Runners have seniority. Those who love running mainly live and practice spontaneously, without professional guidance.

Tran Dinh Phin, a veteran runner, said that Hue people love sports. The land of tourism always gives preference to cultural events and festivals of the community. Running is one of them.

"MetaSports Marathon is the first time I run with thousands of runners across the country in my hometown. Friends from all over the world praise the green roads, cool air and hospitality of Hue people. I know the tournament will soon become a local brand," said Phin.

According to Mr. Phin, VM Hue is the biggest mark in the past few years, contributing to changing people's thinking about sports. After that, many other tournaments ranging in size from a few hundred to several thousand people were held continuously, creating a playground for the community. In the past 3 years, the number of people who want to practice and compete has increased, including many different backgrounds and ages. He and a few close friends founded Hue Runners Club a few months after the tournament, quickly attracting nearly 500 members. After just over a year, that number increased to 3,000.

With the appearance of clubs, sports lovers have a methodical lesson plan for practice. The park area along the Perfume River becomes a place to live every afternoon. Chairman of Hue Runners said that the group regularly organizes internal tournaments and side activities to promote the love of sports and improve achievements. From that foundation, many runners began to break through expertise, creating a buzz like Ngot Nguyen, Kim Tuyen, Minh Hai, Chau Khuyen... The group also contributed hundreds of runners each MetaSports Marathon. "In the first season of VM Hue, the number of people running 42km was just under 10. Up to now, this number has reached 100. This is what makes us happy and proud," shared owner Hue Runners.

Compared to three years ago, the sports practice movement in Thua Thien - Hue reached its peak. Currently, the locality has three clubs attracting more than 1,000 people. In addition to Hue Runners, there are Hue Citadel Runners and Hue Triathlon Club with tens of thousands of people practicing every day.

Not far away, Da Nang also benefits from the appearance of the tournament. Although this locality is often the destination of sports tournaments, it was not until VM Hue 2020 appeared that runners in Da Nang could clearly feel the atmosphere of the large-scale, competitive tournament. Hoa Khanh Runners - 5-year-old running group, clearly feels this.

In 2020, the group has only 20 legs running regular activities with a few hundred people participating online. Good effects from VM Hue make more people interested in training. The number of regular runners is now more than 100 and more than 4,000 online members.

Ms. Le Ngoc Anh - Vice President of Hoa Khanh Runners said that Hue has become the number one priority for members in the past few years, attracting hundreds of registered members. Due to the close distance, Hue can combine jogging with travel and rest for the family members. From just running for fun, many people have clear goals, improve achievements and distances through each tournament. To meet the great needs of athletes, the board of directors increased the fixed training schedule, designed a separate lesson plan for each group of runners.

Currently, HKR is one of the most active groups in the Central region. The group regularly organizes internal events, long running sessions with the goal of bringing runners to discover new routes such as Ba Na and Hoa Bac, increasing the excitement in training. "The members are becoming more and more serious and passionate. I believe that running has now become an indispensable part of many people's lives", Ms. Anh affirmed.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Nhu Quynh - Chairman of Quang Binh Runners Club (QBR) said that the attraction of VM Hue lies in creating a professional brand, meticulous in every step, from race-kit, running track, to security. to utilities, runner support. "Previously, in the central region, there were few events that attracted attention and were appreciated as much as VM", Quynh shared.

VM Hue brand was launched at the same time as QBR was established. It was the first time that Quang Binh runners took their troops away to compete. The club president said that almost all members were satisfied after the memorable experience. Many members have never had experience, but after the event, they became more determined and passionate about training, consulting lesson plans, and nutrition. "The group's activities started to become old-fashioned. We quickly attracted more runners, including runners from Quang Binh who live all over the country. The past two years have been a boom period for the group from the VM Hue push." Club president confirmed.

In 2022, VM Hue was honored by Thua Thien - Hue province in the top 10 typical cultural and sports events with great impact in the community. The tournament not only builds a love of sports for the community, but also contributes to stimulating local tourism.

The appearance of VMs and effects from the runner community also made many organizers pay more attention to the Central region. They began to pay more attention to the introduction of culture, beautiful scenery, and local cuisine through each event - the factor that attracts runners from outside the province and stimulates tourism. Typically events running between Phong Nha Ke Bang National Park (Quang Binh), running to explore Pu Luong Nature Reserve (Thanh Hoa), ... Many businesses in many fields such as construction, banking stores, ... also organizes internal sports activities with a scale of 1,000 - 2,000 people.

According to Mr. Minh An - Chairman of Quang Tri Runners, the current number of tournaments has almost met the needs of runners. Jogging lovers begin to have more choices. Instead of having to travel hundreds of kilometers away, it is now possible to run many tournaments at home or in neighboring provinces. An also said that the appearance of many tournaments is also a good sign because the organizers will continuously improve and improve the quality to retain participants.

On April 16, the third season of MetaSports Marathon Hue will take place with a scale of 10,000 runners. The organizers are completing the preparations to ensure the best competition conditions for athletes. "MetaSports Marathon Hue is one of the important events, promoting local tourism. We will promote the support of the tournament, organize attractive side activities to leave an impression on 10,000 runners." , said Mr. Nguyen Thanh Binh, Vice President of Thua Thien Hue.