Runner Tay Ninh overcomes depression by running

In December 2019, Kim Cuong "risked" to register for the first run even though he had only practiced for two weeks. Alone, taking a bus from Tay Ninh to Ho Chi Minh City to participate in the 10 km distance, the primary school teacher, then 26 years old, did not expect that it was the turning point that changed her life forever.

Nearly three years ago, Diamond gave birth to a second child. Motherhood suddenly became a burden. Her weight increased to 68 kg and her mind was filled with negative thoughts, leading to frequent insomnia.

"Looking at myself in the mirror, I see an old, ugly mother with breast milk. I have low self-esteem and constantly get sick. So sad, so I walk to relax. Walking is boring, so I lift my legs and run. . It's slow at first, then faster. I want my legs to help me break out of the loops of life," Kim Cuong told MetaSports before leaving for the 2023 MetaSports Marathon Marvelous Nha Trang.

At the first race of his life, Kim Cuong met a lot of "copper tremors" and was infused with positive energy. At home, she began to seriously study this subject on the internet and then made up her own training plan. From 68 kg, the 30-year-old female teacher reduced to 48 kg and regained her shape. Thanks to that, she not only became more confident in life, but also became a role model on the podium for students.

"I realized that having health is having everything. I am more agile in communicating with people, confident in wearing the clothes I like. I am also strong enough to take care of the people I care about. At work, I will soon be ready to go. organize things better and be more creative. I am grateful for running and want to help spread this sport to more people," she said.

After a period of persistent practice, Diamond's performance quickly improved. In September 2020, she completed her first half marathon. By January 2021, she conquered the full marathon. In February 2023, Diamond won the five under 30 age groups at the MetaSports Marathon Ho Chi Minh City Midnight with a time of 5 hours 0 minutes 40 seconds. At MetaSports Marathon Sparkling Quy Nhon, she again won this award, but her performance has improved - 4 hours 29 minutes 34. To date, Diamond's personal best is 4 hours 10 minutes in January/ 2023.

Coming to the MetaSports Marathon Marvelous Nha Trang 2023 this weekend, Kim Cuong hopes to once again stand on the podium. Having just returned from an injury, the 30-year-old female runner considers the Nha Trang route a challenge that is not easy for herself. She set a goal of 4 hours 15 minutes to 4 hours 20 minutes for the full marathon.

The year 2020 witnessed a milestone in Diamond's life. She and her compatriots founded Tay Ninh Runner. Up to now, after three years of operation, the community has gathered more than 2,000 members, practicing and competing in the area near the Tay Ninh Holy See. According to Kim Cuong, although not as active as many running clubs in other provinces and cities, Tay Ninh Runner community always maintains a positive lifestyle, helping her learn many things.

Tay Ninh Runner is also the birthplace of the Vegan Runners Community, which now has nearly 500 members. Pursuing this lifestyle for nearly a year now, Diamond is also one of the founding members of the community. She believes that taking the time to study nutrition has helped her a lot in the process of running.

"My family is a vegetarian, so I learned to cook many dishes from my mother. I see many people wondering that being a vegetarian does not provide enough energy for vigorous activities like sports. But I find myself still It's a good run. When traveling long distances to participate in tournaments, finding vegetarian food is a bit difficult for me. But if I stay at home, I always try to cook a nutritious vegetarian meal for myself," she said.

Diamond hopes to be able to share vegetarian knowledge and experiences for interested runners. She wishes to build a stronger Vegan Runners community in the future.