Things to know about MetaSports Marathon Hue 2023

Competition time and route

Unlike the previous season, MetaSports Marathon Imperial Hue 2023 brought the start time of 42km to early, at 3am, April 16. The remaining distances include 21, 10 and 5km, respectively, starting at 4:00, 5:00 and 5:30, respectively. 10,500 athletes gathered in the area of ​​Le Duan Street, the intersection with Nguyen Trai, ran through many ancient inner city roads, lined with green trees before reaching the finish line on To Huu Street.

The route has some changes compared to the 2022 season. In which, the finish line splits into two separate gates on To Huu Street. One gate is for 5, 10km, the other gate is for 21 and 42km. With a distance of 5km, the runner after leaving the starting line will pass through famous landmarks of the ancient capital such as the Citadel, Truong Tien Bridge, and Tu Do yard. The distance of 10km conquers all three bridges across the Perfume River, namely Phu Xuan Bridge, Da Vien Bridge, and Truong Tien Bridge. Runner can watch the Perfume River in the early morning, run while feeling the light, peaceful and romantic life of the city.

At a distance of 21km, runners will explore the big ring of Hue Citadel with Le Duan, Nguyen Van Linh and Dinh Tien Hoang roads. Then they strode to conquer the inner city roads like Ba Trieu, Le Quy Don, and Hung Vuong. The 42km athlete has a route for the first half of 21km, then continues on the Tu Duc and Vo Van Kiet roads. This is a suburban route, bringing runners to discover new urban areas that are changing the face of Hue day by day, along with the blooming rice fields. Through this section, the 42km runner can watch the sun come out of the mist, feel a little chilly wind in the middle of the field.

Hue running track always pleases athletes because of its good quality, many long straight sections, minimizing turns and turning points. Before the tournament, the People's Committee of Hue City coordinated with the units to clean the entire track to ensure that there were no more crushed stones or construction sites that hindered the quality of the competition. The challenge is not great when the tournament has a few small slopes in the second half of the route. After crossing the slope, the last 10km is almost a long road, suitable for sprints, aiming to set a personal record.

Family Award Category

If team content is the specialty of VM Hanoi Midnight, family content at VM Hue was created with a similar goal in mind. The category is a place for sports-loving families to run together and conquer goals. This is also a way for members to love, bond, understand and share more.

To compete in this content, the family must have at least three members, using the owner Bib. In addition, each person needs to participate in distances such that the total distance is at least 36 km. Entrants for the family competition must be related by blood, marriage, foster or care.

The results will be calculated according to the average speed of all members, not violating the tournament rules. In case of failure to complete the race (DNF), no participation (DNS), violation of the rules (DNQ), the result will be forfeited.

A series of useful items for runners

Each MetaSports Marathon, the organizers add new, useful items to the race-kit bag. With VM Hue is a sports headband. The item is made of stretchy fabric with a smart fiber structure, which dries many times faster than conventional headbands. The headband has no seams, light weight creates a comfortable feeling, helps athletes focus during competition, and is a fashion accessory for photos on the track. The item has four colors red, orange, blue, green, with the "MetaSports Marathon" logo printed in the middle, randomly distributed to the runner.

The race-kit bag also features Mude's Bib belt. This item has frequently appeared in the race-kit bag in recent tournaments. The belt is made of high-quality polypropylene to ensure the lightest, thinnest yet strongest. Bib attaches to the strap via the safety belt buckle, without the use of needles to damage the shirt. Elasticated design for easy adjustment, fit, comfortable.

The stretching roller that was once equipped at VM Ho Chi Minh City Midnight will continue to be in the race-kit bag of the 21.42km athlete. The roller has an additional green color next to the blue and orange colors. The roller is tubular, with the VM logo printed in the middle. The item is useful in reducing muscle soreness after exercise and improving sprinting, energy and endurance after undergoing intense workouts and races.

In addition, the item bag is expected to have a variety of foods, beverages, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetics from sponsors. Runner receives items from 12:00, April 14 to the end of April 15.

Medals and jerseys bearing the royal seal

This year's medal has a nostalgic design about the golden card and gold medal of the Nguyen Dynasty. Gold cards were used to record credit, distinguish identity, rank or have value as a passport in ancient society. Kim Khanh is a gift given to people with special merits. The items for the finishers have a bronze color, a glossy black coating effect on the entire front and back, creating an antique feel.

The name of the award is printed on the front, along with two famous monuments Ngu Phung floor, Phuoc Duyen tower. The background of the medal is decorated with royal clouds and a flower branch blooming on the mossy wall - a characteristic of Hue when it is April - the time of the MetaSports Marathon.

With the competition shirt, the organizers keep the color chlorophyll green to evoke the image of a green city, reaching out to develop day by day. Shirt printed with MetaSports Marathon logo on the left chest, Imperial Hue title in the middle. On the back is the words "VMHUE2023" placed vertically. The hands have a lighter tone.

The highlight of the 10,000 runners' costumes is the triangular stripes, inspired by the motifs on Nhat Binh's shirt - the cultural heritage of the ancient capital of Hue. Nhat Binh used for queens, concubines, princesses of the Nguyen Dynasty. After 1945, the national costume was loved by Hue women, chosen as a wedding dress. From a costume only for the royal court, Nhat Binh became popular, for everyone.

The finisher shirt has a similar design, only the color changes. The 21km shirt combines black with purple with gradient effects, while the 42km is black and emerald green.

10,500 athletes participated

VM Hue 2023 has about 10,500 athletes, more than double the 4,700 of the 2022 season. The tournament with the largest number of athletes is VM Ha Long 2022 with 11,000 people. To meet the needs of runners, the organizers mobilized more than 1,000 volunteers, working many days before the tournament.

Season 2022 witnessed many record numbers. The 42km distance of the MetaSports Marathon Imperial Hue 2022 has 748 athletes participating. 31 of these people reached sub3 (under 3 hours), including two female runners, Pham Thi Hue and Pham Thi Binh. If you want to break into the top 10, athletes must achieve under 2 hours 44 minutes. At the HM distance with 1,492 athletes participating, 33 running legs achieved sub1:30.

Last season also saw two other record numbers. The two top athletes in the FM distance are Bui The Anh and Pham Thi Hue, respectively. The British won the best with a record of 2:34:52. This is the best number of male champions in 2022. Meanwhile, Pham Thi Hue broke the VM record with a time of 2:50:33. The previous best record belonged to Hong Le at 2:52:41.

Combine sport and travel

The People's Committee of Thua Thien - Hue province considers the April 16 event as one of the local landmarks. The award contributes to changing the community's thinking about sports and is an opportunity to stimulate demand and bring in tourism revenue.

All runners participating in VM Hue, Kun Marathon runners, volunteers, crews are exempted from tickets to visit places managed by Hue Monuments Conservation Center, from April 12 to 17.

Ticket price for Hue Citadel for adults is 200,000 VND, King Gia Long Tomb, King Minh Mang Tomb, King Tu Duc Tomb, King Khai Dinh Tomb is 150,000 VND, Dong Khanh Tomb is 100,000 VND, Thieu Tri Tomb. Hue Royal Antiquities Museum, Hon Chen Palace, An Dinh Palace, and Nam Giao piano are 50,000 VND. If you go to all the monuments managed by the Hue Monuments Conservation Center, the runner will get 1.15 million VND for free.

10,000 runners can also participate in the Hot Air Balloon Festival taking place from April 10 to 20. Free hot air balloon flights, watching the city sunrise take place at 6 a.m., from April 10. Flights anchored in place are held from 17h to 19h, fly for 5 minutes at an altitude of 30 to 50 m. The organizers do not have an age limit, but there will be specific notes if visitors want to experience.

This year, many business households and hotels have signed up for accommodation support programs for athletes participating in the tournament. Hue has more than 350 households volunteering to provide free public toilets for tourists.

Suggest places to visit, eat

The famous tourist city has many attractions such as the Citadel, Quoc Hoc School, the system of tombs and temples. In addition, Runners present this weekend can visit Dong Ba market to find delicious food, or walk around the shops of clothes, fabrics, hats, fish sauces, and fruit cakes that are only available in Hue to buy and take home. If you love romance, you can go to Vong Canh Hill to watch the red sunset on the Perfume River. On the way to visit Vong Canh hill, visitors will pass Thuy Xuan incense village. If you love traditional values, you can learn about the craft village and typical culture of Hue.

If the schedule is long, has a lot of time or loves to explore nature, runners and their families can experience sunrise on Tam Giang Lagoon, visit Chuon lagoon, Ru Cha forest, Lang Co or Hai Van Quan.

The must-try dishes when coming to Hue are beef vermicelli, mussel rice, banh soup, various types of banh beo, nam, filter, pressed cake, wet cake with grilled meat, tea... Each dish is only from 7,000 - 20,000 VND. A serving, full dishes such as beef vermicelli, boiled meat with shrimp, vermicelli, rice pot... are priced from 30,000 VND per serving.