Marathon

Đào Bá Tuân sets a Việt Nam's record of running 21km in under two hours in 365day. Photo courtesy of Đào Bá Tuân

Đào Bá Tuân has wrapped up his marathon programme, but he keeps running every day seeking donations for the "Lớp Học Cho Em" (Classroom for Children) Project.

By running 21km every day for 365 days, Tuân not only overcame a huge challenge but also set a record in Việt Nam. He believes that his effort will not only inspire people to run, but also make enough cash to build classrooms for needy children in Hà Giang Province.

Tuân, 39, from Bắc Giang had to quit football because of a torn ligament. In an effort to recover from this, he started running and it unexpectedly became his greatest passion.

“After a period of running, my pain went away. I completely recovered thanks to jogging," said Tuân, an IT engineer.

"Many people say that running affects the bones and joints, which is not entirely right. After two years of running, I no longer have leg pain or knee pain. And I love my switch from football to this new sport."

Đào Bá Tuân (fourth, left) has inspired many people to run with him during his running challenge. — Photo Thichthichay

In 2022, Tuân ran 5km every day, then gradually increased to 10km and 15km. By the end of that year, a friend asked Tuân to join him in a challenge of running 21km for 21 days in a row.

"The first days were very difficult for both of us because we had never run such a long distance. My body was extremely sore and I felt hurt everywhere in the first week," Tuân said.

"My friend gave up after 10 days, meanwhile I gradually adapted and felt comfortable with the tough timetable and decided to lengthen my challenge to 365 days. It was also to test my ability.”

Waking up at around 4am, Tuân completed 21km in under two hours every day, no matter how the weather was.

“At first, people said I was crazy, running rain or shine. Later, many people followed me to run and cheer me on," he said.

"Actually, I went through many difficulties, especially in the first 100 days. My physique was not good enough, so I got discouraged and thought about stopping. But once you get over it, it becomes a habit. Once I set a goal, I am always determined to overcome it."

Soon, he was in the top 100 fastest runners in Việt Nam in the half-marathon and full-marathon categories.

On January 1, Tuân completed his challenge and his watch recorded that he had run a total of 8,315km, over 691 hours.

The Việt Nam Records Organisation presented him with a certificate that recognised Tuân as the first Vietnamese person to run a half-marathon in under two hours for 365 consecutive days.

'Classrooms for Children'

At first, he ran alone. Later, many people joined him. They were members of the Mỹ Đình Runner Club and people living in the neighbourhood.

Đào Bá Tuân in action at the VnExpress Hải Phòng Marathon 2023. He is now in the top 100 fastest marathoners nationally. Photo of VnExpress Marathon

"My running has inspired people. Previously, 50-60-year-old men just walked. Now they can run 5-10km. One of them even recently ran 21km in just over two hours, even though he only dared to walk before," Tuân said.

Runner Hoàng Ngọc Hà, a FIFA referee, often ran with Tuân during his campaign.

"Tuân's running challenge not only encourages our club members but also the entire Vietnamese running community. His spirit truly makes us admire him," Hà said.

After running 30 days, Tuân came up with the idea of ​​combining his running to raise funds to help children with difficult circumstances in mountainous regions. However, he kept it in his mind and ran silently for more than 300 days.

“I didn't announce it at that time because I hadn't run much yet. When there were 30 days left, I published the information about the "Lớp Học Cho Em" (Classroom for Children) Project, and started a fundraising campaign."

His project received strong support from runners and non-runners, who generously contributed to the charity account. They planned to build schools, or just classrooms, depending on the funds raised.

"I am fortunate to have many advantages to pursue my dreams and now want to contribute a little to help the children in need go more smoothly on their education path. I hope that running every day can spread positive energy to many people who will support me to build as many classrooms as possible," Tuân said.

Runner Nguyễn Mạnh Tùng said: "I ran with him for about 300 days to support his charity fundraising idea."

"Everyone can have an idea, but to make it true Tuân needed patience and discipline. Not many people can get up at 4am and run regardless of rainy, sunny, cold or stormy weather. Furthermore, running 21km continuously for many days might not be difficult, but to finish under two hours is a high bar that not everyone is able to pass," he said.

Tuân's charity account is still open for support. The charity project will begin in the next few weeks based on the amount of money collected. VNS