More than 2,200 runners from 40 nations will compete in the Việt Nam Ultra Marathon. — Photo courtesy of the organiser

Marathon

MAI CHÂU — Mai Châu District in Hòa Bình Province has long been a popular destination for Vietnamese and inbound travellers, but a new race, Việt Nam Ultra Marathon (VUM) is set to show 2,200 runners from 40 nations a whole new side of this area.

Excitement is building for the event, on March 23, which will draw trail runners from across the globe. They will participate in races from a family-friendly 5km run to an extremely challenging 70km route reaching heights of 3,300m above sea level.

The race is part of the Topas Việt Nam Trail Series, which includes the nation’s first ultra, the Việt Nam Mountain Marathon in Sa Pa, plus races in Mộc Châu and Pù Luông.

Race director, David Lloyd, said: “Hòa Bình was one of around ten provinces I researched for a potential fourth race. We’ve been looking at options since around 2020 and Mai Chau was the most recent. We came just one year ago for the first inspection.

"At that time, I was drawn by Hang Kia, an area famous for being off the beaten path for many years. However, we then found that great trails and landscapes lie much closer to the established Mai Châu tourism destination of Lác Village than we imagined.

“On our very first day of research in Mai Châu, we knew we had found the perfect destination for our newest race. After a few more days we had the route planned out. It was then a matter of working with the authorities to make it happen."

The route has been designed to show runners another side of Mai Châu, introducing much more of the area than people usually discover. — Photo courtesy of the organiser

With a mix of excellent tourism facilities, great trails, interesting culture, delicious food and its proximity to Hà Nội, Mai Châu is a great destination for trail runners and their friends and family.

The route has been designed to show runners another side of Mai Châu, introducing much more of the area than people usually discover.

From the already well-known main valley of Mai Châu Town and its beautiful surrounding Thái minority villages, the race will traverse a variety of landscapes, from jungles to rice terraces and long mountain ascents with majestic views. At its highest point, the course reaches the unique circular Mông village of Thung Mài, nestled close to Hang Kia’s lookout point, another highlight already gaining popularity with photographers.

The full course brings to mind parts of Hà Giang, Pù Luông and Mộc Châu. The varied terrain is one of the key features of this course and something that has become a trademark of Topas races. From the highest point of the race, the route follows trails from valley to valley, each with its own stunning landscape.

Ultra runners will also pass through an abandoned village and bamboo forests as single-track trails weave along valley floors and traverse hillsides.

Mai Châu is a great destination for trail runners. — Photo courtesy of the organiser

Child-friendly run

Alongside 25km and 10km, the race also includes an almost flat 5km with around 50 per cent trail designed to suit families with younger runners.

There will also be a very special group of children running, with Topas supporting Blue Dragon Children’s Foundation to bring around 50 disadvantaged kids from Hà Nội to enjoy a fully paid-for weekend in the mountains.

As with all Topas Việt Nams Trail Series races, there will be a charity element. In total, the series has now raised over VNĐ11billion in cash and also supported hundreds of free charity slots to help raise further funding for good causes. VNS