Nguyen Dinh Hau's grimacing expression, a mix of tears and laughter, as he crossed the finish line of the VnExpress Marathon Hai Phong 2025 made him laugh when he saw the photos later. For the runner born in 2003, that moment encapsulated conflicting emotions after more than 42 km. He was happy to set a personal record, regretful about dropping his bib near the end, and relieved he did not give up.

"Looking back at the photos of that moment, I feel like I'm transported back to the race at the end of 2025, reliving the anxiety before the race and the overwhelming feeling of seeing the finish line. My expression looks quite funny", Hau said.

Nguyen Dinh Hau grimaced, holding his bib, after achieving sub3 in Hai Phong in 12/2025. *Photo: VnExpress Marathon*

On 21/12/2025, Hau arrived in Hai Phong with a marathon personal record of 2 hours 54 minutes. He aimed to reduce it to 2 hours 45 minutes, so he decided to stick with elite runner Pham Thi Hong Le's pace group from the start.

For the first 28 km, everything went according to plan. But from km 30, Hau's legs began to tire, and he could not maintain his speed. At one point, he had to walk, and his goal shifted to 2 hours 49 minutes. Just as his spirits flagged, Hau met a runner nicknamed Tuan "coi" from the VKL club, who encouraged him: "Just keep running, see how far you get". This motivated Hau to continue.

Dropping his bib at km 40

With about 2 km left in the race, Hau regained his rhythm. He maintained a pace of about 3 minutes 55 seconds to 4 minutes per km, thinking he had turned the situation around, when he encountered a problem at km 40.

Because he frequently doused himself with water to cool down, Hau's bib became wet. While swinging his arms, he tore the bib, and it fell to the road. Realizing this, Hau immediately turned back to pick it up. "At that moment, I didn't hesitate because I was afraid that without a bib, my chip time wouldn't be recorded", he recounted.

Stopping abruptly, turning back to find the bib, and then resuming his run cost Hau nearly 1 minute – a valuable time when sprinting to the finish. "At that point, I was very frustrated and discouraged. My 2:49 goal seemed within reach, yet I had to stop, turn back, and then accelerate again", Hau said.

Dinh Hau kept pace with the lead group, including Pham Thi Hong Le, who later won the women's 42 km race. *Photo: VnExpress Marathon*

After retrieving his bib, he tucked it into his waistband, tried to calm himself, and accelerated again. Thoughts that the race was ruined and there was no need to push further kept crossing Hau's mind. Despite this, he continued running, gradually bringing his pace back to about 3 minutes 55 seconds, even reaching 3 minutes 50 seconds per km at one point. "I thought there was still a chance, as long as I didn't give up", he recalled.

Hau finished with a time of 2 hours 50 minutes 52 seconds, improving his previous record by 4 minutes. The joy of setting a personal record mixed with regret for missing the sub2:49 mark created the humorous expression captured by a photographer at the finish line.

After the race, friends and acquaintances mostly sent congratulations rather than teasing him. Hau, who is nicknamed "Hau Hip", was not overly bothered by looking at his own image.

"I'm happy to have a personal record, glad I didn't give up, and especially that I reached the finish line. I'm just a little disappointed that the incident made me miss sub2:49", he said.

No desire to change the final two kilometers

Hau started running in early 2023, initially to improve his health. In the beginning, he trained independently, without a specific plan, and often ran on impulse. After about four to five months, he registered for a race in Ecopark, Ha Noi. Despite it being his first competition, Hau chose the 21 km distance and completed it in about 1 hour 30 minutes.

The unexpected result motivated him to learn more about marathons, beginning his journey to conquer sub3 – a milestone many amateur runners aspire to. Three years later, he achieved sub3 in Hai Phong.

To prepare for races, Hau followed a coach's training plan, combining easy runs, speed runs, tempo runs, and long runs of 30-35 km. However, he believes the biggest challenge of a marathon is not physical endurance.

"The first 30 km might be calm, but from km 31 onwards, it's a battle of will. While running, I kept telling myself not to sign up for another marathon, but then I'd choose the 42 km distance again", Hau recounted.

Dinh Hau ran across Vinh Tuy Bridge at the VnExpress Marathon Hanoi Midnight 2024. *Photo: VnExpress Marathon*

If he could do it again, Hau would not change the final two kilometers in Hai Phong. The bib incident prevented him from achieving his desired time, but it also created an unforgettable memory. According to him, these unexpected moments, the feeling of wanting to stop and then continuing to push, make each marathon a unique experience.

"Sometimes those final two kilometers are tied to so many memories and emotions that you can never buy back", Hau said.

In early October this year, Hau will marry. Now, the decision to participate in each race requires agreement with his wife. The 23-year-old runner wants to return to the VnExpress Marathon Hai Phong and hopes to arrange his household duties to register.

Regarding his finish line expression, Hau is unsure if he would create a more impressive photo if he participated again. For him, each race brings different emotions, from joy and regret to relief after pushing past his limits.

"Who knows, maybe this time the photographers will capture me jumping for joy because I achieved sub2:40", Hau said humorously.

Thy An

About VnExpress Marathon Hai Phong