The VnExpress Marathon All-Star 2026, held on the morning of 8/2, took place in cold, heavy rain and biting winds on the Hoa Lac track. Temperatures around 14 degrees Celsius and humidity exceeding 80% made the surface slippery, requiring athletes to maintain strict control over their running pace to prevent injury or exhaustion.

Hong Le's left arm was covered with time markers written in waterproof ink, helping her achieve an unexpected result. *Photo: VnExpress Marathon*

The women's 42km race focused on a rematch between Pham Thi Hong Le and Birehan Marta Tinsae, an Ethiopian runner who previously defeated her in Da Nang in 2024. However, amid the cold and rain, Marta quickly struggled and fell out of the leading group. She finished 4th, behind Doan Thi Oanh and Vu Khanh Linh.

While her competitor faltered from the 10km mark, Hong Le took a commanding lead and finished the race in 2:38:06. This result significantly broke her personal record of 2:42:20, set at the VnExpress Marathon Hai Phong in December 2025. Notably, the runner from Binh Phuoc also surpassed the women's national marathon record of 2:39:49, held by Nguyen Thi Oanh, by 1 minute 43 seconds.

One of the most striking images from the race on the morning of 8/2 was Hong Le repeatedly looking down at her arm in the rain. She explained that she had written target milestones for each 5km segment on her left inner arm, aiming to break her personal record from the outset. Throughout the race, she continuously checked these notes to maintain her planned pace.

"The time markers on my arm were meant to help me break my personal record, but today I performed even better," Hong Le shared after crossing the finish line. "I want to thank everyone who supported me. I never thought I would achieve this milestone since I started running."

Hong Le previously earned one gold, four silver, and two bronze medals at various SEA Games. In late 2023, the runner, born in 1998, surprisingly announced her retirement from the national team. Since then, she has participated in amateur competitions, consistently improving her professional metrics.

Hong Le's progress is evident through her string of achievements over the past year. In April 2025, she won the VM Volvo All-Star with a new personal record of 2:44:45. By December 2025, she further reduced her time to 2:42:20 in Hai Phong. Continuously breaking milestones, despite having retired from professional competition in late 2023, demonstrates the runner's increasingly refined physical and strategic foundation.

By Hai Long