Two days after the race, how is your health?

I've fully recovered. After being taken to Da Nang General Hospital, the doctor ran blood tests and concluded I had no serious issues, just exhaustion from dehydration. I gradually recovered from around 8 a.m. that day after receiving fluids and rest, and then I was discharged. If there were any concerns, the doctor certainly wouldn't have let me go home so soon.

What happened during the race that day?

I started the 42km race at 2:30 a.m. on 20/7 with no unusual health signs. I started slower than my usual pace. My initial goal was just to finish, not focusing on time, partly because I didn't think there were many strong competitors.

Everything went smoothly until climbing the Thuan Phuoc Bridge (after the 32km mark). My legs started feeling heavy. Just after crossing the bridge, I missed a water station. The road was quite crowded, and I had to run in the outermost lane to maintain a high speed, so I didn't see it in time. Afterward, a male runner gave me an electrolyte drink, but it wasn't enough.

Yen Thu (white shirt) holding an electrolyte drink after crossing the Thuan Phuoc Bridge. Photo: VM

I quickly became severely dehydrated. I felt numb, my body no longer responding well. But my will didn't let me stop. Before the finish line, I had only one thought: I must finish. If my legs could still move, I couldn't stop, so I decided to crawl.

But I reached my limit when I tried to stand up. It seemed that action was too much for my body. I vomited and fainted until I woke up in the care of the medical team.

How did you feel after waking up in the hospital?

I felt a bit of regret, but only briefly. The important thing is my health for the long run. I'm still young and have many opportunities in other tournaments.

What drove me to keep going (even crawling) was my inner determination. I didn't want to give up, and if I could do it again, I would still keep trying and not stop earlier.

But this is also a lesson about listening to my body, preparing my physical condition more thoroughly, and properly assessing weather conditions.

Yen Thu led for almost the entire 42km race. Photo: VM

How did your family, teammates, and coach react to the incident?

Everyone was very worried when it happened, especially my parents. They were even more worried after reading negative comments online. But after seeing that I was okay, everyone was relieved.

My coach considered this a learning experience, reminding me to listen to my body and only consume familiar foods and drinks during competitions. I want to thank my teammates and the community for always being there, caring for, and encouraging me during this incident.

How has this incident affected your racing mentality?

I don't think it has affected me. I will train harder and prepare better to continue participating in upcoming tournaments, especially the VnExpress Marathon system. I'm not afraid, and I'm not discouraged. My dream is to live with sports or work in a sports-related field in the future.

Yen Thu was discharged from the hospital on 20/7. Photo: NVCC

What are your plans for the future?

I will continue training to return to competition, possibly in a VnExpress Marathon event. The national team coach is guiding me toward the marathon distance. He always encourages me to compete to gain experience. I admire senior athletes like Nguyen Thi Oanh, Hong Le, and Le Thi Tuyet, so I will strive to be like them someday.

Along with that, I aim to successfully complete my program at Da Nang University of Sport to have a brighter future.

Lan Anh

On the morning of 20/7, in the women's marathon at the VnExpress Marathon Da Nang, Yen Thu led for almost the entire race, far ahead of her competitors for over 41.9km. However, just 50 meters from the finish line, she collapsed from exhaustion. Despite receiving support from teammate Le Thi Tuyet and medical personnel, she couldn't continue and was taken to the hospital.

Pham Huynh Yen Thu, born in 2005, is an athlete on the Dak Lak (formerly Phu Yen) track and field team. Her talent was discovered through school sports competitions. Thu's best marathon time is 2 hours 53 minutes, set at the Tien Phong Marathon 2025. She represented Phu Yen (formerly) in the national youth 10km race, winning a bronze medal.