Held over three days from 17-19/4, VnExpress Marathon Hue 2026 commenced its Expo in a setting rich with ancient capital charm, located at Nghinh Luong Dinh, alongside the Perfume River. From the event entrance, runners, tourists, and locals flocked in, marking the start of a journey where sports intertwined with Hue's unique culture, heritage, and characteristic rhythm of life.

Many runners wore traditional attire to collect race kits, creating a collective image rich in tradition before race day. Pictured are female members of the Quang Binh Runner club posing for photos in Nhat Binh robes.

Many runners, even those participating alone, carefully prepared traditional Hue items like paper fans and conical hats to capture memorable moments at the event.

Beyond the bib collection area, booths from sponsors and partners became vibrant stops, attracting many runners and tourists to participate in games and receive gifts.

This year, the booths were designed to better align with the spirit of the ancient capital. Gifts, items, and souvenirs were localized with details reminiscent of Hue, from colors and patterns to distinct cultural imprints.

This year's Expo also saw the presence of Tran Huu Thuy Giang, Vice Chairman of Hue City People's Committee. He stated that each season the race is organized, it provides an opportunity for the city to promote its cultural beauty and heritage to domestic and international runners. In the photo, the leader and representatives from the organizing committee visit the booths at the event area.

From the Hue-infused Expo space, the ancient capital's imprint continued onto the race course, where athletes strode past many of the city's iconic structures. Runners passed Quoc Hoc Hue High School, a landmark linked to the city's urban memory and the region's tradition of academic excellence.

The Hue Imperial City glowed brightly alongside the race course, forming a prominent backdrop for the athletes' journey. For this year's 21km distance, runners traversed all four sides of the Imperial City, creating the most distinctive highlight of the course.

A female runner wearing an ao dai and conical hat checked in for the camera as she crossed Truong Tien Bridge, one of Hue's iconic structures spanning the Perfume River.

A foreign tourist dressed as a Huda beer bottle on the race course, creating a humorous and friendly image, while also referencing a brand long associated with central Vietnam.

After crossing the finish line, many runners took the opportunity to photograph their finisher medals as a way to preserve memorable moments. This year's medal, shaped like a "khanh" (a traditional Vietnamese musical instrument), continued the cultural inspiration of the ancient capital at the journey's final touchpoint.

VnExpress Marathon Hue 2026 was not just a sporting competition but also a preservation of cultural imprints throughout the journey. From the Expo area by the Perfume River, images of runners in traditional attire, iconic structures along the course, to the khanh-shaped finisher medal, the event contributed to promoting Hue's image to a large number of athletes and tourists.

Hai Long

Photos: VnExpress Marathon