Jogging has increasingly become a favorite form of exercise for sports lovers in Ho Chi Minh City, with a recent competition attracting a large number of local and foreign participants.

Following the rising trend of jogging in Vietnam, a series of amateur and professional events have been organized to provide a regular opportunity for joggers in the southern hub.

The Ho Da (Rocky Lake) Trail has become a special event for people interested in running, and sits among other established events like the Iron Man in Da Nang and Ho Chi Minh City Bridge Run.

Taking place in Thu Duc District, the event has attracted a growing number of participants, mainly Vietnamese and foreign youths, and is organized by amateur athletes.

The second edition of the event was held in mid-October with close to 500 participants, doubling the number who took part last year.

Athletes were required to complete a 14-kilometer journey in order to be awarded a wooden medal from organizers, marking their accomplishment in conquering nature.

To make the finish line, participants had to work their way through a muddy and rocky trail that followed the lake, with many potentially dangerous obstacles in their way.

Several downpours prior to the event made the path much more difficult to negotiate.

Despite the challenges, hundreds of runners gathered early in the morning at the start of the race, some completing the run easily, while others were proud to have pushed themselves beyond their personal limits.

“This year’s trail was hard to conquer as the slippery road required more caution and effort to finish. I could only walk on some muddy sections of the journey,” Hoang Quoc Anh, a 33-year-old IT worker who took part in the run, said.

About 30 percent of the contestants were foreigners who were visiting or living in Ho Chi Minh City.

Souleymanne Kane, a 24-year-old French student of the Vietnam National University-Ho Chi Minh City, said he was impressed by the challenging nature of the event.

Amateur organizers

The run was organized by non-professionals, all jogging enthusiasts from the Sunday Running Club (SRC).

According to Pham Thanh Tuan, a member of the organizing committee, preparations for the tournament took over two months.

“We used our free time on weekends to take care of everything, from setting the course to seeking sponsors,” Tuan elaborated.

The organizing team of 20 managed to secure hundreds of millions of dong (VND100 million = US$4,417) in sponsorship and prepare medical facilities along the course.

The idea of the competition arose from the regular activities of the SRC who usually jog outdoors.

“Compared to the running events we have participated in, the Ho Da Trail is still considered a lightweight competition,” Tuan said.

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