Tang Nguyet Minh succeeded in finishing the ferocious 42-kilometer North Pole Marathon on April 16, making her the first Vietnamese woman to reach the finish line.

However, as with most feats, the grueling event was not a walk in the park.

Over a 36-hour period, Minh went without sleep as she hurriedly boarded a plane from Norway to the North Pole, touched down in the freezing arctic tundra, and began the marathon at 11:00 pm.

Ten hours later, she reached her goal, crossing the finish line at 9:00 am the following day and looking forward to a long nap.

Tang Nguyet Minh trains in Norway before participating in the competition at the North Pole.

Minh’s major obstacle was adjusting her body from Vietnam’s tropical climate to the North Pole’s frigid temperatures.

While functioning in -10 degrees Celsius was difficult enough for the runner, slugging through the cold weather after the thermometer dropped below -20 made breathing a serious challenge.

“Because of the extreme cold my nasal mucosa [nasal lining] kept breaking, causing my nose to bleed,” the young athlete said.

Tang Nguyet Minh proudly shows off her bib at the North Pole Marathon.

“The winds were so cold that just smiling hurt my teeth, not to mention the fatigue caused by light reflected off the snow and the pain in my ears caused by the weather.

“There are many obstacles that anyone running here must rise above.”

Nonetheless, Minh’s optimistic attitude helped keep the mindset that the special opportunity to run in the North Pole was similar to other marathons in that it would not be easily accomplished.

Tang Nguyet Minh at the North Pole Marathon

“This is my fourth marathon in seven months and I am going to do my best to reach the finish line,” the passionate athlete said.

From Minh’s point of view, marathons are a representation of life, only able to be finished if one continues to push themselves.

There were times when Tang Nguyet Minh was exhausted, discouraged, and hurting. She sometimes thought about giving up.

After finishing the race, the young Vietnamese proudly raised her country’s flag alongside those from other nations represented at the event.

Minh’s participation in the marathon was sponsored by FWD Life Insurance Corporation, which used the event as a platform to raise funds for supporting and empowering women in need.

Tang Nguyet Minh overcame herself and broke through all limitations to reach the finish line.

“Thank you all for the over 2,087 ‘yes’ comments, which raised VND100 million [US$4,395] just in six days,” she said of the support for her cause.

“All of you have provided me with more energy so that I could become the first Vietnamese woman to conquer the North Pole marathon.

An emotional outburst with the nine other participants on the FWD team

“FWD and I will directly present VND100 million we raised to women in need right after returning from the North Pole. Your small action served a great cause.” 

This is the second consecutive year that FWD Life Insurance Corporation has sponsored this event in order to encourage people to overcome obstacles in life, follow their passion, and break through their own limits to live life to the fullest.

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