Retired athlete Nguyen Van Long recently accomplished an astounding feat, completing a remarkable journey across Vietnam from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City in just 20 days, covering a distance of over 1,800km.

This marks Long’s second cross-country journey. 

In 2022, he became the first Vietnamese to accomplish this feat, covering 2,656km from Tra Co Ward in Mong Cai City, Quang Ninh Province, northern Vietnam to Ca Mau Cape in the namesake southernmost province in 34 consecutive days, averaging nearly 80km per day.

This year, Long embarked on his second run across Vietnam, aiming to raise funds for the charity ‘Warm Clothes for Children’ in the Central Highlands province of Gia Lai, his hometown, while inspiring and promoting the joy of running for a healthy lifestyle within the community.

This time, Long’s route spanned over 1,800km from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City, with hundreds of fellow athletes accompanying him along the way for support and encouragement.

Starting from Hanoi on April 11, Long ran an average of 90-100km per day, concluding his 20-day expedition with the last leg from Dong Nai Province to the Reunification Palace in the heart of the southern metropolis on Tuesday. 

Crossing the finish line, he expressed gratitude to the community for their support and reflected on the challenges he had faced, including enduring heatstroke in north-central Nghe An Province due to extreme weather conditions.

“When I set out to run across Vietnam again, I was confident in my ability to accomplish it, and today I have successfully done so,” Long said. 

“So far, my health has remained strong. 

“I extend my gratitude to the community for their encouragement and support toward the fund aiding disadvantaged children in Gia Lai.”

Despite the intense heat, Long’s determination never wavered, and he successfully completed his journey on the historic day of April 30, Vietnam’s Reunification Day.

Nguyen Van Long is well known in Vietnam’s running community and athletics circles. 

Starting his running career at 20 in 2005, he achieved considerable success as a marathon runner in Gia Lai Province until 2013.

By the end of 2013, he competed for the athletics team of the Mekong Delta city of Can Tho, before joining Dong Nai Province’s in 2015. 

In 2019, he returned to Gia Lai before officially retiring from his athletics career in 2021.

For the past decade, Long has also served as a running coach, contributing to the development of the running movement.

Among his notable accomplishments are securing victory in the national marathon in 2009 and 2011, as well as capturing the championship title in the 2007 Southeast Asian marathon as a member of the Vietnamese marathon team.

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