Gia Lai's pink shadow wants to conquer 42km in under 4 hours
Phan Thi Tuong Vy Vy was born in 1999, is a prominent pink ball participating in MetaSports Marathon Amazing Ha Long on September 10. The girl from Gia Lai is a modern dance instructor but quickly became a potential runner after two years of working with running.
Vy learned to dance since grade 5. In 2019, she opened her own center to teach dance. In 2021, Vy faces a lot of pressure because she has to work continuously with a tight schedule. Too much stress caused her to gain weight uncontrollably. At one point, her weight exceeded the 60 mark - something that has never happened to a female dancer who has been small since childhood. At the same time, Gia Lai province organized a large-scale marathon. Vy directly watched thousands of runners excitedly conquer the racetrack. The images of female runners with toned bodies and energetic running groups made female dancers excited, curious and started learning about running.
The female dancer then researched lesson plans ranging from basic to advanced to lose weight. Because you are used to exercising, jogging is not difficult. Vy wakes up early at 4 a.m., then runs 5 to 10 kilometers every day. Running distance gradually increases over time. The 24-year-old runner spends the rest of her day working, taking many dance classes. "Running helped me balance my life and emotions. I became less negative and my weight started to decrease. From then on, I determined that I would become a real runner," said the runner born in 1999.
About 6 months from the day she started running, Vy Phan decided to try the 21km distance at MetaSports Marathon Hue 2022. That was the first tournament for the runner from Gia Lai. Achievement beyond expectations. She completed the race in 1 hour and 50 minutes.
At this moment, Vy realized the next difficulties. Following continuous dance classes causes overload on the legs. Many choreographies require difficult techniques or are too strong, causing pain in the legs. There was a time when the 24-year-old dancer went to the practice room continuously for 6 hours. Her legs hurt, Vy couldn't keep up with long runs, so her achievements stagnated. "Once again I have to juggle my work and my passion for running. Both require a lot of use of my legs, but I can't exercise continuously for 10 or 12 hours a day," she said.
The female runner then spent many weeks researching and rearranging her training and work schedule. She makes a detailed schedule for exercise, work, family, rest and recovery. This Runner follows it strictly and tries to protect its feet as much as possible. "Thanks to the scientific arrangement, I find myself with more energy. My weight is also controlled under 50 kg," Vy shared.
In 2023, Vy Phan decided to challenge herself with a distance of 42km, starting with MetaSports Marathon Ho Chi Minh City Midnight in February. Runner Gia Lai's achievement at that time was 4 hours 51 minutes. At the finish line, Vy was almost exhausted. But just two months later, at VM Hue 2023, Vy had a spectacular transformation when improving her performance to only 4 hours and 1 minute, approaching less than 4 hours.
The young runner continues to train with the goal of reaching sub4, something not many female runners can do. The results quickly came at VM Nha Trang, August 13. The female runner conquered the race with a comfortable mind and reached the finish line after 3 hours and 57 minutes. The results helped Vy win 4th place in the age group. "Standing on the podium at the MetaSports Marathon is something I have not thought about because there are so many good runners. I see this as a stepping stone to go further in the future," Vy Phan confided.
MetaSports Marathon Amazing Ha Long starting on September 10 is a female runner tournament that sets higher goals. Vy wants to reach the 3 hour 50 minute mark even though she thinks it will be difficult because many people advise her that the competition conditions in Ha Long are hot and steep. However, this runner is still confident because of careful preparation and support from the organizers. Vy participated in all MetaSports Marathons this year and was always impressed with the support, many water stations, medical facilities, fairways, and clear instructions.
"Running at MetaSports Marathon is always comfortable because of the beautiful race track and excellent runner support. Last year I couldn't participate in VM Ha Long so this year I want to conquer even more," said the 24-year-old runner.
After VM Ha Long, Vy Phan will participate in all remaining MetaSports Marathons. The young girl's goal is to conquer the 3 hours and 30 minutes mark in 2024 and compete for rankings in the future. This is a big challenge so Vy is not in a hurry. She believes that the important thing is to accumulate gradually, balancing between running and dance work.
Success at recent tournaments has brought Vy Phan's image closer to the runner community. After the race, Vy is typical of a dynamic, ambitious, and energetic person. The young girl has a lot of positive energy and often shares funny clips on social networks. The female runner said she wanted to build a TikTok channel to convey positive messages to the community.
