Hanoi night running race reunites runners at the end of November

VnExpress Marathon Hanoi Midnight, the capital's autumn-branded tournament, returns on November 29 for its 7th season.

VnExpress Marathon Hanoi Midnight 2026 opens registration from September 4 with 4 distances: 5km, 10km, 21km and 42km. This is the only night running race in Hanoi, and is the opening race of the night running model of the VnExpress Marathon system with the first season taking place in November 2020.

After 6 seasons, the tournament has become a separate style of the capital's autumn. At the press conference for the 2025 season, Ms. Le Thi Hoang Yen, Deputy Director of the Department of Physical Training and Sports, said that the tournament has become part of Hanoi's identity in the fall, with its appeal coming from the organization and space of the city at the end of autumn.

The recognizable image of the tournament is thousands of runners running through the night through the old town, Hoan Kiem Lake, the Opera House and the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum area, during a time when the city is quieter than usual. In the 2025 season, the tournament brings together about 10,000 athletes, including more than 1,000 international runners from 43 countries and territories.

The temperature of about 14度C last season created favorable conditions for athletes, contributing to a season of high professional quality. Many runners improved their personal records at the marathon distance. Trinh Minh Tam completed 42km in 2 hours 27 minutes 34 seconds, 13 minutes faster than the previous best performance. Pham Duc Tho reached 2 hours, 31 minutes and 26 seconds, while Dan Quyet, Doan Oanh, Hoang Thi Ngoc Anh and many other runners also set new personal parameters.

The factor that makes the solution different from the rest of the system is the time frame. The distances gradually leave the line from midnight to dawn, when the streets are empty of vehicles. Runners run under street lights and late autumn and early winter weather, instead of the early morning sun like most other races. The track goes through the central area, which during the day is almost impossible to block for a tournament of tens of thousands of people.

In the 2026 season, Puma continues to accompany the tournament as a Strategic Partner and Official Apparel Sponsor for the second consecutive year. The brand directly produces and sponsors competition costumes, from jerseys for 4 distances to finisher shirts for athletes completing 21km and 42km. In the first season of 2025, Puma brings the message "Go Wild Hanoi", impressing with interactive activities such as a brain wave measurement technology display area, a giant shoe box...

The registration portal is currently in the Super Early Bird phase, lasting from September 4 to 24. The fees are 420,000 VND for 5km, 480,000 VND for 10km, 660,000 VND for 21km and 780,000 VND for 42km. Runners who register in groups receive incentives depending on size, up to 25%.

Register for VnExpress Marathon Hanoi Midnight here