Starting 2020 with the first night running model in the capital, VnExpress Marathon Hanoi Midnight has become an autumn meeting place for the runner community.
Since the first season, VnExpress Marathon Hanoi Midnight has chosen the end of November - the time when Hanoi turns cold, to organize. After 5 seasons in 2020 and 2022-2025, the tournament gradually changed the route, competition format and experience for athletes.
2020: First steps running through the night
The first season takes place on the night of November 28 and early morning of November 29, 2020 with the message "Run to the Light". Dong Kinh Nghia Thuc Square and Hoan Kiem Lake became event centers. 4 distances 5km, 10km, 21km and 42km start at midnight. Runner passes through Phan Dinh Phung, Dinh Tien Hoang, Phan Boi Chau, Opera House and many central streets.
This is the big difference of the first night race in the capital. Streets that were crowded with vehicles during the day became racetracks. Urban light, late fall and early winter weather and iconic buildings create the backdrop for thousands of steps.
Trinh Quoc Luong is the men's marathon champion with a record of 2 hours, 31 minutes and 6 seconds. In the women's event, Pham Thi Hong Le climbed to the top podium. The results of the first season laid the professional foundation for an event that was later chosen by many elite and runner movements to set personal achievements.
After the debut, VnExpress Marathon Hanoi Midnight was expected to return in 2021 but had to be postponed due to Covid-19. The break caused the running community to wait two years for the next reunion.
2022: Return with nearly 10,000 runners
In November 2022, VnExpress Marathon Hanoi Midnight returns with its second season, gathering about 9,500 athletes. The scale has increased sharply compared to when the tournament was first launched, in the context of the jogging movement recovering after the pandemic.
This season also has a team category for the first time. 36 running groups across the country registered, each team consisting of members competing 21km and 42km. Achievements are calculated based on the total time of 20 official athletes.
This format adds a tactical element to a tournament that primarily revolves around individual performance. Clubs began recruiting, building squads and competing directly. Team racing has since become a unique feature of the tournament in the following seasons.
Wind jackets for 42km finishers also continue to be maintained. The item appears from the 2020 season, suitable for cold weather after completing a long race in the early morning. The shirt gradually became an image associated with the Hanoi night running race.
2023: Race of clubs
In 2023, the attraction of team events will increase significantly. 52 clubs with about 1,300 athletes participated in the competition, turning the capital's night running tournament into a large gathering of movement running groups.
Instead of just preparing for an individual race, many clubs build their squads months in advance, recruiting strong runners in half and full marathons. Each person's achievements directly affect the overall results, making the competition last from the leading group to the last runners in the team.
The road has also been renewed. The marathon distance takes runners across Hanoi's large bridges, creating additional challenges in terms of slope and wind. From the ancient central neighborhoods, athletes move to larger spaces across the Red River.
About 11,000 athletes participated, creating a continuous stream of people on the streets from midnight to morning. This scale shows that the tournament has gone through the testing phase of a new model, becoming an annual event that the community waits for at the end of the year.
2024: Refresh your journey to explore the capital
The 2024 season marks a big change in organizational space. The starting and finishing areas are arranged around Tran Nhan Tong walking street and Thong Nhat Park, replacing the center of Hoan Kiem Lake in the early seasons.
The scale remains at more than 10,000 attendees. The tournament gradually becomes a year-end meeting place for clubs across the country, with experiences expanding from expo, race kits, items to community activities before competition day.
2025: 5-year milestone with more than 1,000 international runners
The 5th season marks half a decade of the night running tournament in the capital. About 10,000 athletes participated, including more than 1,000 runners from 43 countries and territories, showing increasingly clear international attraction.
The track continues to be adjusted. The 21km distance focuses more on the inner city, taking runners through the old town, Thanh Nien, Van Cao, Kim Ma and Phan Dinh Phung streets. The 42km arc extends towards Dong Tru bridge and the Duong riverside area, creating a new color for the second half of the marathon.
The weather was about 14 degrees Celsius on competition night, becoming favorable conditions for many athletes to improve their performance. Trinh Minh Tam completed the marathon in 2 hours, 27 minutes and 34 seconds, 13 minutes faster than the previous personal record. Many other runners also set their own best parameters.
2025 also marks the first time Puma accompanies VnExpress Marathon Hanoi Midnight. Besides costumes, the brand offers activities at the expo, shoe testing area and experiences for runners before the competition.
The 5-year milestone is also shown on the medal with a nostalgic design. The image of train number VMHM-05 entering Hanoi Station stands out in the front, with the Hanoi Flagpole and Long Bien Bridge hidden in the background. In the running community, the image of a "train" also evokes groups of runners following pacers to reach the same achievement milestone.
The back of the medal carries a message about the 5-year journey and the steps in the old town. That's the way to look back at the journey from the first season of 2020 to a 10,000-person event.
Season 6 and the journey that continues
From the novelty of a new running model, over 5 seasons of organization, VnExpress Marathon Hanoi Midnight gradually made its mark on the runner community with an increasing number of participating athletes, in addition to the presence of international runners. The phrase "picking jackfruit", which is the slang for runners when registering for the Hanoi night run, is becoming more and more popular.
At the press conference before last year's race, Ms. Le Thi Hoang Yen, Deputy Director of the Department of Physical Training and Sports, assessed that VnExpress Marathon Hanoi Midnight has become a part of the capital's autumn identity after 5 years of organization. According to her, the image of thousands of runners running through the night through the old town, lakes and typical bridges contributes to the uniqueness of the event.
On November 29, VnExpress Marathon Hanoi Midnight 2026 enters its 6th season. Puma continues to accompany for the second year as a Strategic Partner and Official Apparel Sponsor.
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 2026 here
