Running race «VnExpress Marathon Hai Phong 2026»

   The port city at the turn of the year, dry and cool, offers some of the best running conditions in northern Vietnam. The organisers are pitching this edition as the race of personal records, and a flat course through central Hai Phong is a fair place to test that.

   A field of 8,000 runners is expected across four distances, with age limits counted as of race day:

• — 42 km, from 18 years old
• — 21 km, from 16 years old
• — 10 km, from 12 years old
• — 5 km, from 4 years old

   The strongest draw, by the organisers' own account, is the route. Hai Phong has kept a good deal of its French-era architecture in genuinely well-preserved condition, and the course runs past the landmarks that define the city. This is the seventh destination in the VnExpress Marathon series, and the reward beyond the medal is a season of Hai Phong food touring.

   Entry is in the Super Early Bird window: 400,000 ₫ for 5 km, 540,000 ₫ for 10 km, 780,000 ₫ for 21 km and 880,000 ₫ for the marathon. Three tiers follow, Early Bird, Regular and Late, with the marathon reaching 1,600,000 ₫ at the end. The gate for editing your details closes on 2 December, and race packs are handed out on 25 and 26 December.

   The bib rule matches the other VnExpress Marathon events: numbers are not emailed in advance but issued at race pack collection, and the liability waiver must be completed straight after registration, following the instructions in the email from iRace. Moving up a distance means paying the difference at the current tier price; moving down brings no refund.

   If you are looking for a flat course to set a personal best before the year is out, Hai Phong is a sensible place to aim for.