It’s nice to arrive in Da Nang a few days before an Ironman race. The streets are filled with cyclists carrying expensive bikes into coffee shops. Runners jog along the beach before sunrise. Athletes compare nutrition plans at breakfast buffets like it’s the most normal thing in the world. And this year felt even more […]
31
Mar
Mar
It was 4AM when we left Ho Chi Minh City. The kind of quiet that only exists before sunrise, when the roads are empty and your thoughts feel louder than usual. I sat in the backseat of the car, legs slightly tense, heart somewhere between calm and nervous. Around me were friends, some familiar, some […]
14
Mar
Mar
My mornings begin quietly. The alarm rings at 4:30 a.m., and the world outside still feels half asleep. Whenever I lace up my running shoes and step outside, the sky is still dark, and the city hasn’t fully woken up yet. At first, the body feels stiff. The legs are slow. Every endurance athlete knows this feeling. […]
12
Mar
Mar
It’s a little past 9 p.m. on a Thursday evening. The house is quiet. My running shoes are already by the door for tomorrow morning. My Garmin watch sits on the table, charging beside a glass of water. In about twenty minutes, I’ll turn off the light and go to sleep. Not because I’m exhausted. […]
10
Mar
Mar
It was just 5:17 in the morning when Tracy and I started our 15km easy run. A few motorbikes hummed quietly in the distance. The air felt cool and soft, the kind of morning where everything moves a little slower. I glanced at my watch. Heart rate: 135. Too high. So I slowed down. My […]
08
Mar
Mar
A Quiet Ride Before Sunrise At 4:30 in the morning, the city is still asleep. Fewer motorbikes. A cooler breeze moving through the quiet intersections. The street lights still glowing softly. I wake up slowly, make a small breakfast, and sip water while my body wakes up. Today’s training session starts at 6 a.m. at Van […]
05
Mar
Mar
4:45 AM. Ho Chi Minh City was quiet in that rare way it only is before sunrise. The streets had not yet filled with motorbikes. The air felt cooler than usual. I packed my cycling gear, grabbed my helmet, and rode toward Ba Son Bridge. A few weeks ago, if you asked me which part […]
01
Mar
Mar
Waking up at 4:30 a.m. feels both heroic and slightly insane. Last weekend, my little brother and I did exactly that. The sky was still dark. The air was quiet. Ho Chi Minh City had not fully opened its eyes yet. And there we were, packing our bags, half sleepy but fully committed, heading to […]
27
Feb
Feb
I woke up at 4:45 a.m. on Friday, eyes still heavy. For a split second, I thought about rolling back under the blanket. It was still dark outside. My body felt tight. And then I remembered, my new pacer, Tracy is waiting. By 5 a.m., we were already warming up. Two kilometers easy. The city […]
21
Feb
Feb
It was midnight, and the sky above our house exploded into color. Red sparks, golden rain, smoke drifting slowly in the cold night air. My father stood proudly in the yard, lighting one firework package after another. This year he bought ten. They lasted about five minutes, but those five minutes felt like childhood again. […]