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 of triathlon scared me the most, I would have said swimming.
Today, it is something else.
Cycling uphill.
And strangely enough, that fear has become one of the most powerful teachers in my training.
A Reality Check at the Training Camp
Last weekend I joined a triathlon training camp in Bàu Trắng, Bình Thuận, the same place where I will race in three weeks.
The camp was beautiful. The ocean. The sand dunes. The strong wind that constantly reminds you that endurance sports are never easy.
But the mock race gave me a reality check.
The cycling course had about 400 meters of elevation gain. It may not sound dramatic, but when you are riding in the heat and wind, every climb feels longer.
My legs burned on the hills.
My breathing became heavy.
And I realized something important.
Even though I already spent around 30 to 40 percent of my cycling training working on elevation, I was still struggling.
After the session, my coach and I talked honestly.
The conclusion was simple.
I needed more hill training.
A lot more.
The New Training Plan: Ba Son Bridge
My coach decided the best way to prepare was not to avoid hills.
It was to face them directly.
So this week the mission became clear.
Ride Ba Son Bridge. Again and again.
Ba Son Bridge is one of the most iconic new bridges in Ho Chi Minh City. It connects District 1 with the Thu Thiem area in Thu Duc City, crossing the Saigon River.
The bridge opened in 2022 and was previously known as Thu Thiem 2 Bridge. It was later renamed Ba Son Bridge after the historic Ba Son Shipyard, a place deeply connected to the maritime history of Saigon.
From an architectural perspective, it is stunning.
The bridge is a modern cable-stayed design, with a tall central pylon and cables stretching down like a giant fan holding the roadway. The structure creates a graceful curve over the river and offers one of the most beautiful skyline views of the city.
During the evening, the bridge lights up with color and becomes a popular spot for photographers.
But for cyclists?
It is a very different experience.
Why Ba Son Bridge Is Perfect for Hill Training
While Ba Son Bridge looks elegant, it hides a tough climb.
Compared to the long Saigon Bridge where many cyclists train, Ba Son Bridge is shorter but steeper.
The incline hits you quickly.
Within seconds of starting the climb, your legs feel the pressure.
That steep gradient makes it perfect for hill repetition training, where athletes ride up and down repeatedly to build strength and endurance.
From my house, the bridge is about 6 kilometers away.
So my training sessions this week look like this:
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Ride to Ba Son Bridge as warm-up
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Climb the bridge repeatedly
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Descend and repeat the effort
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Complete about 40 kilometers total
Two sessions already done this week.
More coming this weekend.
The First Session Was Brutal
The first time I climbed the bridge this week, my heart rate jumped quickly.
153 beats per minute.
My legs felt heavy. My cadence dropped. Every pedal stroke felt harder than expected.
Halfway up the bridge I thought to myself,
“Wow. This is going to be a long session.”
But something interesting happened after a few laps.
My breathing stabilized.
My rhythm improved.
My body slowly adapted.
The climb did not become easy, but it became manageable.
And that small shift made a huge difference.
Seeing Improvement After Only Two Sessions
This morning I rode Ba Son Bridge again.
The difference surprised me.
My heart rate was lower on the climb.
My cadence stayed higher.
My legs felt stronger pushing uphill.
In cycling, cadence is important. It is the rhythm of pedaling. When cadence stays high, the effort becomes smoother and more efficient.
Instead of grinding slowly uphill, the body learns to move fluidly.
Just two sessions.
Two early mornings.
And already there was progress.
It reminded me of a simple truth.
When we face our weaknesses directly, improvement often comes faster than we expect.
Three Weeks Until the Race
The race in Bàu Trắng is only three weeks away.
That thought stays in my mind during every training session.
I know I can finish the race.
That part is not the question.
The real question is this.
How strong do I want to show up?
Finishing and performing are two different things.
If I avoid the work now, I might cross the finish line but feel disappointed.
But if I climb this bridge enough times, those hills in Bàu Trắng will feel familiar.
This bridge in the quiet morning is quietly preparing me.
Confidence Comes From Experience
Last year my biggest fear in triathlon was swimming.
Not the distance.
The chaos.
Open water swimming can be unpredictable. Someone might kick you. Waves might push you off course. Goggles might fill with water.
At that time I lacked experience.
I did not know how to sight properly. I did not know how to react when something unexpected happened.
Because of that, I felt nervous every time I entered the water.
But after several races and training camps, everything changed.
Now when something happens in the water, I know how to respond.
Stay calm.
Adjust breathing.
Keep moving forward.
Confidence did not appear magically.
It came from experience and repetition.
And now I realize the same lesson applies to cycling hills.
Lessons From Riding Ba Son Bridge
Cycling up Ba Son Bridge every morning has become symbolic.
Each climb teaches something beyond physical training.
1. Growth Begins With Weakness
We often prefer practicing the things we are already good at.
But real growth happens when we face the areas where we struggle.
For me right now, that is cycling uphill.
So the solution is simple.
Climb more hills.
2. Confidence Comes From Repetition
Fear usually comes from uncertainty.
When we repeat an experience enough times, the fear fades.
Just like open water swimming.
Just like hill cycling.
The unknown becomes familiar.
3. Effort Always Creates Results
Endurance sports constantly remind me that results follow effort.
The strongest athletes are not always the most talented.
Often they are simply the ones who kept showing up.
Returning After Injury
This race in Bàu Trắng will be meaningful for another reason.
It will be my first triathlon race since my injury last September.
For 3 months since December 2025, I focused on rebuilding strength and endurance.
There were moments when I wondered if my body would return to its previous level.
Now when I look at my Garmin data, I see encouraging signs.
My endurance score has improved significantly.
Right now it sits at Expert level.
If training continues well, by the time I race the Half Ironman in May, I may reach Elite level again.
I have been there before.
I remember what it feels like.
Strong. Focused. Capable.
The Quiet Joy of Getting Stronger
There is a quiet beauty in endurance training.
Most mornings it is just one athlete riding a bike across a bridge before sunrise.
No audience.
No applause.
Just effort.
But inside that effort something powerful is happening.
The body adapts.
The mind grows stronger.
Confidence slowly builds.
And one day you realize you have become stronger than you once thought possible.
Final Thoughts Before Tomorrow’s Run
It is getting late now.
Tomorrow morning I have a 15 kilometer run waiting.
Another early alarm.
Another training session.
Another small step forward.
Three weeks until Bàu Trắng.
More hills.
More rides.
More progress.
And every time I climb Ba Son Bridge, I am reminded of one simple truth.
Strength is built one effort at a time.