Marathon

Runners take part in the fourth Techcombank Hanoi International Marathon in 2025. —Photos courtesy of SEV

HÀ NỘI — The 2026 Techcombank Hanoi International Marathon promises to elevate runners' experience with a range of highlights in the capital city on October 4.

The iconic sporting event, which offers four distances of 5km, 10km, 21km and 42km, is jointly organised by the Hà Nội Department of Culture and Sports, Techcombank and Sunrise Events Vietnam (SEV) since 2022.

Entering its fifth edition, the event invites the running community to discover Hà Nội through routes connecting the city’s historic landmarks and distinctive heritage sites, while promoting active lifestyles, advancing the sports economy and showcasing the image of the capital and Việt Nam to domestic and international audiences.

This year, runners will once again experience a course that passes through 37 landmarks and sites of cultural and historical significance across the city. From long-established streets to modern urban spaces, each stretch of the course offers a different perspective on Hà Nội.

A notable highlight is the One Hà Nội. Millions of Steps Forward art exhibition, taking place from September 26 to October 18 in the Hoàn Kiếm Lake area.

The exhibition draws inspiration from the footsteps along the heritage course, portraying a Hà Nội rich in historical and cultural depth yet vibrant and modern, through the perspectives of the running community and Vietnamese and international photographers.

According to the organising committee, every runner participating in the race also becomes a heritage ambassador, helping share the story of Hà Nội with domestic and international communities.

Marathoners pass Hà Nội's legendary Hoàn Kiếm Lake.

Phạm Xuân Tài, deputy director of the Hà Nội Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, said: “After five editions, the race’s large scale and adherence to international technical standards demonstrate its increasingly systematic and professional organisation. 

"The growth in scale and participation also reflects the rising appeal of running, while creating further opportunities to connect sport with tourism, services and Hà Nội’s urban life.”

Marking the race’s five-year milestone, the organisers introduced a new experience for runners with official race apparel from global brand Adidas, the marathon's Official Apparel Sponsor. The lightweight and breathable apparel is designed to enhance race-day performance and provide runners with greater comfort throughout their journey.

The city's iconic Khuê Văn Các pavilion from the Temple of Literature, a symbol of Hà Nội and Việt Nam’s longstanding tradition of learning, continues to feature on the race bib and other race items, contributing to the distinctive identity of the new edition. 

This year, the Marathon Village has been expanded and enhanced with greater convenience, ready to welcome 14,000 domestic and international runners.

To further enhance the experience, the organising committee is introducing SEV RunConcierge for the first time, an AI-powered digital assistant on the Neurun platform. Beyond providing access to race information and course guidance, the platform also recommends tourism, cultural and dining destinations across Hà Nội, making it easier for runners and their companions to explore the city throughout the event week.

In addition, the KIDS RUN, which will take place on October 3 at Vinhomes Riverside Long Biên, will continue to provide an active sporting playground for children aged 5 to 14. Featuring two distances of 1.5km and 3km, it helps nurture a love for sport and a spirit of pushing beyond one’s limits from an early age.

In addition to prizes, organisers also plan to present awards to any runner who can break national marathon records.

This year, a Record-Breaking Award of VNĐ200 million will be given to Vietnamese male and female runners who break the current national marathon records. The award aims to encourage athletes to continue pursuing new milestones, contributing to stronger performances by Vietnamese marathoners on both the domestic and international stages.

The race course is certified by the Association of International Marathons and Distance Races and the Việt Nam Athletics Federation. Performances recorded at the race meet the eligibility requirements for registration for races within the Abbott World Marathon Majors series, and may be considered for national record recognition in accordance with applicable regulations.

SEV General Manager Anh Võ said: “The great marathons of the world are inseparable from the cities they call home. Our ambition is to build that same relationship between this marathon and Hà Nội.

"We want runners to remember not only their finish time, but the city they ran through – its streets, its heritage, its energy and its people. Our responsibility is to keep raising the standard of the event while creating an experience that is unmistakably Hà Nội – one that Vietnamese runners are proud to call their own and international runners will one day travel here specifically to experience.” — VNS