Van Trang at Y Ty: Running with her legs, not with the world's mouth

On the top of Lao Than mountain, among mist and cold mountain winds, Van Trang crossed the finish line with a time of 4 hours 26 minutes. At that moment, she was not only the fastest woman in the 42km category of the Y Ty Mua Vang 2026 race but also the only female runner to reach the overall top 2, finishing behind just one male runner and leaving nearly the entire male field behind. This achievement becomes even more meaningful when placed in the context of the terrain. The 42km trail route in Y Ty has more than 1,300 meters of accumulated elevation gain, with the highest peak reaching 2,860 meters above sea level. At this altitude, the air is thinner and oxygen is scarcer, making the race much harder than an ordinary road marathon. The steep sections do not allow any runner to rely on emotion alone; they must hike strategically, control their heart rate, and know when to push hard. Van Trang, born in 2026, mother of four children, and known by the nickname Jang Doll, does not talk about the entire distance at once. She chooses to break the route into small segments. She shared: “The 42km distance has slopes that almost drain the body of energy. At that moment, I only focused on the section ahead, kept my breathing steady, managed my strength, and refueled at the right time. I kept reminding myself: Stay calm; as long as there is strength left, there is still a chance.” Her endurance was not a matter of luck. Van Trang said that besides running, she combines gym workouts, swimming, and supplementary exercises to build her fitness every day. The way she talks about training resembles the way an athlete talks about a long-term plan, not a spontaneous movement. That explains why she could climb more than 1,300 meters of accumulated elevation and still cross the line near the top of the overall rankings. But Van Trang's story at Y Ty is not only found in the results table. Soon after images of her in tight running clothes appeared in some running groups, a part of the online community shifted attention away from her result to criticize her naturally full bust. They even used the crude phrase “carrying two pomelos while running” to mock a woman who had just conquered such a demanding route. At that moment, Van Trang chose to respond directly instead of staying silent. She said: “To be honest, I dare anyone to carry two pomelos while running 42km or even 55km in the mountains! I run with my legs; I do not run because of my appearance, so why do you take me into groups to gossip? If others feel pressure, I see it as motivation, as a supply of vitamin C for the spirit. What matters is that I still reach the finish line and stay healthy. Judge all you want. I run with my own legs, not with the gossip of others.” Her response quickly earned support from many runners. But deeper than that, it raised an issue rarely discussed in Vietnamese sports: why is the body of a female athlete so easily turned into public gossip, while her achievement is pushed aside? From a professional perspective, the absurdity of mocking Van Trang's body is even clearer. The tight racing outfit she wore is specialized sportswear designed to reduce friction, wick sweat, and support muscles during hours of activity. For a female runner with a large bust, wearing loose clothing can cause chafing, skin damage, and make running less safe. In other words, that outfit does not exist to serve other people's eyes; it exists to serve her own performance. Sadly, in many conversations about women in sports, this boundary is still blurred. A woman who runs fast, runs strong, and has a striking figure is forced into a position of explaining her body. People ignore the fact that she finished second overall in a race with nearly all male runners, choosing instead to focus on an irrelevant detail that says nothing about running ability. Van Trang understands this better than anyone. She is the one who changed the question: from “what should I wear so people will not talk?” to “what should I wear to stay safe and comfortable on the trail?”. When asked whether she would choose loose clothing to avoid being stared at, she said firmly: “Sports clothing must first of all be comfortable and safe. If I change myself just because I fear judgment, then I will always be living under other people's gaze. I choose to focus on the course and my own goals.”. That response was not a sudden outburst. It shows someone who has learned that running a marathon, especially a trail marathon with harsh terrain, teaches you how to deal with imperfect conditions. Life is like a long route: sometimes you are praised, sometimes criticized, and there are also many unkind comments that, if you let them in, will prevent you from reaching the finish line. Van Trang said: “Kind words make me happy, criticism helps me reflect, and unkind words I learn to let go.” Her journey did not end at Y Ty. After finishing as the top woman in the 42km category and second overall, Van Trang set bigger goals: conquering the 70km distance at the upcoming VMM race, then moving to 100km by the end of the year. The story of a mother of four pursuing ultra trail level is not something to romanticize. It requires training time, recovery discipline, and almost unforgiving self-discipline. At the age of 35, Van Trang does not run to prove anything to people who only see a photo on social media. She runs to improve her own best version. Her closing words are perhaps the most valuable message after all the debates: “Let results speak. I do not need to become the version others want to see. It is enough to become a better version of myself every day.”. Y Ty Mua Vang 2026 has ended. People may forget the rankings and the harsh weather, but they will not easily forget the image of a woman crossing the finish line without having to explain why her body looks the way it does. She answered with the strongest language in sports: results. Mockery, comparisons, and judgments about appearance are, at the end of the day, only noise beside the racecourse. And Van Trang's steps, once placed on Lao Than mountain, will continue to move toward even longer journeys.