August 24, 2024 – The GreenUP Marathon: Long An Half Marathon 2024, with the message “The finish line is where it starts”, officially kicked off in Can Giuoc District, Long An Province. The event was organized by Coteccons Construction Joint Stock Company, Tuoi Tre Newspaper, and the Department of Culture, Sports, and Tourism of Long An Province, in collaboration with Dong Tam Joint Stock Company. The third season of GreenUP Marathon marked an impressive comeback with a route passing through Long An International Port, attracting 3,650 runners and contributing 11,000 trees towards environmental protection.
On the afternoon of August 24th, the GreenUP Marathon: Long An Half Marathon 2024 officially commenced with three distances: 5km, 10km, and 21km, attracting over 3,650 participants. Following two successful seasons, the third season of GreenUP Marathon continued its mission of providing runners with a unique racing experience. The course was designed to traverse through Long An International Port, a strategic location for the socio-economic development of Long An Province and the region. This is also home to the tallest steel flagpole in Indochina, standing at 63 meters, representing the country’s 63 provinces and cities. Its 54-square-meter red flag with a gold star represents Vietnam’s 54 ethnic groups.
Unique Experience with Southern Cultural Activities
The GreenUP Marathon: Long An Half Marathon 2024 offered vibrant experiences of Southern culture through activities at the Expo, where runners enjoyed Western delicacies, listened to the sweet melodies of traditional Don Ca Tai Tu music, and participated in folk games and entertainment such as To He clay modeling, coconut leaf folding, blindfolded pot smashing, ring toss, and can pyramid stacking, further enriching the event’s atmosphere.
Furthermore, the GreenUP Marathon: Long An Half Marathon 2024 course was designed to showcase the distinctive beauty of the Mekong Delta. Runners passed through characteristic landscapes like mangrove forests, shrimp farms, and traditional items like fishing baskets and palanquins alongside the road, along with rustic houses, creating a vivid picture of Long An’s natural beauty.
5 KM = 1 Tree
The Long An Half Marathon 2024 embodies the GreenUP spirit of creating green spaces for nature and spreading the message of environmental protection. In 2024, the organizing committee continues its commitment to planting one tree for every 5 kilometers completed by the runners. After the race, it is expected that more than 11,000 trees will be planted in areas in need of green cover, contributing to improving the community’s living environment. Furthermore, all items for runners, from medals to running shirts, are made from recycled, eco-friendly materials. Specifically, nearly 4,000 race medals are made from over 500 kilograms of recycled plastic. Scaffolding from construction sites were also repurposed for use as race gates and stages.
The Finish Line is Where it Starts
With the message “The finish line is where it starts”, GreenUP Marathon: Long An Half Marathon 2024 emphasizes that whether on a marathon course, in business or life, individuals and organizations alike have different “finish lines”. The finish line is not just an endpoint but also a milestone that unlocks new opportunities and challenges. Running doesn’t necessarily mean leading or winning medals; what matters is perseverance, maintaining a steady pace, and achieving goals to continue exploring new challenges.
Reflecting on the development of the Vietnamese construction industry, Mr. Bolat Duisenov, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Coteccons, shared, “Through this race, we want to convey the innovations of Coteccons and our partners. Within ourselves, we internalize the spirit of progress, daring to face challenges, ready to move forward with the will to overcome obstacles and the desire for success. Externally, we exhibit our dedication to the community associated with sustainable values. We are racing to build a new kind of construction company, where the winner is not the one who takes it all, but the one who can bring along many colleagues and partners to succeed and progress together. In business, when building a project, we understand that Coteccons is helping customers create lasting values not limited to economic benefits but also symbols of environmental protection and sustainable community development.”
Through GreenUP Marathon 2024, 50 businesses and partners with a green vision have been inspired to create a sustainable future together. These partners range from the construction sector to other related industries. Beyond the impressive numbers, GreenUP Marathon: Long An Half Marathon 2024 has become a platform where businesses, units, and the wider community join hands to spread and act for a prosperous and sustainable Vietnam.
Within the framework of the event, Mr. Tran Xuan Toa n, Deputy Editor-in-Chief of Tuoi Tre Newspaper, emphasized, “We believe that every step taken is a practical contribution to building a healthy and sustainable society. GreenUP Marathon 2024 not only promotes sportsmanship but also creates a meaningful playground, bringing many values to the community. The GreenUP Marathon is also one of the activities within the framework of the Vietnam Xanh (Green Vietnam) project. Besides the message of maintaining a healthy lifestyle, the race helps spread a green lifestyle to the community through the image of footsteps towards a beautiful and sustainable future.”
Having participated in numerous races both domestically and internationally, Mr. Vo Quoc Huy, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Long An International Port, shared before the starting line, “Not only participating as a Co-organizer of the race, the staff and employees of Dongtam Group are also runners. Setting foot on the familiar route in Long An Province evokes special emotions in me. Long An is not only my homeland, a place associated with many memories, but also where I feel the closeness and warmth of the local community. By participating in this race, I wish to spread the message of green living and environmental protection. This is a wonderful opportunity for me to contribute to the tree-planting fund, a practical action to improve the environment. At the same time, I also want to demonstrate Dongtam Group’s commitment to bringing sustainable value to the community. I hope to encourage more people to participate in environmental protection activities and build a greener future.”
GreenUP Marathon: Long An Half Marathon 2024 attracted 3,650 athletes participating in 3 distances: 21km, 10km, and 5km
Delegates visit and experience various activities at the Expo before the opening ceremony
The flag-raising ceremony at the tallest flagpole in Indochina.
The grand opening ceremony of the GreenUP Marathon: Long An Half Marathon 2024
Excited runners at the starting line of the 21km race
Excited runners at the starting line of the 21km race
Excited runners at the starting line of the 5km race
Dongtam Group runners enthusiastically conquer all 3 distances: 21km, 10km, and 5km
Under the hot sun, runners are refreshed by the heartwarming actions of the people of Can Giuoc District. Along many routes, runners are cooled down with water buckets or hoses, and even “showered” by locals, bringing a sense of comfort and ease to continue their journey to conquer the GreenUP Marathon – Long An Half Marathon 2024
The race winners will receive flight tickets and entry to the Laguna Phuket Marathon in Thailand in 2025. In the men’s 21km, the winner is runner Pham Ngoc Phan with a time of 1 hour 16 minutes 02 seconds. The winner of the women’s 21km is Hoang Thi Ngoc Hoa, with a time of 1 hour 27 minutes 07 seconds
Impressive and unique costumes at the race
Singer Duc Tuan, the ambassador of GreenUP Marathon – Long An Half Marathon 2024, and runners inspire the race
From left to right: To Dinh Khanh, Dang Hoang An, and Nguyen Quang Hung are cheerful after completing the GreenUP Marathon – Long An Half Marathon 2024
Athletes achieving top results at the GreenUP Marathon 2024
The Southern cultural space at Long An Half Marathon 2024 is rich in Mekong Delta vibes, offering folk cuisine, unique handicrafts, and traditional music at Long An International Port
The impressive Dongtam Group booth with its multi-industry ecosystem attracts many runners and locals to visit
