My First 21 km and the Law of Simply Starting

My alarm rang at 2:30 this morning. By 4:30 I was at the start line of the 5th Techcombank Hanoi International Marathon, and I completed my first 21 km, with a provisional time of 3 hours, 20 minutes and 29 seconds.

Three things stayed with me from the course.

Mindset at the start

When I practiced at home, the thought sometimes crept in: "This is tiring, maybe I should quit." But this morning, standing in the crowd and the energy of the start line, my mind was completely steady, with no wavering and no thought of stopping. When you put yourself in the right environment with real pressure, your ability to execute rises to its highest level on its own.

The pacer

I am grateful to the younger colleague who paced me: guiding, urging and timing everything precisely so I could bring the medal home. Going alone gives you freedom, but arriving on time and reaching the finish takes people who stay by your side.

Strength after the finish

Many people assume a first 21 km leaves you wrecked. I was pleasantly surprised that my body was fine: no swelling, no pain, only some tight muscles. The flu a few days earlier did not undermine the base fitness I had built steadily over the past month. Afterwards I drove home, stretched gently, rested a little, and went straight back to work and my unfinished projects.

Running and business

Running and business follow the same simple rule: without action, there is no success. You can draw up a hundred goals, but if you do not put on your shoes and take the first steps, everything stays at zero.

Keep moving steadily. When tired, slow down; when muscles tighten, stretch; but do not stop. On the course or in the market, the attitude with which you face difficulty always decides the outcome.

This 21 km was not about competing with anyone. It was about beating my own limits and completing what I set out to do. As the saying goes, how you do one thing is how you do everything. Once you commit, you do it; once you start, you finish.