Van Trang – mother of four finishes 2nd overall at Y Ty 42km: 'Run with your legs, not with the gossip of the crowd'

At dawn on Lao Than summit, trail shoes scraped against gravel in thin mountain air. Van Trang crossed the finish line in 4 hours 26 minutes, taking first place among women in the 42km distance and second overall at the 2026 Y Ty Golden Season race – beating nearly every male runner except one. The 35-year-old mother of four had just conquered a course with over 1,300 meters of elevation gain. Yet instead of focusing on her performance, some online running groups mocked her body, using crude comments about her chest. Her response was direct: "I dare anyone to carry two grapefruits over 42km of mountain terrain. I run with my legs, not with my appearance." Her statement is more than a sharp comeback. It draws a line: women athletes are not objects to be inspected. Van Trang's success comes from discipline – combining running with gym, swimming, and smart energy management. Refusing to change her outfit to avoid judgment, she said: "Sports clothing must be comfortable and safe. If I change myself because I fear scrutiny, I would always live under other people's eyes." Next, she targets the VMM 70km and later the 100km ultra. The question her journey raises remains: when will society stop asking women "how do you look?" and start asking "how did you overcome yourself?" Until then, her running – and her voice – keeps moving forward.