Singapore-based American runner Humberto Baeza took his maiden ATM race victory on the 75km at Lam Dong Trail in Dalat, Vietnam, last Saturday. Baeza inherited the race lead halfway through when Kristian Joergensen and Godwin Mirar were, unfortunately, pointed in the wrong direction by a confused marshal. As they got onto the shorter and just-as-marked 45km course, they did not realise it in a situation reminding many of last year’s Korea 50k, where the same happened. Still, it takes nothing away from Baeza’s great performance to finish the course in 8h43’ and half an hour ahead of Vietnam’s coming man Tran Van Nghia. After already scoring 2nd place in Dieng Trail Run in September, Baeza is now the overall points leader in our Season 10 ranking and he has already fulfilled the minimum requirement of two race finishes for qualification for the ATM Championship Final next year September. The women’s 75km race also had a remarkable winner in the sense that the very experienced Julia Nguyen Thi Duong showed recent coming-girl Loi Luong she is still around as a competitive athlete.

Behind Baeza and Tran Van Nghia, another SIngaporean runner took third on the podium: Scott Pugh from the Endurance Asia podcast. A great performance by him as well, especially when seeing who he kept behind. Nguyen Dang Quang and India’s only ATM Grandmaster Shashwat Rao both have a considerable competitive pedigree in our series.

Julia Nguyen Thi Duong finished ten minutes ahead of Loi Luong and they were sixth and eighth overall, respectively. It proves both their talent as competitive trail runners. For 35km, Malaysia’s 2-star Grandmaster Yvette Chong was looking good for third place, but cramps in both her legs decided otherwise. Pham Ngoc Dan Chau scored the women’s podium in the end.

Kristian Joergensen and Godwin Mirar topped the leaderboard early on until their misfortune

Scott Pugh managed to score his first ever podium in an ATM points race

Julia Nguyen Thi Duong had never left, but made sure everyone remembers she is still here

Humbero Baeza : first ATM race win and second podium in two months

The 75km race started at 3am

Loi Luong had to settle for second

Pham Ngoc Dan Chau got herself third on the women’s podium

After a short break since UTOP in Malaysia, Season 10 of the Asia Trail Master Championship continues this weekend with the 3rd edition of Lam Dong Trail in Dalat, Vietnam. The 75 km race is the one that counts for both championship points and Grandmaster points, and we are looking forward to a very competitive men’s race with Quang Tran - winner of the previous two editions - facing none other than Kristian Joergensen, Godwin MIrar and in-form Nhon Trong - himself already twice second in Lam Dong.

The Valley of Love just outside the city centre of Dalat features again as the host venue for the event. Runners will do a 75km counterclockwise loop through hilly pine forests with start in the early hours of Saturday morning. Weather permitting, this is quite a runable course as usual in Dalat, with cool temperatures and clear forest trails. That benefits the likes of Quang Tran, of course, but he will certainly face a stern challenge this year with Joergensen and Mirar, both based in Philippines. Joergensen was third in last year’s ATM Championship and has already collected 7 ATM race wins since 2016. There is a question mark about his current performance level, however, following a nasty fall in training a couple of weeks ago. Godwin Mirar is the coming-man in Philippines, still just 24 years old. He still focuses on short distances mainly - and rightly so - but in Dalat he would like to give the 75km a try. He is not new to Vietnam: in 2022 Mirar already took third place in VMM 50km , not far behind the aforementioned Kristian Joergensen and his idol John Ray Onifa. Nhon Trong and Le Phi Lanh are the other two Vietnamese trail stars who could battle for podium. Nhon Trong is in good form lately, but has been focusing on the long ultras. Does he still have the speed to fight for the highest rankings in a 75km race? Let’s certainly also keep an eye out for India’s Grandmaster Shashwat Rao, who on his day can be very quick, indeed. Rao has won the upcoming Malnad Ultra on a course that can be compared somewhat to Lam Dong. Also Singapore’s Scott Pugh from the Endurance Asia podcast should finish among the top runners.

In the women’s 75km race we could see a nice dual between Loi Luong and Julia Nguyen Thi Duong . Both have won Lam Dong before, and for Loi Luong it was actually her competitive breakthrough last year. The Mude Sports runner and teammate of Hau Ha outran Angelie Cabalo a year ago, a performance she has backed up since a few times, including fourth place in the latest ATM Championship Final at Borneo TMBT in September. There’s several other contenders for podium, including Malaysia’s 2-star Grandmaster Yvette Chong Mi Chin, who has recently shown strong pace on medium distance trails, resulting a.o. in a podium spot at Simpur Ultra 50 in Brunei in June.

Last year’s podium with Quang Tran ahead of Nhon Trong

Nhon Trong has placed second twice in this race

Loi Leung was the surprise winner last year, but has more than confirmed this feat afterwards

Kristian Joergensen: is his current form good enough for an 8th ATM race win?

The Lam Dong Trail in Dalat, Vietnam, is rapidly becoming one our series’ most popular events towards the end of the year. Held on 9 November, the race through lush pine forests, across several hills and coffee plantations is a textbook example of trail running in its purest form. The event centre and finish line is at the picturesque Valley of Love, located just outside Dalat City, one of the country’s main tourism hubs and known for its mild highland climate.

As the official press release reads, Lam Dong, nestled in the southern reaches of Vietnam's Central Highlands, is a province adorned with majestic mountainous landscapes. It's a convergence of rugged hills and winding trails, offering a picturesque tapestry of natural beauty.

Taking advantage of its terrain and favorable weather in November, Lam Dong becomes the rallying point for thousands of trail running enthusiasts eager to conquer its lofty peaks. Following two successful editions, this year's race promises significant changes and commitments aimed at fostering community health and supporting volunteer efforts to showcase Lam Dong's cultural heritage and natural splendor.

Race-wise, the event programme has five different categories, as described below. As always, ATM Championship and Grandmaster Quest point seekers need to focus on the 75 km race.

• + Health & Wellness Commitment (5km): Designed for the whole family, the 5km trail will be a fun and bonding experience, helping children and adults alike to discover the beauty of Lam Dong together.

• + Nature Restoration Commitment (15km): Immerse yourself in the breathtaking beauty of the plateau landscape and winding trails that traverse forests, valleys, and majestic pine-covered hills.

• + Local Culture Preservation Commitment (25km): Setting a common goal for conservation and value enhancement, the natural beauty of Lam Dong through volunteer activities is a special highlight of this event.

• + Personal Limits Breakthrough Commitment (45km): With the goal of building a trail-loving community to share, cheer on, and nurture passion in this discipline.

• + Emotional Connection Commitment (75km): With special challenges awaiting elites, athletes, or newcomers seeking intense sensations on the running trail.

The event has seen some of Vietnam’s greatest trail runners already at the start line. In 2022, Hau Ha and Quang Tran won the female and male races, respectively. Last season, it was Loi Luong and Nhon Trong.

You can find all details and registration facilities on the official website linked below.

Nhon Trong won last year’s men’s LDT 70

Loi Luong was the surprising winner of last year’s female LDT 70

A typical view in Dalat : trails in the pine forest

Lam Dong Trail is the second ATM points race event in Vietnam’s Central Highlands main city Dalat this year and once again showed how great trail running can be. ‘Challenging but achievable’ is the tagline of the event that is determined to give every participant a very welcoming and enjoyable weekend. With the finish line set at the Valley of Love, just 4-5km outside the Dalat city centre, runners can bring their friends and families along. It does not even get so hot, as Dalat sits on a plateau a good 1500m above sea level.

The 75km points races for men and women saw two local race winners, interestingly both from the Mude Sports Team, the team around Hau Ha. The 2022 ATM Champion herself, who won Lam Dong Trail last year, now has other ambitions so she left the competition open for others to take the spotlights. For the first half of the race, Philippines’ Angelie Cabalo, winner of MMTF 100 in 2022, looked the strongest and on the way to collect her second ATM race victory. Julia Nguyen Thi Duong was in second and Luong Loi third. Cecille Wael (ankle pain) and Akane Nemoto were further back and never got in position to challenge the podium. Japan’s Nemoto also suffered from the mid-day sun. Upon entering the last 15 km, Luong Loi surprised most on-lookers as she overtook Nguyen Thi Duong and Cabalo to take the lead! Still young to trail, Luong Loi had already scored two 3rd place podiums this season, but this was unexpected. She crossed the finish with a big smile as winner with nearly 13 minutes advantage over Cabalo and 25 over Nguyen Thi Duong. In fourth was Le Hang, also not unknown in Vietnam’s competitive trail scene.

The men’s race was dominated by Nhon Trong, who - despite being around for several years now - also scored his first ever ATM race victory. Nhon Trong was too fast for his own protégé, Nghia Van Trang - second at 51 minutes. Nguyen Tien Vo confimed his great and consistent ATM season with a third spot on the podium. Nguyen Tuan Anh and Nguyen Dinh Minh were four and five.

Nghia Van Trang: 2nd place

Rhea Batac: now a 3-star ATM Grandmaster!

Dalat in Southwest Vietnam and the Valley of Love are once again calling for trail runners to go back to nature at the 2nd edition of Lam Dong Trail on 11 November. It is the final points race event of the 2023 ATM Championship season in Vietnam with the 75km category as the key race. Lam Dong is the province name around Dalat and the event was a great candidate race in our series last year.

Registration is open for the 75km and other categories via the official website linked below.

The Mude Factory team had a blast at Lam Dong Trail 2022, with all its runners occupying podium spots including the highest ones. Quang Tran was fastest man ahead of Nhon Trong and in between was Hau Ha as fastest woman. Also Valentin Orange scored a win in a shorter category.

The race starts at 3 am on Saturday morning, when temperatures in Dalat can still be very much on the chilly side. Even during the day it rarely gets very hot in Dalat, as we are 1500m above sea level, which explains why the area has become so popular for trail runners. All registered runners can also enjoy a welcoming party on Friday evening at the race pack collection, same venue as the race finish, i.e. Valley of Love. Said valley is about 4km away from the city centre in Dalat and easy to reach via taxi or grab.

Last year Quang Tran won the 70km race ahead of Hau Ha

The Central Highlands’ city of Dalat in Vietnam has established itself as a premier trail running destination in recent years. A fact that was re-emphasised just a week ago with over 7000 people registered for the Dalat Ultra Trail. Since last year, a second high-profile trail event has been set up carrying the name of the province Dalat is the capital of: Lam Dong. A successful ATM Candidate, and so the new event has now also become a points race for the ATM Championship ranking scheduled for 11 November. Lam Dong Trail offers a number of race distance categories, but the longest one - 75 km - is the main race for points. 

Dalat is located 1500m above sea level, which creates a coolish climate year-round. Often, residents say that Dalat a place where you can experience the four seasons in just one day: spring in the morning, summer at noon, autumn in the afternoon and winter at night. These conditions make the city an attraction magnet for weekend trippers from Ho Chi Minh City, domestic and international tourists, and distance runners who enjoy the cooler temperatures. 

Lam Dong Trail is organised by Vietnam Joy and Green Hat, companies with extensive event management experience in Vietnam. Runners should note that ‘LDT’ in November may share the same venue as ‘DLUT’ in March, but the race course and set-up is different. The 75 km race starts at the Lac Duong Cultural Center at 4 am on Saturday morning (shuttle busses provided) and finishes at the Valley of Love just outside Dalat City centre (easy to reach by tax or Grab car). The cut-off time for those just aiming to finish the race is 21:30 at night (i.e. 17 hours and 30 minutes). All participants of the 75 km (and 45km) can also enjoy a delicious buffet dinner after the race briefing on Friday late afternoon and evening at the finish site, the Valley of Love. 

Competitive runners should note there is prizemoney on offer for the top 3 on the podium, too. Last year’s inaugural edition saw Vietnam’s trail heroes Quang Tran and Hau Ha - now the Asia Trail Master women’s champion - win the long distance race. 

The Race DIrector of Lam Dong Trail is none other than Le Tan Hi, himself an excellent trail runner: “Lam Dong Trail 2023 will bring athletes extremely interesting experiences because the weather in November is the time of transition, with cool and fresh air of the high plateau of Dalat in the blooming season of flowers,” says Le Tan Hi. “ The 5km, 15km, 25km, 45km, and main 75km routes take athletes through pine forests, hills of Lang Biang, natural streams/lakes, to admire the diverse vegetation of dense forests, swamps, pine forests, and tropical forests. Across the ancient cherry blossom hill, admire the local people harvesting coffee, the **Rose myrtle** hill, the pink grass hill racing for the colors. All are ready to welcome athletes, together conquer the journey back to nature and immerse in the sound of nature.”

Registration for the event is already open. International runners are encouraged to sign up timely to ensure their spot. There’s accommodation options near the Valley of Love, but staying inside Dalat City is also not an issue. 

All details of the event, including mandatory gear list,  can be found on the Lam Dong Trail website linked below. 

Lam Dong Trail’s ‘Tale of the Trail’ in 2022

Quang Tran won the men’s long distance race last year

Hau Ha was second overall and winner of the women’s race last year ahead of a.o. Julia Nguyen Duong Thi

Their race victories were anticipated, but the manner in which they did was still impressive. Quang Tran and Hau Ha made it look so easy the 70km Lam Dong Trail seemed nothing but and advanced training session for them. Both Vietnamese elite runners from the Mude Factory Team did run their own pace, however, resulting in Quang Train crossing the line first in 7h44 with Hau Ha second overall in 8h15. The Lam Dong Trail in Dalat was a Candidate Race for the 2023 ATM Championship calendar, and did leave a fine impression.

The 70 km race started at 4 am just outside the city centre of Dalat in Vietnam’s Central Highlands with a solid field of runners. Very quickly the Mude Factory Team Trio that also includes Nhon Trong, who returned from a complicated foot injury, set the pace up front. Others such as Hoang Huu Thang, Bui Van Da, Stephen Barkey and Thailand’s Guntawee Tiwapong already had to appreciate a gap of over 30 minutes at km 18. Interestingly the three teammates ran by themselves, following personal training plans with a view to their bigger objectives next month that include the ATM Championship Final in Philippines on 17 December.

Hau Ha gradually lost terrain vis-a-vis Quang Tran, also due to some stomach cramps halfway in the race. Nhon Trong in his first run for 26 days did remarkably well and at CP 5 was still just 5 minutes behind the female star from Sapa. The injury-caused lack of training and heavy rainfall around lunchtime would slow him down in the final 20 km, but his second place in the men’s was never in danger. Guntawee Tiwapong in fact had arguably the best ATM race of his season and scored third place on the podium, ahead of Hoang Huu Thang and Bui Van Da. The latter two are also qualified for Team Vietnam in the ATM Final next month.

Quang Tran admitted he felt very comfortable all race and showed that he is one of the men to beat on Mount Apo for the ATM title. One caveat, he has scheduled to run a 100 miles race the weekend before, too. Not so for Hau Ha, who is determined to test herself as a female trail runner for real on Philippines’ highest mountain, competing against co-favourites Ezster Csillag and Vanja Cnops. Until today, even coach Guim Valles admits we have not seen her real limits yet in competition. Even when she beat Gaetan Morizur, Nhon Trong, Tomohiro Mizukoshi and others at the Vietnam Mountain Marathon 100k race last September, she didn’t have to go into the pain cave. Both her and Quang Tran are THE faces of the incredible growth that trail running in Vietnam has witnessed over the last five years. It would be the first time a Vietnamese runner becomes Asia Trail Master Champion, in fact none has ever made it onto the season’s podium.

Lam Dong Trail and Dalat Ultra Trail (the ATM points race in March every year) share the same race venue at the Valley of Love, but the race courses are different. Participants were treated with a great arena setting and welcoming dinner, amongst other benefits. Most runners who did both argue that the older event has a long distance course that is arguably a touch more technical in nature, and agree there is a place for both events on the ATM Championship calendar.

This weekend we have the final ATM Candidate Race of the 2022 season in Dalat, Vietnam. Lam Dong Trail is hoping to secure a spot on next year’s Asia Trail Master Championship calendar and as a new trail event organiser keen to leave a great impression. What might help with that is the presence of Vietnam’s two greatest trail stars of the moment: Quang Tran and, of course, Hau Ha.

On the menu we find four genuine race categories with the 70k as the longest distance. Both Quang Tran and Hau Ha are signed up for this one. Most likely they will not get a lot of competition and will it be a solid training exercise for their bigger goals in December, including the ATM Championship Final on Mount Apo on 17 December.

The Lam Dong Trail has the same start/finish venue as the Dalat Ultra Trail, but the running course is different. Dalat being a wonderful place to run with its cooler climate, most runners won’t mind returning to the same place anyway. The biggest hillclimb comes right after the start at 4 am, and Asia Trail Master will be reporting live from the 70k race from start to finish. Just tune in to our usual channels.

We are happy to announce the Lam Dong Trail in Dalat, Vietnam, as a new ATM Candidate Race from 11 to 13 November 2022. Organised by VietnamJoy and the Green Hat Joint Stock Company, the new event features several race categories of which the 70k is the flagship. Host venue of the event is the Valley of Love, not far from Dalat City.

Lam Dong is the name of the province in the Central Highlands of Vietnam, already very popular among trail runners due to the moderate climate and cooler temperatures. The event is part of a bigger community initiative called VietnamJoy, which was born with the desire to bring people back to nature through forest paths, climbing waterfalls or magical cloud-piercing peaks. Running terrain is not only a test of the toughness of the body, but also a connection with nature. Every breath, step by step opens up every beautiful scenery of Vietnam.

Despite the estimated elevation gain of 2850 hm, the terrain in and around Dalat is known to be quite runable. November marks the start of the colder season, and runners will be treated by mystic foggy landscapes in vast hilly pine forests. If 70k is too long, runners can also choose between 45km, 21km or 10km race categories.

Dalat is well-connected via air and road from Ho Chi Minh City. It is a tourism destination in its own right, which has plenty of accommodation options and things to see and experience.

All detailed information can be found on the official website, in both Vietnamese and English.