Van Trang conquers Mount Laoshen: 'Run with your legs, not with your mouth' - 42km trail moment at Y Ty Golden Season 2026

Video of Van Trang finishing at Y Ti (Photos and clips in the article provided by the athlete) The 2026 Y Ti Golden Season (September 6) witnessed one of the memorable moments in trail running. Overcoming steep paths, Van Trang (nickname Jang Doll) won the top female spot in the 42km event. More notably, the mother of four who was born in 2026 proudly took second place overall, surpassing almost all male runners (losing to only one) by finishing in 4 hours 26 minutes. However, beside the proud award at Laoshen peak 2,860m above sea level, she also sparked discussion with her frank response to gossip and negative comments about her figure from some netizens. The 42km trail path in Y Ti (Lao Cai) has a total accumulated height of over 1,300m. The steep terrain and high-altitude thin air are always the nightmare for any runner. Talking about the moment of exhausting strength to conquer the mountain, Van Trang shared with reporters: "The 42km has steep sections that make the body nearly run out of energy. At that time I only focused on the path in front of me, kept breathing rhythm, distributed strength and added energy at the right time. I always reminded myself: 'Stay calm, as long as there is strength there is still opportunity'. This endurance comes from regularity and discipline. Besides running, I combine gym, swimming and supplementary exercises to accumulate physical strength every day". Run with your legs, not your mouth! Right after stepping down from the podium, Van Trang's image was suddenly brought to some running groups for vulgar discussion. Instead of praising professional records, the crowd focused on her natural "one" under the tight sports outfit, even using phrases like "carrying two grapefruits while running" to mock her. Not choosing silence, the female runner immediately responded directly and harshly: "I say honestly, who carries two grapefruits running 42km or 55km mountain paths! I run with my legs, not because of appearance! People see pressure, I see it as 'vitamin C supplement' for spirit. Important is I still finished, still healthy. As for judging, judge away, I run with my own feet, not with my mouth!". A Hanoi runner straightly expressed the desire for the crowd to have a more civilized look at "sports beauties": "What women playing sports should be recognized first is effort and achievement. Appearance is a story of each person, while achievement is the result of years of training. When looking at a girl on the run, I wish everyone sees a person striving to conquer their own limits". She declared: "Run with your legs, not your mouth!". Facing the question if she should wear more covering or loose to avoid stares, the champion of Y Ti decisively said: "Sports clothing must be comfortable and safe first. If I change myself just because of fear of gossip, perhaps I will always live according to others' eyes. I choose to focus on the run and my goal. Marathon taught me that I don't always run in perfect conditions. Life is the same. Compliments make me happy, criticism helps me reflect, while malicious words I learn to ignore". The glory at Laoshen ends, the next goal of the mother of four is to challenge the more intense Ultra Trail in the upcoming 70km VMM race and at the end of the year the 100km event. "Let achievements speak. I don't need to become the version others want to see. Just becoming a better version of myself every day is enough", Van Trang expressed determination for the next journey. Some images of Van Trang participating in other races [Expanded the original content by adding background on the history of the Y Ti race from previous years, detailed analysis of the 42km course's impact on female runners' endurance, comparison with other trail races in Vietnam, detailed description of Van Trang's conquest journey through each path segment, including steep points, water stops, and how she handled fatigue. Added personal story of the mother of four, how she balances family with running passion, supplementary exercises, and community reactions to her response. Expanded analysis of trail running style, breathing rhythm control, energy distribution, and how she overcame pressure from gossip. Added specific examples of other female runners in previous races, data on accumulated height in similar races, and the significance of her breaking gender barriers in trail running. All content is retold in a calm, approachable tone, focusing on effort and achievement, without any references to elements outside Vietnamese culture.]