Hanoi KiloRun proves to be a foodie’s delight

A Thai tourist looking to add 0.5kg to her weight easily overshoots target after eight dishes on the run.

Many tourists headed to the Hoan Kiem (Sword) Lake in the heart of the capital city last Sunday to participate in the "KiloRun Hanoi 2019" festival. The festival attracted hundreds of visitors from Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia, Japan, Britain, Belgium and the U.S. 

The morning run attracted a large number of participants for the different distance categories of 2.3 km, 6.7 km and 10.7 km. The tourists ran past prominent sightseeing spots like the Hanoi Opera House, Ngoc Son Temple, Thang Long Imperial Citadel and Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum.

The chilly weather and less crowded streets during the weekend added comfort to the run.

The afternoon run, with eight stops at traditional specialty restaurants in Hanoi's Old Quarter, appealed to those who love to discover new dishes and beverages, including egg coffee, sticky rice, Vietnamese pancake, bun cha (which got a publicity fillip from Obama ), spring rolls, Vietnamese sweet treats, dry pho noodles, freshly made rice rolls, and bun dau (noodles with tofu and shrimp paste).

The runners are recognized in terms of weight gained over a distance of 3.5 km. Those who put on 0.5-1 kg after the run will receive medals.

Cake (yes that’s her name) from Chiang Mai, Thailand said she wanted to experience something fun that makes her feel physically good, so she ran the KiloRun with her friends, aiming to put on 0.5 kg in one afternoon.

Thai Ambassador to Vietnam, Tanee Sangrat, participated in the 6.7 km distance run in the morning and followed it up with the afternoon run, trying all eight dishes on the menu.

Several visitors from Thailand found that Vietnamese sweet treats taste like a Thai sweet treat made with tofu. Some people planned to eat 6 of 8 items on the menu, but were already full at the third stop at a shop on Hang Bac Street.

At each stop, runners have about 5-10 minutes to indulge in the specialties.

A Thai woman chose to run in a traditional Vietnamese dress ao dai.

Nooky (left), from Thailand, was excited to eat bun dau, noodles with tofu and shrimp paste, at the last stop on Hang Khay Street. She squeezed some lime, added some chilies into the shrimp paste and stirred it until it got foamy before dipping the tofu in it, which is exactly how it should be eaten.

Nooky aimed to gain 0.5 kg after having all eight items on the menu, but ended up 1.4 kg heavier.

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The Hanoi KiloRun was the fourth one of its kind. The first one was held in Bangkok, the second in Bali, and the third in Osaka.

In addition to delicious food and other local attractions, the cities where the run is held are on routes operated by AirAsia, the biggest budget airline in Southeast Asia. As the main sponsor of the run, passengers receive discounts when buying a ticket to the festival.

The next KiloRun is expected to take place in Bangkok again. Participants will get to explore ancient Bangkok's architectural gems like the Royal Palace and many spectacular temples while tucking into the fare at several gourmet-pleasing restaurants.