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To her family, friends, and colleagues, Bình Minh was a person who took things seriously and lived her life with passion and purpose. Her hobbies and interests painted a portrait of who she was.
To her family, friends, and colleagues, Bình Minh was a person who took things seriously and lived her life with passion and purpose. Her hobbies and interests painted a portrait of who she was.
"I'm just a girl, trying to live life to the fullest"
Bình Minh, 18/03/2019
Cooking
Cooking
Bình Minh loved cooking. It's not just a hobby, but a joy in her daily life. Her dishes are made to be both delicious and nourishing - thoughtfully balanced, light in sweetness and fat, and always beautifully presented.
She especially enjoys preparing meals for her husband and teaching her children the art of cooking.
"Following Chef Athena Nguyễn's recipe to make a healthy yoghurt oat smoothie breakfast.
Healthy for my husband - but for me? Pork rib porridge and fried "chung cake" are what really keep me full!!"
Bình Minh, 26/10/2022
Piano
Piano
Ballerina is a tender, simple melody, its gentle rhythm like the steps of a ballerina - or of an angel finding her way home to the sky. Minh played it on an old piano, in a small rented house at 3007 Dahlgren Street, Los Angeles. Whenever you feel tired or overwhelmed, listen to Minh's piano - and let the music soothe your heart.
Bình Minh played piano for her husband, 01/2015
Reading
Reading
Minh's favourite author was Jane Austen, especially "Pride and Prejudice" and "Mansfield Park". She also loved novels featuring female protagonists with distinctive personalities and destinies - women living through inner turmoil and uncertainty - such as "Anna Karenina", "Madame Bovary", and "Rebecca".
In her younger years, Minh enjoyed reading Harry Potter, Suzanne Collins' "The Hunger Games" series, and Stephenie Meyer's "Twilight" series.
With a constant desire for self-improvement, Minh often read self-help books by Jack Canfield, Stephen Covey, and John Maxwell. Her favourite was "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People".
As a mother deeply invested in her children's growth, Minh spent a lot of time reading parenting books. Whenever she encountered challenges in her relationship with her children, she would turn to books for guidance on how to respond with care and wisdom.
One special habit of Minh's was reading in English since her university years. For her, reading books in their original language was even easier than reading translations. Despite a busy family and career life, she would often listen to English audiobooks before reading the printed version.
"Reading is a form of meditation for me. It gives me a chance to temporarily forget the busyness of everyday life and immerse myself in a completely different world - a world of strangers who bring me intense emotions that I've never experienced before.
Because I don’t have much free time, I usually listen to audiobooks. Whenever I'm doing something that doesn't require too much concentration - like walking, showering, or cooking - I take the opportunity to listen. I've just finished three romance novels by Colleen Hoover, a very popular American author. I'm not sure why none of her books have been translated into Vietnamese yet, but if you can read English, I highly recommend her".
Bình Minh, 06/09/2022
Elegant, gentle and full of feminine charm
Elegant, gentle and full of feminine charm
Bình Minh embraced her femininity. Like many women, she loved wearing "áo dài" and enjoyed being photographed gracefully and beautifully.
"To me, femininity is not only about a graceful appearance, or cooking and arranging flowers. Those are parts of it, but what matters more is the softness in one's words, the gentleness in one's gestures, and the ability not to lose temper when things feel unsatisfying. And if there is no peace within, it is difficult to express that gentleness outwardly. Perhaps femininity is not something we are simply born with, but a kind of inner strength - a quality that must be nurtured and practiced to grow".
Bình Minh, 10/03/2025
Gym
Gym
"I always look forward to going to the gym. It's a rare moment in my day when I allow myself to focus entirely on me - to relax, recharge, and not be disturbed by anyone. After having children, I understand even more that beauty is not permanent, but we can always become the healthiest and most beautiful version of ourselves through exercise.
*Thoughts on a day when the gym was closed due to Covid*
Bình Minh, 11/03/2020
Running
Running
Bình Minh loves running. She trained for marathons with the same seriousness and discipline that she once devoted to writing scientific papers. Minh completed two full marathons - the New York City Marathon in 2019 and the Chicago Marathon in 2023 - along with many half marathons. Her personal record was 3:56:02 at the Chicago Marathon 2023.
Bình Minh was a member of the Chay365 Running Club from its early days (August 2014). She regularly joined the group's weekend long runs.
On December 27, 2025, on Chay365's 185th weekly long run, the club's board and members held a memorial ceremony in honour of Bình Minh.
To remember her, Chay365 has renamed its Saturday long run as the Chay365 Bình Minh Long Run, both to honour a devoted member of the club and to symbolize a run welcoming the dawn over Hoàn Kiếm Lake.
Photo credits: Đinh Linh, Đỗ Mạnh Cường, Lưu Minh Khương, Tịnh Không, Thanh Long, Triệu Việt Linh, Trần Lê Tuấn
"It has been a week since I completed my first marathon, yet I still feel a strange sense of euphoria every time I hold the medal in my hands.
I hesitated quite a bit before registering for this race. I had given birth just the year before, and I was afraid I wouldn't be able to run such a long distance. In the months leading up to the race, I also went through surgery, which interrupted my training for a while. I managed only three runs longer than 21 km, with the longest being 32 km. My training pace was even quite slow, around 7 minutes per kilometre. That meant I would have to work very hard to maintain that pace over 42 km in order to finish under 5 hours.
On race day, I gave it everything I had, knowing that all the fatigue and pain along the course would fade quickly. But the pride of surpassing my own limits would remain - and become the motivation for me to conquer even greater challenges ahead".
Bình Minh, November 2019, after completing the New York City Marathon
Running has never been easy
"Truly. I believe that if you ask any runner, at any level, they can describe moments of exhaustion and the urge to give up - those are feelings they've experienced many times. I’m no exception. Even in a single training session, there are moments when I feel like I can't breathe, when I just want to stop and walk home. But if I push myself to run just a little further, somehow the fatigue eases, and a wave of joy appears as endorphins flood my body.
During training, I had never been able to run more than 2 km without stopping for a walk break. Yet in my recent 10-miler race, I ran 16 km continuously without walking - only stopping briefly at water stations before running on again. That was when I realized: I was more tired in my mind than in my legs.
I’ve found a few tips that really help maintain passion and consistency in running:
1. Take one step at a time.
I think this is the most important factor - and also the hardest. Start with 1 km. The next day, try 2 km. Small steps like that eventually lead to 10 km. And consistency matters, because once you stop, endurance will gradually diminish.
2. Follow running role models on social media.
I especially love following mothers of two or three children who are still deeply passionate about running - and even fast runners too. They give me faith that if we truly want something, we can achieve it. With young kids, time is hard to manage. Here in the US, I often see parents running while pushing strollers with one, two, or even three children. (Sometimes under scorching sun or freezing cold, the kids bounce around in the stroller - I can’t help feeling sorry for them. But well… that’s the fate of children born to runner parents!)
3. Buy some running gear.
Running doesn’t require much - just a good pair of shoes. But sometimes getting fun accessories like a watch or new running outfits gives a surprising boost of motivation. (My husband is very dedicated to buying me these things to encourage me to run - I’m very grateful!)
4. Register for a race.
Once you've paid the fee and race day is approaching, there’s no choice but to train.
I'm still a slow runner, but I'm writing these tips to encourage anyone who wants to start running".
Bình Minh, April 20, 2019
Balancing Life and Passion
"People often ask me how I can manage to make time for running with kids. As a mother of three, with my youngest just over three years old, I understand well the stress of missing workouts, the lack of sleep, lack of time - and sometimes, lack of motivation to train. I don’t race that often (I’ve completed two full marathons and more than five half marathons), but I’d like to share a few tips on balancing running with family and parenting responsibilities:
Run early before the kids wake up.
Early morning is a golden time for me to run. Every mother knows the feeling of "mom guilt"- the guilt of leaving your kids at home to do something just for yourself. I feel it most when the kids are awake and at home; for example, on weekends when I go to the gym or meet friends, I’m often eager to be back home quickly. But running early, while the kids are still asleep, feels much more peaceful. I don't need to worry about who is watching them or what they are doing. Plus, finishing a workout at the start of the day gives me more energy, and I don't have to stress about fitting training into my schedule later. For a 60-minute run, I simply wake up at 5:15, start at 5:30, and I'm back home by 6:30. The trade off is going to bed early to avoid sleep deprivation.
Rely on family support.
I definitely couldn't follow any training plan without the support of my family, my parents and our helper who look after the children. Having family who encourage my training and are willing to watch the kids, even for just 45 minutes to an hour, is truly precious.
Adjust goals to fit each life stage.
Not every season of life requires training for a full marathon, and not every race needs a personal record. If a period of life demands that I prioritize family and children, I will adjust my running goals accordingly to reduce stress. Sometimes, simply maintaining the habit of running - whether fast or slow, short or long - is already beneficial for both physical and mental health, rather than setting overly ambitious goals and falling into burnout. And honestly, between training and my children, I will always choose my children - because I know the time they stay close to me is limited. When they grow up and leave for school, there will be plenty of time to train harder again.
Invest in a home treadmill.
I haven't one for myself, but it's quite common abroad. If there's no one available to watch the kids but you still want to run, a home treadmill can help - you can complete your workout while the kids play nearby, and still keep an eye on them.
Some mothers choose to run while pushing a stroller. I personally don't do this, as running environments in Vietnam can be unsafe and polluted, and what works for the mother may not be comfortable for the child. I'm not against it - every family has different circumstances — but I believe that if one does run with a stroller, it’s important to use a proper stroller with good suspension to reduce shaking and protect the baby's comfort.
Running is not easy. And running while carrying the responsibilities of motherhood requires even greater motivation. How about you? I'd love to hear other moms share their own tips for training while taking care of young kids!".
Bình Minh, June 30, 2025
Consistent running requires not only physical endurance, but also the ability to organize your work and balance life well.
“You never regret when you do run, but always regret it when you don’t.”
Bình Minh, August 2023
The Chay365 Memorial for Bình Minh
The Chay365 Memorial for Bình Minh
Chay365 Bình Minh Long Run
The Saturday morning long run was founded to create an open and welcoming space for everyone who shared a love for running. Bình Minh had been involved in supporting this long run since its very first days. By the end of 2025, the run had been held for 186 consecutive weeks.
After Bình Minh’s passing, her husband, together with the Chay365 community, named the club’s weekend long run after her to honor her memory. That name, "Bình Minh Long Run", also carries the meaning of a run that welcomes the first rays of dawn—bình minh—each new morning.
The Music of the Night was played at Chay365's memorial ceremony for Bình Minh. It was a melody deeply connected to many memories shared by Minh and her husband - a romantic yet mysterious piece that tells a love story between two worlds: Light and Darkness.
Close your eyes
And surrender to your darkest dreams,
Purge all thoughts of the life you knew before,
Close your eyes, let your spirit start to soar
And you'll live like you've never lived before
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