Cambodian Women Run 100 Kilometers in the Angkor Ultra-Trail

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By:
- Ung Chamroeun
- Kim Makara
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January 19, 2025, 7:30 PM
SIEM REAP — Seven Cambodian women took part in the 100-kilometer run, which was the longest distance in the 8th Angkor Ultra Trail race (UTA) held on Jan. 18 in the Angkor Archaeological Park in Siem Reap province.
As many as 1,700 people from 40 countries ran in the race that consisted of six courses: the 8km Elephant Trail; the 18km Temple Run for Nordic walking and hiking; the 32km Jungle Trail; the 42km Marathon Trail; the 64km Bayon Trail; and the 100km Ultra Trail. As many as 120 people registered for the Ultra Trail with 25 percent of them being Cambodians and among them seven women.
Lay Sreyrath: Running for One’s Health, Community and Country
This was Sreyrath’s fourth time to take part in the UTA, but this was the first time that the 32-yeat-old woman was doing the 100km circuit, having done the 18km run in the past. She has also taken part in marathons three times.
“New experiences from running through mountains, local residences in the Angkor area, and the landscapes of rice fields and temples” she said, drove her to try running in the 100km race after completing the 42km distance.
“I love running a long distance,” Sreyrath said. “I want to try. It’s not a problem because I have experienced running a full marathon already. Besides, I have fun.”
Sreyrath, who is an organizer of the Sabay Running Club, said she believes that being healthy contributes to the community and the country. People can remain mentally and physically healthy by running or doing other sports, she said.

Ly Sopheak: the Ultra-Trail to Meet Eight Goals
Following her experience in the 50km distance, Sopheak, who is 38 years old, took on a new challenge by running 100 kilometers through Angkor Park. She had eight goals to achieve during the run, she said: touring traditional and historical attractions, self-competition, enjoying beautiful landscapes, being part of the community and environment of the event, improving her ability and health, exploration and adventure, and charity for and promotion of Cambodia.
The Ultra-Trail was a new challenge for Sopheak’s physical and mental ability, she said. And then experiencing natural settings, the greenery, rice fields, ancient ponds, and local livelihood added to the beauty of the Angkor Park temples for her.
Not only did the event contribute to promoting national tourism treasures, but it also helped raise money for charitable causes to address social issues and especially related to children, she said.

Heng Chenda: Friendship, Health, and Charity
Unlike Sreyrath and Sopheak, long-distance running was not a new experience for Chenda, who officially started running two and a half years ago with the KK Running Club. She ran in the 70km circuit run during the Independence Celebration in 2023, the 50km circuit in the Elephants Trail in 2024, the 250km circuit over five days along the Mekong River for the Clara: Children’s Home, and the 220km circuit in the Global Limit in 2024. She also did the 64km circuit in the UTA in 2024.
Running long distances can be physically challenging for women; however, Chenda encourages fellow women to overcome this with determination.
“It sounds difficult for women to run 100km of a challenging route,” she said. “Everything, however, depends on determination and training: I believe that everyone can do it if they try…Running is for health. I used to weigh 71kg, but I’ve lost 57kg so far. Besides, running can cure some women’s health problems too.”
Running also brings people together. Chenda has befriended many runners with more experience than she has, who love running and are hybrid athletes. Also, running events contribute to social work and the Angkor Hospital for Children, she said.
“I have partly contributed to society through running,” Chenda said. “I’m happy that I have helped save the lives of children at the hospital, and the KK Running Club always collects money through running events for charity.”

Yun Soaphorn: Adventure, Challenging Oneself and Breaking One’s Records
Interested in adventure, Soaphorn, who is 26 years old, tried the 100km distance for the first time this year, having done the 50km and 71km distances within five months of her running journey.
“I like to compete with myself to gain new experiences, although it seems like an arduous test,” she said. “However, we never know [how capable we are] if we don’t try.”
Sophorn likes adventurous sports such as hiking and is convinced that Cambodian women can do everything. The number of women joining half-marathon and full-marathon events is growing, she pointed out. And the number of those taking part in long-distance running also shows a remarkable rise—regardless of a smaller number compared to the other two types of running, she added.

Rith Munita: the First and Only Woman Running the 100km UTA 2024
Rith Munita, also known as Neath, took part in the Angkor Ultra Trail (UTA) race twice. In 2024, she took 18 hours, 20 minutes and 48 seconds to complete the 100km run, which was around six hours after the first Cambodian man, Kim Saroeun (Kim Kok), had reached the finish line.
“In the previous years, many foreign women joined the Ultra-Trail without any Cambodian women, so I decided to join as a historical opening for fellow women on the trail,” Munita said. “It is also to promote Khmer culture.”
Munita, who is 31 years old, has taken part in many trail-running events and half marathons in the country over the past three years, including in Mondulkiri province. She encourages fellow women to challenge themselves by running a long distance, relying on their determination even though this is not their profession, she said, adding that everything starts with training.
Munita joined the 100km event twice, which was to win and reduce stress. “Running the 100km isn’t easy; some wouldn’t even think of it,” she said. “Such a long distance throws many obstacles along the way; we need to solve them, both the physical and mental, from one kilometer to the next.”
Munita considers such a long distance to be a life lesson.
“We ought to learn to solve problems because those problems are present with us daily, including mental pressure and stress over planned and unplanned events,” she said. “Certainly, we prepare everything for our safety, to reach our goals. However, we face many things—expected or unexpected—along the way. That’s the lesson I learned, to ask myself if I must keep going, or should I give up when I face those obstacles.”

Nam Chamnan: Recharge One’s Energy, Breathe in Nature’s Air during the Long Run
To breathe the air in nature along the greenery, temples and rural areas, Chamnan, who is a busy dentist based in a hectic city, Phnom Penh, joined the Ultra-Trail. She believed it would help cleanse her lungs and be healthy for her heart.
Chamnan had previously completed a 64km run in 10 hours. As a first-timer for the 100km distance, Chamnan considered this a life-changer from which she would return to work being efficient, with positive thoughts and a stress-and-temper free mentality.
“Amidst the quiet running route, the brain absorbs natural air, relaxing mental activity,” she said. “Solutions sometimes pop up while running.”
Running slows down the pace of life and unlocks hidden potential, Chamnan said. Even with a fit and slim physique, she can overcome heat, rain, and the fear of isolating herself from the group when dogs chase in the hills, sand, and rice fields. This strengthens her mindset and patience to solve challenges upfront.
“Running through new locations is like traveling for leisure, which can also build new friendships in sports and sometimes even attract new customers,” she said.

Rin Srebrak: a Woman of a Few Words yet Active
Sreybrak, who is 36 years old, tends to express herself through actions, not words. This was her first time to run in the Ultra-Trail, and she showed her capability on the circuit.
“What’s important is that I am a person who likes breaking my own record,” she said, explaining that her goal is not really to compete against others.
Sreybrak runs as a hobby in addition to cycling and hiking. Being a sports lover, she encouraged people to “find a sports hobby for themselves as well and do it as much as possible for better health of mental and physical condition.”

The Ultra Trail of Angkor (UTA) is held by the National Olympic Committee of Cambodia in cooperation with the Phoenix Voyages Company. Jean Claude Le Cornec, who founded the Sports Development and Performance Organisation, initiated UTA to promote Angkor Park and contribute to sports development and charity projects in the country.
Originally written in Khmer for Thmey Thmey, this story was translated by Meng Seavmey for Cambodianess.
