MONKEY MOUNTAIN CHALLENGE 2025 UPDATE: LONELY ON THE SOFA

Mr. Old Man borrows the title of the song Cô Đơn Trên Sofa (Lonely on the Sofa) to talk about Trần Mai, the female cyclist taking on the Monkey Mountain Challenge 2025. However, unlike Hồ Ngọc Hà’s song, where loneliness stems from a broken heart, Trần Mai is “lonely” because she dominates the Vietnam mountain climbing leaderboard, leaving all other cyclists far behind.

According to Strava statistics, by the end of March, with 20,846 meters climbed, Trần Mai has accumulated a total of 66,294 meters on Khỉ Già since the beginning of the year—equivalent to 120 climbs. With this result, she continues to firmly hold the top position among Vietnam’s mountain climbers, surpassing Lam Hoang, a seasoned climber from Lâm Đồng, by over 16,000 meters.

As with last month, it would be remiss not to mention another female cyclist (who still prefers to remain anonymous) currently ranked second in elevation gain on Khỉ Già. Focused primarily on challenging herself rather than competing, she happily climbs 3–5 times per week. By the end of March, she had completed 65 climbs of Khỉ Già.

Beyond Trần Mai, who is officially participating in the Monkey Mountain Challenge 2025, the Khỉ Già route also sees numerous male and female cyclists riding every morning. Despite their dedication and effort, these riders are not part of the challenge and do not use Strava, making it impossible to track their achievements.

There are still nine months left in the Monkey Mountain Challenge 2025. This is a test of endurance rather than raw strength. Let’s hit LIKE and leave a comment to encourage these cyclists as they pursue their dreams of setting records on Khỉ Già!

AND NOW, SOME SAD NEWS

Recently, a veteran cyclist known as “Mountain God”, who had conquered Khỉ Già for many years, suddenly passed away—leaving the Đà Nẵng cycling community in deep sorrow. Though he was not officially part of the Monkey Mountain Challenge 2025, his absence on the Khỉ Già route each morning has left fellow cyclists feeling a void, as if missing a source of motivation to conquer this challenge. Our deepest condolences go out to his family.

About Khỉ Già Peak

Khỉ Già Peak, one of the summits of the Sơn Trà Peninsula, sits at 549 meters above sea level, with a 5.65 km climb and an average gradient of 9.4%—making it a tough challenge, especially for newcomers or those who rarely tackle mountain climbs. Ascending Khỉ Già, particularly during the two cold and rainy months, is a true endurance test (see Strava stats for route details).

In 2024, female cyclist Nga Nguyen set a record with 300 climbs of Khỉ Già. In 2025, Trần Mai has set an ambitious goal—to break that record with 400 climbs.

Mr. Old Man, 31.03.2025