Strenuous runs take women to the summit

Solitude, darkness, the capriciousness of the wilderness, and the physical toll of traversing steep terrain over long distances - any of these could understandably deter women from taking up trail running.

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Lyu Ruihan (left) completed a 15.5-mile trail running race in Hong Kong last year while five months pregnant.

(PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY)

Yet, in defiance of such challenges, China is witnessing a remarkable surge of women adopting the world of dirt, rocks and hills, with its elite athletes now commanding international recognition.

A standout example came in late August when Yao Miao, 29, triumphed in the women's category of the Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc OCC, a 37.9-mile race around Mont Blanc in France. The course runs from Orsieres to Champex to Chamonix. With this victory, together with her 2018 win in the 62.8-mile Courmayeur via Champex-Lac to Chamonix and another OCC title last year, Yao made history as the first and only Asian to claim three UTMB titles in different event categories.

Yao, widely regarded as China's queen of trail running, now holds fourth place in the International Trail Running Association rankings, with a performance index of 827. Her compatriot Xiang Fuzhao, 34, is in sixth place with a score of 816.