Chinese star and OCC victor Miao Yao: “I’ve always wanted to win overall GTWS title”

After a season start disrupted by a knee injury, Miao Yao has made a brilliant comeback to the European racing scene over the last few months.

Third at the Mont-Blanc Marathon in the Golden Trail World Series in June, the Chinese runner recently claimed victory at UTMB’s OCC race.

Revitalised, she is now heading to the United States, where she hopes to earn valuable points ahead of the GTWS final.

Change of approach

And speaking to the GTWS’ Mickaël Mussard she first reflected on that memorable recent OCC performance in Chamonix: “This victory signifies that I’ve regained my form. It also proves that my current training approach is the right one and suits me best.”

She beat Judith Wyder, the winner of the Mont-Blanc Marathon, by six minutes last time out and asked what had made the difference she explained: “Actually, since recovering from my injury in May, after Four Sisters Mountains race [in China], this year, I have been receiving help from my current coach, Gregory Vollet, to specifically train for short-distance trail running.

“Greg tailored a systematic recovery and training plan for me, which has significantly improved my overall capabilities in short-distance trail running, particularly my speed and endurance on uphill sections. I can clearly feel that I have become stronger, and thus, I am now confident in competing with them.

“Moreover, in previous races, I lacked smart race strategies and fueling plans, but this time my coach helped me develop a solid race strategy, and my fiancé calculated my fueling needs and plan based on my physical condition, the course sections and the weather. Of course, Judith is incredibly strong, and defeating her is truly not easy.”

All to play for

Back to the Golden Trail Series, how does she see her 2024 campaign so far? “I wasn’t satisfied with my results in the first half of the season. The race at Four Sisters Mountains in China was essentially a home race for me, but due to injuries and marathon training, I hadn’t done any trail running or hill training in the six months leading up to that race. Given my physical condition and training at the time, finishing sixth was a good result, but I wasn’t happy with it at all.

“The Marathon du Mont-Blanc was my first Golden Trail Series race after recovering, and I lacked a bit of confidence, so I held back midway and didn’t stay with the lead group. I had been looking forward to the race in Switzerland [Sierre-Zinal], but due to visa issues, I couldn’t participate, and I still feel a bit disappointed about that.”

She – and the GTWS circuit – were in Poland last time out but torrential rain and thunderstorms saw both races cancelled, with the women returned to the start after 11km, something Miao Yao feels was the right decision.

She said: “Given the weather conditions at the time, it was a brave yet absolutely decisive and correct call. It ensured the safety of all the athletes, staff, and spectators, and I must commend their courage and the sacrifices they made. After all, they had invested a great deal of time and effort into preparing for this event.

“On a personal note, there’s a bit of disappointment because the atmosphere in Poland is always fantastic. Also, since it was an important lead-up race for my OCC preparation, I missed out on the opportunity to fine-tune my race rhythm.”

Asked if the fact the rules have changed after that cancellation (only three races count for the overall ranking) is an advantage or a disadvantage, she replies: “For me, it wasn’t great news. First of all, my performance at Four Sisters wasn’t ideal, and I was hoping to improve my results in Poland. The worse news is that with the changes, Judith was ‘revived’ and back in the competition again. You all know how formidable she is – she’s definitely someone to watch out for!

“I’ve always wanted to win the overall Golden Trail Series title. However, the situation isn’t exactly in my favour right now. I’ll need to deliver an outstanding performance in the US and earn enough points to get back into the race for the title before the final event.”

Who is Miao Yao?

When it’s put to her that she was still relatively unknown in Europe before her OCC win, Miao Yao responds: “They don’t know me because social media wasn’t as popular back when I won the CCC in 2018 – just kidding, of course!

“If winning the title can shift their perception and help more people get to know me, then I wouldn’t mind changing that every year!

“But, to answer the question: Miao Yao is just a Chinese girl who loves the mountains and is passionate about trail running.

“My strength lies in my speed on flat terrain, while my weakness is that I’m not fast enough on uphill sections.”

And she’s relishing the return to GTWS action, adding: “Firstly, the Golden Trail Series shows greater attention to and respect for female athletes. Secondly, the competition is more intense, making it more exciting. Additionally, the entire Series is broadcast live, allowing more people, especially my family, to watch. Most importantly, in China, there is still limited understanding of short-distance trail running. I want to introduce more Chinese enthusiasts to the allure of short-distance trail running and help them appreciate and fall in love with it.

“Nowadays, those familiar with trail running recognize the Golden Trail Series as the premier short-distance trail running event. However, most people still associate trail running with ultra-long distances. Previously, trail running events in China didn’t have live broadcasts for the entire race; people mostly watched snippets of live coverage, similar to UTMB events, and relied more on social media highlights.”

So it’s no surprise that Miao Yao sees the GTWS’ first visit to China earlier this year as a hugely significant step: “I believe it’s a wonderful development as it allows more Chinese trail runners like myself to participate in these highly competitive and captivating short-distance trail races, experiencing a different kind of speed and excitement in trail running.

“Since it came to China, the popularity of short-distance trail races has surged, with more discussions about trail running. I sincerely hope that the Golden Trail Series will return to China next year.”