Mutual support

Ren Chunming, an amateur runner who secured eighth place in the women's category of the 168km Mt Gaoligong Ultra, strongly resonates with Chi's goal of fostering a spirit of mutual support.

During the race, Ren came across a young male runner who was struggling with the high altitude and steep climbs. She stayed with him until they reached a spot where the Blue Sky Rescue Team and firefighters were stationed, entrusted him to their care, and then continued on her way.

In another race, Ren encountered a girl who was in tears and struggling to keep climbing. Ren decided to forgo her own finish time to stay with the girl, offering her water, and helping to soothe her.

"I can always work on improving my performance next time, but if I see someone in need and don't help, and then find out something happened to them, it would haunt me for the rest of my life," she said.

Ren, a car salesperson from Tengchong fueled by her passion for running, but without any formal training, achieved first place in the women's category of the 50km trail race at the 2018 Mt Gaoligong Ultra and secured fourth place in the women's 168km race at the 2024 edition.

"Everyone can embrace trail running, regardless of gender. Although women might have slightly less physical strength than men, their resilience is deeply ingrained, often resulting in lower dropout rates in races," she added.

Yang Yu, a 41-year-old police officer from Sichuan province, shares a similar view with Ren.

She noted that, unlike some male runners, female runners are more likely to push through difficulties, believing they can overcome the challenge by pacing themselves.

"We may not have the advantage in physical strength, but when it comes to endurance, female athletes are truly impressive. This is also why they tend to have higher completion rates," Yang, who finished sixth in the women's category of the 55km trail race at Mt Gaoligong, said.

"When I go trail running, my husband takes care of the household and our two kids. He supports my dreams, and I back his hobbies, like fishing," Yang said.