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Sub Hub Stories : Miao Yao

For this edition of Sub Hub Stories, we had the privilege of sitting down with one of the most dominant forces in women’s trail running today, Miao Yao, fresh off her victory at the 2024 OCC. Known for her aggressive downhill running and tactical racing, Miao has been on our radar since her incredible performance at CCC in 2018, and she’s only gotten stronger since.

In our conversation, Miao opens up about her preparation, the key adjustments she made from last year, the challenges she faced during the race, and more!

1. What are the differences in your preparation for OCC this year compared to last year?

今年你为 OCC 做的准备与去年相比有哪些不同？ 答：训练模式有了很大的改变，我的教练为我出了更多针对性的训练计划，主要对我爬坡速度和耐力做了针对性训练，比如我8月的训练量600公里，累计爬升达到了20000米，这些训练可以提升我在短距离中的竞争力。

My training approach has changed significantly. My coach provided more targeted training plans, mainly focusing on improving my climbing speed and endurance. For example, in August, I trained 600 kilometers with a total elevation gain of 20,000 meters. These workouts are meant to enhance my competitiveness in shorter distances.

2. What did you learn from last year's race, and how did you improve to achieve victory this year?

从去年的比赛中你学到了什么，并在今年的比赛中改进以取得胜利？ 答：赛前比赛策略和补给计划不够细致，导致前半程跑太快体能过度消耗。今年赛前与教练按补给点和以及比赛路况分段，规划好比赛战略，并预先准备了各种可能发生情况的应对策略；所以在体能分配和在能量补给上都做了很好的准备，而且在比赛中严格执行了比赛策略。

Last year, my race strategy and nutrition plan weren't detailed enough, which led me to run too fast in the first half and exhaust my energy. This year, my coach and I planned the race strategy based on the aid stations and course conditions. We also prepared contingency plans for various possible situations. So, I was well-prepared for energy distribution and nutrition, and I strictly followed the race strategy.

3. You've won both CCC and OCC. Will you try UTMB again, or will you stick to shorter distances?

你赢了 CCC，也赢了 OCC，你会再次尝试 UTMB 吗？还是会坚持较短距离的比赛？ 答：会考虑30岁以后或许35岁参加UTMB组，近几年还是会坚持较短距离的比赛。 

I might consider participating in the UTMB category after I turn 30 or maybe 35, but I will stick to shorter races for the next few years.

4. Who is in your support team this year, and how did they influence your victory at OCC?

今年你的支持团队都有谁？他们对你在 OCC 的胜利有何影响？ 答：我的团队有我的赞助商们，Salomon给我提供了最新的比赛装备，M-Action给我提供营养支持，Suunto （watch）和 ifit （treadmill）也根据我平时的训练数据提供了技术支持，他们尽力去满足关于我训练的一切需求。当然还有教练和我的未婚夫，他们为我制定训练计划和比赛策略以及康复，让我能在这么激烈的比赛中最终取得胜利。

My team includes my sponsors—Salomon provided me with the latest race gear, M-Action provided nutritional support, and Suunto (watch) and iFit (treadmill) gave me technical support based on my training data. They did their best to meet all my training needs. Of course, my coach and my fiancé also played key roles, developing training plans, race strategies, and helping with recovery, all of which allowed me to succeed in such a competitive race. 

5. What was the most challenging part of the race for you, and how did you push through?

比赛中对你来说最具挑战的部分是什么？你是如何坚持下去的？

答：当天的炎热的天气对我来说也是一个巨大的挑战，不过我们在赛前的准备中已经预料到了这个情况，所以提前做了准备，比如在补给站尽可能用水龙头给身体降温，带了臂套沾水也可以降温。此外我们还增大了水的补充，以及将更多的电解质浓缩液加入补给，事实证明这些准备很奏效，我并没有受到太多高温天气的影响。 

The heat on race day was a huge challenge for me. However, we anticipated this during preparation, so we planned accordingly. For example, I used water taps at aid stations to cool my body, wore arm sleeves that could be soaked in water to help cool down, increased my water intake, and added more electrolyte concentrates to my nutrition. These preparations were effective, and I wasn’t too affected by the heat. 7. What advice would you give to other athletes looking to excel in high-level races like OCC?  

Performance in any race is determined by the hundreds of days of training beforehand. I would advise athletes to tailor their training based on the actual conditions of the race. Don’t put too much pressure on your body, listen to it, and progress step by step. Most importantly, stay healthy and maintain consistent training.

Results Recap

Current Series Rankings

World Mountain Running Ranking Top 10 - 5 events remain on the WMRA calendar prior the final even in Italy October 12-13. Two of the events happen in the U.S. at Birkie Trail Run Festival and Flagstaff Sky Peaks, hopefully adding some American athletes to the rankings.

Merrell Skyrunner® World Series Top 10 - After the September races, Hillary Gerardi takes the lead from Karina Carsolio and Oihana Kortazar bumps some other Spanish women down the rankings. The men’s rankings don’t change much with Gianluca being the only athlete to make a significant jump. Their are still a handful of races left in the series before the final in November.

Golden Trail World Series Top 10 - After the American races, the Golden Trail World Series rankings are set heading into the final in October. It’s been an exciting season, but will we see any upsets in Switzerland? Anna Gibson is holding it down for American’s in all the major series at the moment.

Trail Training Tip

Sub-Ultra Athletes of the Month

As we waved goodbye to 2023, we cooked up a plan for future years: ending the year with a bang by handpicking our top ten Sub-Ultra athletes. But hey, why wait until December to start the celebration? Every month, we're spotlighting athletes whose performances have dazzled, impressed, or just put a big grin on our faces. So while it might not be a perfect match for our 2024 list, it's sure to sprinkle some fun along the way!

Our picks for performances in September 2024.

Elhousine?

Joyce? Madalina? American women?

Looking Forward

It’s beginning to feel like crunch time in the trail and mountain world. As championship season begins at the end of this month in Chamonix, everyone is starting to feel the heat of training through the summer to get ready to rip.