Trail Runner Yao Miao Is Running Down New Goals With ACG
- April 08, 2026
For Yao Miao, becoming the “Queen of Trail Running” in China took everything she had.
Yao grew up in a small farming village in China’s Guizhou Province, the youngest of six daughters. She often helped her parents, working long hours in the rice fields, but even as a child she knew she wanted to pursue a future outside of her rural community.
That opportunity came in middle school. Yao left home when she was selected as one of four students from her area to attend a state-run sports school for future elite athletes. The early days were tough. Leaving her family wasn’t easy, and she often felt lonely and homesick. Her body struggled to adapt to a kind of training she had never done before. But it was there that she discovered her passion for trail running.
Overtime, her natural resilience paid off. She pushed through injuries and setbacks to become Asia’s first three-time Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc (UTMB) Finals champion, one of the most celebrated trail running races in the world.
Now, as she joins the ACG All Conditions Racing Department, ACG's roster of elite trail running athletes, Yao looks back on where her journey began, the victories and challenges along the way, and how her ACG partnership will help reach a new generation of athletes.
My hometown helped shape me into an elite athlete. There are many small mountains, and I played there when I was young, so I grew used to that terrain. That experience helped me become a strong trail runner. I really enjoy running in China’s mountain environments, especially running on the Great Wall.
It’s important to know that you don’t have to reach your goals immediately. At sport school, I focused mainly on running and was part of an organized team. But after graduating in 2016, I was not chosen to join a professional team or university. So, I started working. I handed out flyers at a gym, then I helped my sister at her makeup shop. I felt lost. I wasn’t training like an athlete anymore.
I wasn’t interested in anything but running. Eventually, that rejection was motivating for me. I had the opportunity to enter a trail race. While I didn’t finish, that failure to finish made me feel I needed to come back to trail running. My goal was to become the best trail runner of all time. I made up my mind to keep working and continue racing. I believed I could succeed and I wanted to prove it.
One of my most challenging races was in 2019 at UTMB. During the 168km run, I had a period where I lost my vision. I was racing so much that my body couldn’t bear the strain of so many competitions. I couldn’t finish the race, and the organizers asked me to quit. I was very nervous because I worried I might never see again and not be able to return to trail running. The vision loss was only temporary, but I felt like I was losing confidence in the sport.
"My goal was to become the best trail runner of all time. I made up my mind to keep working and continue racing. I believed I could succeed and I wanted to prove it."
Yao Miao, ACG All Conditions Racing Department trail runner
Getting my footing in trail running took time, but that journey was so rewarding. After my first championship in 2018, I knew I had the talent and motivation to become an elite trail runner. I kept chasing another win but couldn't seem to get one. I struggled in 2019 with several DNFs and stopped racing in 2020. But I still had this intense passion for the sport, so I came back in 2023. I finally won again in 2024, the OCC-UTMB, which was my most satisfying victory. I was back! The hard work paid off, and I felt like I could finally move forward.
For me, the most important mindset is love for the sport. I’ve faced many challenges, but because I love trail running, I’ve been able to keep going and become who I am today.
In an April visit to Philip H. Knight Campus (PHK), Yao Miao went through testing at the Nike Sport Research Lab to help dial in her training and inform future trail running product.
"I want to inspire teenage girls who grow up in underdeveloped areas like I did to find their confidence and know that the world is vast. Sport has the power to open new doors for them."
Yao Miao, ACG All Conditions Racing Department trail runner
I want trail runners to think about how their actions affect the environment. Trail running is becoming popular very quickly. However, many runners still don’t think enough about protecting their environment. I encourage runners to care for the outdoors and our planet — stay on marked trails, carry out their trash properly, respect the wildlife. Protecting these spaces is part of being a responsible runner. I know it’s not easy to educate everyone, but I can start with myself and help model good behavior. Last year, I helped organize events focused on environmental protection and I hope, in the future, more people will join me.
I know how much I can do with ACG to build my dream and support the next generation. I’m proud to launch the Nike-supported “Boundless Girls with Yao Miao” initiative that will help more girls in many Chinese primary and secondary schools access sports. I want to inspire teenage girls who grow up in underdeveloped areas like I did to find their confidence and know that the world is vast. Sport has the power to open new doors for them.
Yao Miao running on Hollister Trail next to PHK.
