“The distance from Beijing to Chamonix isn’t far — just 100 kilometers,” Yang Jiagen joked after winning the 100km title at the Beijing International Trail Challenge. As for his goal of breaking into the top six, he also offered a calm analysis: “In terms of physical strength, the gap between Chinese and foreign athletes isn’t huge. The real differences lie in pacing and experience, and that’s what I’m focusing on in my targeted training right now.” The reason UTMB is so highly regarded isn’t solely its 160km length. The ever-changing alpine climate, relentless rounds of wind, snow, rain and fog, high altitude, night racing, and the need to handle problems alone — these are the true attractions of UTMB, and also the weak points for Chinese athletes who lack international racing experience. To address this, sponsor Red Bull has helped Yang Jiagen develop a series of training plans, including competing in the 100km race at Yishan, Shandong on May 19, heading to Yunnan or Qinghai for high-altitude and mountain training, conducting night trail runs, and more.
In addition to this targeted training regimen, Yang Jiagen’s outstanding performances in various domestic competitions over the past two years have also boosted his confidence ahead of his UTMB campaign. Including this race, Yang Jiagen has now won six international 100km titles, including three Beijing International Trail Challenges, two Beijing International Mountain Hiking Festivals, and one Singapore 100km race. In 2012, Yang Jiagen led the Red Bull Outdoor Team to sixth place at the Ordos International Outdoor Challenge, setting the best result ever by a Chinese athlete at a top-level international outdoor event. Then, in April 2013, he led the Red Bull Outdoor Team to sixth place at the Wenzhou International Mountain Outdoor Sports Challenge, securing the top spot among Chinese teams. Additionally, Yang Jiagen still holds the current world’s best time in official 100km endurance races — 6 hours and 13 minutes.