Runaway to Record Breaker: Zhao Jiaju on Willpower, Pain, and the Tor des Géants

The Paper: How’s your body holding up?

Zhao: It’s dehydrated. Throughout the race, the sun simply hammered down on us. It was so dry that my lips divided open. My scalp was burnt red– in a couple of days the skin will begin removing in sheets.

Still, I’m recuperating, getting much better day by day. My feet still injured, however not as severely as they did. My upper body is great, in fact. It’s the legs that took the genuine whipping.

In some cases when I touch my body, it feels unbelievable. That sensation was far more powerful the other day; it’s less visible today. Even when I pinch myself, it does not harmed as much.

The Paper: You used the No. 1 bib, and at the start stated you were going to win in record time. Were you actually that positive?

Zhao: I didn’t believe my physical capability was strong enough, however I understood my determination was. These years on the path, it’s been sharpened to a great degree. I understood the Tor des Géants would boil down to large self-discipline, to who might hang on longest when whatever inside you is shouting to stop. I understood that’s where I held a benefit.

Before the race, I genuinely indicated that vibrant claim about climaxing. I thought I could, which’s the power of belief.

I began running 100-kilometer ultramarathons in 2017. Ever since, I’ve been routinely completing in 168-kilometer occasions. I’ve constantly had the ability to run cross countries. I didn’t train particularly for this race. I simply invested about a month here (in northwestern Italy’s Aosta Valley) in advance to adjust to the surface, elevation, and food. After that, it had to do with making use of years of collected endurance.

The Paper: Did you finish any 300-kilometer training runs?

Zhao: No, however I typically run 168 kilometers. When I was 23, I completed in the Ultra Gobi (an ultra-endurance race through China’s northwestern Gobi Desert)I might deal with 400 kilometers of difficulty even then. Ending up 330 kilometers wasn’t the tough part. The obstacle was setting a faster time and pressing my limitations.

The Paper: When did you feel most tired?

Zhao: Climbing that last slope– whatever struck me simultaneously. When I was most tired, my mind was still clear, however my vision started to blur. All I might construct was the hazy white radiance where my torchlight struck the ground. My eyes kept attempting to close.

I duplicated to myself, “You’re doing something extraordinary today.” When my eyes will shut, I ‘d slap myself hard throughout the face, bite down on my tongue, and grit my teeth. Every slap, every bite brought a minute of clearness. My vision would snap back into focus, like a cam lens changing from blurred to sharp.

The Paper: Footage from the race reveals you running alone in the evening, with just a little headlamp beam cutting through the darkness. What would you think of in those minutes?

Zhao: “Get to the next help station. Get materials.” For the very first 200 kilometers, my mind would roam. Throughout that last 100 kilometers, I didn’t attempt believe about anything since the course has lots of unsafe areas. I focused completely on the ground in front of me, advising myself the number of more climbs up were ahead, what the next climb would resemble, and how to browse the surface underneath my feet. There was no psychological area for anything else.

The Paper: What was it like having your better half at the help stations, preparing food for you and assisting with massages and healing?

Zhao: She truly went through it. I require to purchase her some presents to offset it.

Lots of leading Chinese runners now have member of the family supply assistance at help stations. Individuals closest to you understand you finest, and they can endure your state of minds. Throughout a race, when you’re pressed to severe limitations, your truest self comes out. Having your closest individuals there to assist you makes it much easier.

Things have actually slowly improved for professional athletes from China. Sponsors are now going to support our households in taking a trip with us to complete, which is truly handy.

The Paper: Do you keep in mind the minute you crossed the goal?

Zhao: Honestly, I was believing, “Just take me back. I require to rest.” I was almost sleeping on my feet. When I reached the top, my vision blurred. I ‘d been requiring myself to hold on, pressing to the line. The minute I crossed it and all that stress was lastly launched– the full-body discomfort, that frustrating desire to sleep– it swept over me.

My mind and body had actually reached breaking point. As soon as I recuperated a bit, I was incredibly delighted. I took a look at what I ‘d attained and recognized that I ‘d pressed past my limitations. That truly strike me.

The Paper: After the race, you stated you felt “even worse than death.” Why put yourself through this?

Zhao: Achieving the magnificence and popularity I dreamed about as a kid– that’s part of it. I likewise desire to press the borders of my body and my will. That method, when I deal with even higher challenges, I’ll have the ability to make it through them more quickly. I require these minutes of suffering to end up being a more powerful, harder variation of myself. I came out here representing China, therefore lots of people were cheering me on. I needed to reveal everybody how effective human endurance and self-discipline can be.

When I was 15, I was influenced by that exact same type of energy. At that time, I wished to be a champ fighter. I enjoyed Bruce Lee movies, and he made me recognize that human capacity is endless, that you need to discover how to command your body and release its complete power. Now I hope I can pass that energy on to others who require it.

The Paper: Does being champion bring pressure or inspiration?

Zhao: Win or lose, it’s inspiration. I’ve had a positive mindset since I was a kid.

My household treated me well, so I had a carefree youth. I’ve constantly enjoyed to laugh– a lot so that I established dreadful forehead wrinkles extremely early. In grade school, my athletics instructor stated I appeared like a little old guy. I enjoyed making individuals in my class laugh, too. That offered me the capability to change unfavorable energy into something favorable and feed it back to myself. That’s what’s permitted me to keep going.

The Paper: Some have talked about you working as a shipment rider, however you’ve had lots of various tasks?

Zhao: I’ve been a flower shop, I prepared steamed meals in a dining establishment, and I operated at a hardware factory in Hangzhou (capital of the eastern Zhejiang province)Later on I provided food in Wuhan (capital of the main Hubei province)made fried chicken, and operated at a hotel front desk along with an electronic devices factory in (the southwestern city of) Chongqing.

I was even a guard at the Beijing National Stadium. I operated at karaoke bars in a number of cities– I believe that was the most comfy. It left me great deals of time for training. I would leave work at 3 or 4 in the early morning and head directly to training. I ‘d then wake at twelve noon, have lunch, and train once again in the afternoon.

The Paper: What initially interested you in path running?

Zhao: Before path running, I enjoyed marathons. In 2014, I was operating at a flower store when I saw marathon banners throughout an early morning run around Hangzhou’s West Lake. That’s how I discovered competitive races. My dream at that time was to end up being a champ fighter, however I had no methodical training, no club going to take me on, and no chance to complete. I was desperate for a course forward. I believed marathons matched me– they’re all about self-discipline? When I began completing, my preliminary outcomes weren’t perfect. After a year or more, my efficiencies enhanced, however still inadequate to burglarize China’s leading tier.

I found path running. In 2016, I saw individuals participating in 100-kilometer races. This was an even higher test of determination. I stopped my task to contend, tossing myself completely into path running. The sport was still reasonably brand-new in China, and the cash prize was generous. I was identified to take my location. I won my very first champion in 2017. After that, things simply kept improving.

The Paper: You’ve consistently discussed the value of determination.

Zhao: It returns to when I escaped from home at 15. My moms and dads operated in factories and were raising my more youthful sis. They desired me to discover a steady task, find out a trade, and live a comfy, normal life. I desired to chase my dreams, to end up being like the individuals I saw on Television– strong, accomplished, and the finest at what they did. I left home. My moms and dads even reported me missing out on to the authorities. More than 10 days passed before I called them to let them understand I was safe. They informed me that as long as I wasn’t doing anything unlawful, I might do whatever I desired, which I ought to inform them if I faced difficulty. When problems emerged, I didn’t desire them to stress. I felt I needed to count on myself. If you depend upon your household, you’ll never ever grow strong enough to fly by yourself.

At that time I survived on the streets. In Hubei province, I strolled from Fang County, on the edge of Shennongjia forest location, to Shiyan City– about 100 kilometers. Those were the most unpleasant 11 days of my life. I strolled under the blazing sun. The daytime temperature level increased to a minimum of 39 degrees Celsius. I strolled all the time and into the next, blisters forming all over my feet. That was the very first time I ‘d strolled such a range. I used a tank top; my skin turned black, scorched and peeling. I believed, “How can life be this unpleasant?” When I lastly got through it, I felt amazing. I was 15 years of ages, and I ‘d sustained all that suffering.

That lesson rollovers into my racing. The individual you need to beat is yourself. Those difficulties are what made me more powerful. Racing has actually put me through whatever– harsh weather condition, muscle discomfort, queasiness, lightheadedness, nosebleeds. All that suffering. I’ve never ever sympathized with myself or desired others to pity me. The suffering I look for makes me effective. It makes me brave for the future. That’s why I like this sort of discomfort.

The Paper: Is that due to the fact that you’ve constantly had a clear instructions?

Zhao: Yes. From the start, I’ve had one objective: to be one in a million, to discover the course where I can shine, and keep operating at it step by action. There’s no requirement to rush. As long as I keep at it, I’ll be successful.

The Paper: What’s your vision for the future of path running?

Zhao: Whether it’s race organizers, individuals, or regional homeowners– everybody acknowledges the balance in between human beings and nature. As more individuals endeavor into the mountains, the mountains must stay tidy and lovely. I ‘d like to see that come true.

The Paper: After finishing the 2026 Tor des Géants, you stated you would not contend in anymore ultramarathons over 168 kilometers. Is that your body talking, or a shift in state of mind?

Zhao: This race pressed me to my limitation. I was genuinely tired. I do not prepare to race such a cross country once again in the future. To break through once again would be agonizing. I do not understand what rate I ‘d need to pay. For now, I do not desire to attempt.

The Paper: So what are your strategies now?

Zhao: I’ll continue racing. I like the sensation of standing on that beginning line. Winning when does not indicate you’ll win next time. Path running depends upon your physical state. As long as I’m healthy to race, I’ll be on that beginning line, blood pumping, all set to provide whatever to my next race.

I have not thought of retirement. If one day I stop positioning in races– possibly when I’m in my 50s and can no longer please my competitive drive– then I might work behind the scenes. Lots of professional athletes’ lives have actually revealed us that you can win world champions in your 40s and 50s. I still have expectations for myself at that age.

Reported by Wei Jiaming.

A variation of this short article initially appeared in The PaperIt has actually been equated and modified for brevity and clearness, and is republished here with authorization.

Translator: Chen Yue; editors: Wang Juyi and Hao Qibao.

(Header image: Zhao Jiaju crosses the goal to win the 2026 Tor des Géants, Italy, Sept. 16, 2026. From @ 长腿公子 on Weibo)