Yading Skyrun: food concerns on the menu as top runners go head-to-head in China, armed with experience and different meal plans
- Two top trail runners face-off, but while one is sticking to dehydrated foods, the other is diving into the local cuisine despite the risks
- Ruth Croft won the OCC in August, and Megan Kimmel has won the Yading Skyrun twice – throw in unknown local runners, and it is a showdown
China might be famous for its food, but two top trail runners are approaching their pre-race meals with contrasting plans.
Ruth Croft and Megan Kimmel, among the best runners in the world, are preparing to battle it out for the Yading Skyrun in Sichuan. They have arrived early to acclimatise for the 4,500-metre altitude but Croft is leaving no stone unturned and has brought dehydrated food to the mainland with her.
“When I lived in Taiwan, I used to come to China to race a lot and I’d always struggle with the food,” the New Zealander said. “Last year, I came out and got a dodgy stomach and it’s the last thing you want before a race, but it’s not that exciting eating out of a plastic bag.”
Croft came second in the race last year, and won the OCC at the Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc in August, but one of her main rivals this weekend, Kimmel, is a two-time champion in Yading.
“I want to experience the culture,” Kimmel said. “I don’t want to just bring my own, or rely on store-bought food. I like to experience the local food.”
