Chinese trail runner Zhao Jiaju becomes the first Chinese and non-European runner to win the grueling TOR330 "Tor des Géants" ultramarathon, setting a new course record. Photo: TORX experience

Chinese trail runner Zhao Jiaju crossed the finish line in Courmayeur, Italy, after 65 hours, 55 minutes and 22 seconds, winning the men's title at the TOR330 "Tor des Géants" ultramarathon and setting a new course record, 13 minutes faster than the previous record of 66 hours, 8 minutes and 22 seconds, set by French-Belgian runner Victor Richard in 2025. He is the first Chinese runner and the first non-European runner to win the race since its inception in 2010.

The race covers 336.1 kilometers, roughly the equivalent of completing 840 laps of a standard 400-meter track, and crosses more than 20 mountain passes, with the highest point approaching 3,300 meters above sea level. Runners also face more than 24,000 meters of cumulative elevation gain, nearly three times the elevation of Mount Qomolangma, commonly known in the west as Mount Everest.

Photo: TORX experience

That punishing terrain began to shape the race from the opening stages. Zhao quickly moved into the lead group and held the lead for a considerable stretch, building a sizable advantage early on. As the race progressed, Swiss runner Jonathan Schindler gradually closed the gap. At around the 203-kilometer mark, Zhao chose to stop and rest, temporarily giving up the lead before returning to the course.

The decision did not signal that Zhao was giving up his pursuit of victory. In an interview with Shanghai-based The Paper after the race, Zhao said his coach had advised him beforehand to rest at around 203 kilometers, even if it meant losing the lead, because the most difficult part of the race would come in the final 100 kilometers. Zhao showered and lay down for several dozen minutes. Although he did not actually fall asleep, he said the break was intended to slow his body down before he resumed the chase.

Once back on the course, Zhao caught and passed Schindler again, eventually crossing the finish line to win by a commanding margin of nearly 50 minutes over the runner-up and set a new course record.

The final stages pushed him close to his physical limits. Zhao said that at his most exhausted point, his vision had begun to blur and he could see little more than the patch of trail illuminated by his headlamp. To stay awake, he slapped himself and bit his tongue.

That ability to keep going over extreme distances has been built over years of experience. Born in Southwest China's Guizhou Province in 1995, Zhao has worked a variety of jobs, including as a security guard, food delivery rider and florist, before becoming a professional trail runner.

Around 2014, Zhao began running marathons. He later turned to trail running and became a full-time trail runner in 2017. He has since won a number of domestic ultramarathons, including having won the Chongli 168 Super Ultramarathon four times.

His experience as a food delivery rider has also frequently been mentioned in accounts of his running career. Zhao told The Paper that when he was delivering food in Wuhan in 2016, he handled just over 20 orders a day at most. Because of the delivery areas and road conditions, he generally chose nearby orders and sometimes ran to pick up and deliver food to save time. 

That experience of running as part of everyday life stands in stark contrast to the extreme endurance challenges Zhao takes on today. After having completed the 65-hour race, however, he offered a different perspective on what it means to push one's limits.

According to Zhao, he does not plan to compete in races longer than 168 kilometers in the coming years because he does not know "what it would cost" to break through his current performance again. He also cautioned ordinary outdoor sports enthusiasts against pushing themselves to their physical limits.

"For recreational sports, you have to strike a balance between exercise and life," he said. "Even for me, I will still withdraw from a race when it is time to do so."

Global Times