Kiwi at Kima!

Leading up to the final of the Skyrunner Extreme World Series in Glen Coe Scottland, we caught up with Ruth Croft, who recently took 2nd place at Kima and places her amongst the hot names to podium at the Extreme World Series. Let's look back into how her race in Italy played out.

You were known as a very strong ultra runner on somehow runnable courses. After joining the SCOTT Running international team, you bagged a win at Ultraks 30k and an amazing second place in Kima. Should we assume you will focus more on technical races now?

 No, not necessarily. Even as awesome as Kima was, I still prefer the more runnable courses. I struggled a lot on the descents yesterday and that sort of course requires another level of concentration, which I am just not used to.  I also enjoy giving different types of races a go, than just focusing on one kind.2nd at Kima, what a performance! How did you manage such a terrain, while living in Taipe? Did you have any particular low or high during the race?

I actually only decided to do Kima just over a week before, so I had not done any specific training for it. I had different race plans for this month in Europe, but after doing Sierre Zinal, my fitness wasn’t where I wanted it to be, so we decided to just use this month to build my base back up, experience some different races, and get some long days in in the mountains. Of course I had heard about Kima and it is where Skyrunning all began, so I didn't want to miss the opportunity to just experience it, even if I had not done the specific technical training required.

The trails in Taiwan are pretty technical, but definitely not Kima technical. Plus, training in the summer in Taipei we normally get temperatures in the late 30s, and when you add in the humidity it is not ideal preparation for mountain races in Europe.

One of the highs would have to be all the spectators on the course, there was one refuge, where a guy had list of the competitors numbers, and then as you run in everyone is chanting your name, so you feel like a rockstar for the minute you run through there.  And just the overall race, the chains, the technicality...Kima is one of a kind.In 3 weeks time, the Glen Coe Skyline will take place. Since you only need 2 races to place in the Skyrunner World Series Extrem, will you try to go after the title?

Since Kima was not on my original plan, and so I had not thought on even taking part in the Extreme series, or doing Glen Coe. I would love to go to Glen Coe, but after being here a month,I had to check with work if I could stay for another week. I got the OK from my boss, Glen Coe is on!

What the plan for the rest of the year, any other big race coming up?

I will do Lizzy Hawkers UTMR, but the 3 day stage, starting on Thursday. Then the plan at the moment is to do the IAU World Championships in Portugal at the end of October, and then Oxfam Trail Walker in Hong Kong in November, that will most probably be it for the year.

Discover more about Ruth CROFT on her Facebook Twitter and Instagram.