Fuzhao Xiang is one of the leading figures in Chinese trail running, nicknamed the "Trail Running Arale." She has repeatedly made history and brought pride to her country on some of the world's top trail running events. As of 2025, she is ranked first in China and fourth in the world in the women's ITRA points ranking.

In 2012, while still in university, Xiang stepped in for a senior teammate who was unwell to compete in a multi-discipline outdoor race. She unexpectedly discovered her talent for trail running, particularly her speed on downhill sections, and this experience sparked her passion for outdoor sports. In 2015, shortly after graduating, she boldly decided to pursue a professional trail running career. Her debut 100km race was a truly grueling start - she ran wearing cheap shoes, borrowing an old jacket, and using a broken tree branch as a trekking pole, finishing third on the challenging course in Zhangye, Gansu. By the finish line, the soles of her shoes were worn through and her toes were exposed. From that moment on, she continued to run farther and farther, continuously breaking new records.

Trail running races often push athletes through day and night, in all weather conditions, with races often lasting over ten hours, sometimes even twenty to thirty hours. Such endurance is impossible without extraordinary willpower and relentless training. Xiang averages 600-700km of running per month, and even without race-specific training, she runs around 400km monthly. Her success is built on perseverance and effort that few can imagine. In the 2019 UTMB, she suffered severe gastrointestinal distress and continuous vomiting, bringing her to the edge of collapse. Yet, relying on water and fruit, she finished the race, repeatedly surpassing her own limits through every challenge.

Beyond the trails, Fuzhao Xiang has a charming and endearing personality. Known for often wearing black-rimmed glasses during races, her fellow runners affectionately call her the "Trail Running Arale." Through her running, she experiences the world and aspires, like the legendary runners before her, to have a long and successful athletic career.

Highlights

• 2019 1^st ULTRA-TRAIL Mt. FUJI
• 2020 HK100
• 2021 1^st THAILAND BY UTMB (Breaking the men's course record)
• 2023 4^th UTMB (Setting the best-ever result for a Chinese athlete)
• 2023 1^st ULTRA-TRAIL Mt. FUJI (Achieving a two-time victory)
• 2024 2^nd Western States 100-Mile Endurance Run
• 2025 2^nd Western States 100-Mile Endurance Run
• 2025 1^st Mt.FUJI 100