We’ve all seen the underdog story in sports before. There’s nothing new here, especially within the running scene, with María Lorena Ramírez from the Tarahumara people in Mexico being the most globally recognized for running ultramarathons in her traditional dress and huarache sandals.

But that’s not to say there isn’t room for more inspiring people who share a similar journey of humble beginnings to aspirational success. Yao Miao is no exception. Hailing from a rural village in Liupanshui, part of Guizhou province, Miao is a trail running legend. In fact, she’s dubbed “the queen of trail running,” but that title didn’t come easily.

While it’s obvious that achieving a high-level status as an athlete comes with a lot of work, Miao’s story was hurdle after hurdle after hurdle. Born into a farming family, Miao was determined not to fall into the fate of following in her family’s footsteps. Having been picked in middle school as one of only four in her province to attend China’s sports school initiative—where select children are given the opportunity to receive training and education aimed at developing elite athletes—the race was on.

After graduating, most students end up joining a professional team or university. Miao was rejected by both. She ended up handing out flyers outside gyms and working at her older sister’s beauty studio. It wasn’t until she found out that in China, you can make serious bank by running well in races. And that’s when she laced up, running race after race in order to take home prize money for her and her family.

While this pursuit of financial stability unlocked her abilities as an intense and formidable runner, it also came at a cost to her health. Fast forward to where she’s at now, Miao recently became the first Asian athlete to win a UTMB World Series Finals championship in 2024, achieving a historic first for Chinese trail running.

But while I can continue to delve into Yao Miao‘s story, it’s best to watch it for yourself, as told through Salomon‘s poetic mini-documentary. It’s as tasteful and sweet as it is inspiring, so, without further ado, enjoy the full doc of Salomon’s No Life Defined: Yao Miao’s Rise as a Trail Running Icon below.

Cover image via iRunFar.