Singletrack Ruth Croft | 2025 UTMB Champion (Interview)
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Aug 31, 2025 Ruth Croft, the Professional trail and ultra runner, recently crowned the 2025 UTMB champion, shares her journey to success. She reflects on the challenges of managing post-race chaos and the resilience shaped by her upbringing in remote New Zealand. Ruth discusses the joy of natural running surfaces compared to synthetic tracks and the importance of mindfulness in daily life. She also emphasizes structured training, personal intuition, and the support of the running community in overcoming the mental and physical trials of ultra running.
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Use Vipassana To Build Emotional Space
- Do Vipassana to build awareness and learn to respond rather than react to emotions.
- Ruth says the practice created space to observe feelings and choose measured responses.
Experience Of A 10-Day Vipassana
- Vipassana retreats follow the same 10-day schedule worldwide with 10 hours of daily meditation and silence.
- Ruth recounts intense early urges to leave and the turning point when she committed to finish and observe sensations.
Stay In Your Lane With A Support Team
- Ruth values a support team that lets her focus on being an athlete rather than data management.
- She stays in her lane while experts handle the analytics and structure her training.