PHOTO: Harriet Gaywood pauses during an ultramarathon, surrounded by idyllic Asian trails and enduring the element’s challenges.
Exploring Resilience, Endurance, And Connection In The World Of Ultramarathons
Harriet Gaywood shares how trail running across Asia transformed her perspectives and led to the creation of her book Trailing Around Asia: Mud, Sweat & Bears. A story of grit, landscapes, and humanity.
Harriet Gaywood is proof of the remarkable truths revealed when one faces physical and mental limits. Over the course of a single year, she did exactly that, authoring a chronicle of profound endurance in Trailing Around Asia: Mud, Sweat & Bears. With a sense of quiet determination, Gaywood paints vividly human portraits amidst some of Asia’s most arresting landscapes. Her stories are neither merely travelogue nor solely a journal of athleticism; they’re essays on people, culture, and the transformative power found in movement itself.
What sets Harriet apart is how she embraces both the beauty and brutality of the trails, offering readers an intimate look at her own struggles, triumphs, and uncertainties. The peaks she scaled — literal and figurative — demand resilience, but they equally invite reflection. Gaywood’s journey reminds us that perseverance, however difficult, creates space for self-discovery and human connection. Her narration brims with generosity, humility, and vibrant appreciation for the untamed terrains that shaped her account.
For anyone questioning whether it is possible to undertake a new passion later in life, Harriet Gaywood stands as an enduring example. Her book delivers not only adventure but an invitation: to confront discomfort, to push past doubt, and, ultimately, to find joy in the journey. Trailing Around Asia is not solely a tale of distances, summits, or rankings but of the universality of human grit and grace. Readers embarking on this book may, too, hear an echo of trail wisdom in their own endeavours.
Your newest book Trailing Around Asia: Mud, Sweat & Bears narrates ultramarathons in Mainland China, Hong Kong and Thailand. Which cultural encounter most surprised you and why?
As an amateur ultramarathoner throughout running the 1,850k of races as I wrote Trailing Around Asia: Mud, Sweat & Bears I always encountered incredible kindness and encouragement on the trail. Asian culture values collectivism and during an ultramarathon this means running together and supporting each other. This value transcends language barriers. Whilst I speak Mandarin Chinese I don’t speak Thai or Malay, yet during races, I ran with strangers through the night and somehow we would communicate whether ensuring the pace was ok, we were hydrated and fed or needed to rest. This generosity never ceases to amaze me. Races in Asia are less about aggressive competition and more about trying to make sure everybody finishes.
In Mud, Sweat & Bears, you chronicle qualifying for UTMB. What was the most personally transformative moment during that journey?
Qualifying for UTMB (Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc which is considered to be the world finals of trail running) wasn’t a goal for me – perhaps because it just seemed too far away and unattainable, but during 2024 I was getting stronger and completed five 168k / 100miler races. So I joined the UTMB Asia-Pacific Major 168k in Thailand and came first in my age group. When I realised I had qualified for UTMB in Chamonix, France it gave me a new resolve – that not only could I possibly consider myself as a trail runner, but also that I might have some potential.
You’re ranked UK No. 4 for 100 km (2025) and No. 12 for 100 M (2024) in your age categories. How have these elite rankings shaped your narrative voice in the book?
I wrote the book in chapters after each race then I saw the ranking at the end of the year so the rankings didn’t shape the narrative. Instead, the narrative voice of the book reflects my questioning of my ability and whether or not I can really consider myself a trail runner.
Your platform blends trail running with storytelling. How did marathon tales influence the structure and pacing of your latest book?
I wanted the book to be accessible to everybody, not just trail runners. In 2024 I ran 16 races and I introduced them in chronological order but I didn’t include all of them in the book because some races although pretty didn’t have anything that I felt would be of interest to readers. I also made a conscious decision not to provide technical details explaining how to run. The book is about my personal experience as somebody coming to the sport in her 40s.
You address perseverance in mountainous terrain. Which specific race taught you the strongest lesson in resilience featured in your writing?
Running the Kailas Ultra Tour Mount Siguniang 75K in November meant that the ground was frozen and covered with ice and snow. Running at night in the cold made it hard to breathe on the mountain plus the additional challenge of climbing to nearly 5000m. Even as it got dark for the second night I wanted to finish. Contrasting the frozen start, as we dropped to a lower altitude the sheltered paths became very muddy making it slow to run. I knew that time was short and there was no time to rest but I managed to keep moving and finish with around 20 minutes to spare.
As an average runner turned Advanced 4, how do you strike balance between technical racing detail and relatable prose for general readers?
There are technical training books by much more qualified trail runners. This book isn’t intended to be one of them. Instead I want to tell true stories that might inspire somebody to either join the race or visit the place. I also want people to feel that they can also take up trail running or another sport later in life and make progress.
You’ve included vivid photography in your book and site. How do these visuals enhance readers’ immersion in Asia’s landscapes and challenges?
Whilst the book isn’t a travel guide, one of the joys of trail running is that I am fortunate to visit many remote and unknown places. By including photos I hope to encourage people to visit or at least change their perception of China, Hong Kong and Thailand.
What advice would you offer aspiring authors wishing to write about endurance sports and travel, based on your experience?
Be yourself. In order for your writing to be accessible, it is important to be human and not afraid to show your character. Sharing anecdotes helps readers to understand aspects of a sport or place which may not be well-known. Explain acronyms and don’t be too technical unless it will really enhance the story.
