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NZ long distance runner Ruth Croft chooses trail running over athletics

May 22, 2019

The 29-year-old had qualified for the world athletics champs in marathon, but won't be taking up the opportunity.

New Zealand long distance runner Ruth Croft has proven that she is a world beating trail runner and even qualified earlier this year for the marathon event at the athletics world championships.

The 29-year-old has chosen to stick with trail running, however, turning down the opportunity to represent New Zealand in the longer race.

Croft has been racking up the miles in training.

"I train every day and my mileage in the week can be 100-140km," said Croft.

After a stellar 2018 leading the trail circuit Croft spontaneously decided to change to road running, participating at the Seoul marathon in March.

"I had three months to build up to Seoul and to be honest it wasn't two weeks before Seoul I felt like my body had transitioned to the road."

She qualified for the world athletics championships in October, the first Kiwi woman to do so in six years.

"I didn't know I had qualified till after the race, my coach text me and told me so that was never the goal going into Seoul, I just wanted to go and get a PB."

Croft pulled out of the New Zealand squad to fulfill her commitments to her trail running sponsors, who enable her to travel the world.

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