Camille Bruyas: Ultra-Trail is all about balance

Camille Bruyas has come a long way, but that's how ultra-trail running is. You have to cover a lot of ground, overcome obstacles and keep moving forward, no matter what the ups and downs.

From the outset, the Savoyard by adoption stood out with a meteoric rise littered with victories and podium finishes in legendary races such as the UTMB, the Diagonale des Fous, the Hardrock and the SaintéLyon. What followed was more difficult: Camille Bruyas struggled for two years. This was due to an injury, then a recurrence. But little by little, with the perfect support network and by listening to herself more than ever, she rebuilt herself. Between trail running and yoga, she found her balance. She believed in herself, never giving up, until she crossed the finish line of the world's biggest race, the UTMB, in second place for the second time.

Her ability to bounce back is an example to us all, and her philosophy is a source of inspiration that we at Sidas are proud to support. Meet her in 10 questions, an ultra-trail runner who proves that another path to performance is possible.

COMING BACK FROM A LONG WAY

For the second time in your career, after 2022, you finished second in the 2025 UTMB. A remarkable performance from the outside looking in. But how do you see it? Is being the runner-up twice frustrating or satisfying?

For me, it's a complete victory! I'm really super satisfied with my race and the way I managed my season, which had been very complex up to that point. An Intérieur Sport report covering my entire season will be released soon, and you'll be able to see all the hardships I went through in 2025. I had to have another operation after a recurrence of an arterial injury I had already sustained two years ago. So I started the UTMB with a lot of apprehension about potential pain but relatively confident about my fitness. I've come a long way, and that inevitably made crossing the finish line ten times more satisfying. (A moment's reflection) Beyond the simple result, the race scenario – with hellish conditions and a three-way battle for the final victory – was incredible to experience from the inside and inevitably added to my happiness. I also think that Ruth Croft was mentally more prepared than me to win. She was more determined. I wasn't ready to go all in and risk losing everything. It's difficult to jeopardise your second place to aim for first when a little voice inside you says, ‘What you're doing is already amazing!’

‘I've come a long way, and that inevitably increased my satisfaction tenfold when I crossed the finish line.’

How did you build your success at this UTMB? What were the key elements, before and during the race, that led to this successful performance?

In the run-up to the race, I would say first of all that I surrounded myself with the right people. The people I spend time with every day have always supported me 1000%. I struggled for nearly two years, but their confidence in me never wavered. They always believed in me. They helped me stay the course, even when the ship was rocking in rough waters. Then, I trusted myself. I listened to my body and my desires. Before the UTMB, for example, I didn't pin a race number on myself for a preparatory race because I preferred to do an FKT, the ‘14 x 2000’, in Les Bauges. I didn't let myself be influenced by what others were doing or what was customary. I found what worked for me at that moment. More specifically, in training, I focused my preparation on faster ratios and ran on trails that were more similar to those of the UTMB. Finally, from a purely strategic point of view, I opted for a cautious start. I was 15th at the first summit, the Col de Voza, but I didn't panic. I didn't want to jeopardise my chances by starting too fast.

‘I didn't let myself be influenced by what others were doing or what was customary. I found what worked for me at that moment.’

What have you learned from the moments of doubt you've experienced over the last two years? Were you able to channel that into positive energy during the UTMB?

Yes! When you come back from a long way, in a way, you hit the ground running! (Smile) I would say that I've developed a crazy detachment from competition. ‘It's just trail running,’ and that's not just lip service: I truly believe it. My life is already great, full of things to do, and I see whatever happens in a race as a wonderful bonus. I also find joy in the simple act of running, without apprehension or pain: when everything is going well, we have this unfortunate tendency to forget how lucky we are. Overcoming obstacles increases your resilience tenfold, but above all, it encourages you to enjoy the present moment. You perceive things differently. It pushes you to take an even more positive view of the ups and downs. You move forward. You believe in it. (A moment of reflection). You always have to believe in it.

‘It's just trail running,’ and that's not just lip service: I'm deeply convinced of it. "

Can you tell us about the emotions you felt in the last few kilometres and once you crossed the finish line?

At the time, I was so tired that I couldn't feel any emotions. Or maybe I was just unable to identify them. The emotions come later. When you've recovered a little and you realise what's just happened. In the days following the race, for the first time, I felt a real sense of pride. I said to myself, ‘I'm proud of this one!’ The atmosphere was completely crazy, even more so than when I came second in 2021. I was carried along by incredible popular fervour: I was the athlete that the French supporters, who were out in force, wanted to see shine. They were shouting, ‘Go France!’ It was a wonderful experience.

‘They were shouting, “Go France!” It was a wonderful experience.’