Mountain Running
Ryan Sandes’ 5 tips on how to go from zero to hero
Ryan Sandes took a break, but is back training for a brutal 160km run. Here’s how you can too.
Ryan Sandes runs in the mountains of Chamonix
© Kelvin Trautman/Red Bull Content Pool
We’ve all been there: a great running routine where you happily run for miles without the slightest concern or feeling of fatigue. But then you take some time off and, for some reason, those first runs are nearly impossible. They’re so impossible that a kilometre feels like a big ask.
Now, multiply this feeling by 160 and you might come close to what Ryan Sandes is currently experiencing. For the last five weeks Sandes has taken time off from a busy training schedule and rested. He didn’t so much as slip his foot into a running shoe!
After a long winter’s rest, he's back on the trail and gearing up for one of the hardest runs out there: the Western States 100-Mile Endurance Run; 160 km and 15 hours through California’s high elevation and ridiculous heat.
But, to get to the point of winning, Sandes first has to get through the 45-minute hump – the point where even running for that long feels impossible. This is how he does it.
Mix it up
Ryan Sandes training on Table Mountain
© Craig Kolesky/Red Bull Content Pool
“I get bored,” Sandes said. So, some mornings he’s in the gym or pool. Other mornings he’s running up Table Mountain with his friends in 80 minutes. “If you’re always doing the same thing then your body gets used to it and it adapts accordingly. Whereas, if you constantly mix it up, then your body adapts to that."
That said, at the moment Sandes is in the gym as well as his running shoes. He’s not only working on strength, but also his endurance. He’s building up muscles, growing his body's engine and focusing on stomping out long distances.
Six weeks out from The Western States, Sandes will start focusing more on race-specific stuff by using environmental training chambers and training in high heat.
Hey body, nice to meet you
Ryan the Lionheart...
© Kolesky/Nikon/Red Bull Content Pool
Get to know your body. Sandes did and that became a game changer. Training, running and beginning again don’t need to be the hardest things in the world. They could actually be fun.
“Up until two years ago, I just knew I had to get through the first 10 days of training. If I could get through that, then I was fine,” he said. “Sometimes I’d just jump in the deep end and go straight for super-long stuff and I was nearly getting injured. Now, I’d rather give myself enough time to get back into it slowly.”
With time it will get better
Ryan Sandes Drakensberg Grand Traverse Attempt
© Kelvin Trautman
Forty-five minutes may feel impossible in the beginning, but in a few months' time, that’ll hardly seem worth getting out of the house for… or at least that’s the case if you’re in Ryan’s house. That said, to get through the hump, it helps if you vary your training.
“The intervals I’m doing now are only two-to-three-minute intervals, and it’s quite high intensity. When you’re super unfit, though, it’s quite rewarding because you notice the improvements pretty quickly. My drive pushes me; I want to be the best I can be, so I'm happy to put in all the extra effort."
Every day should be a fun-run day
Altitude training session on Matroosberg
© Kolesky/Nikon/Red Bull Content Pool
There are all those races out there called 'fun runs.' But, why can’t every run be fun? Running should never be un-fun.
“I want to be the best I can be,” Sandes said. “If you have fun, you'll enjoy the whole process. I think that’s why I love trail running – you can set yourself a challenge. I have certain routes and trails with benchmarks, so I run them and push myself a little bit harder. Keeping it fun – if I had to run only on the road, by 10km I'd still get bored. On the trails it’s so much fun; you can push yourself quite hard and not even know.”
Don’t forget why you started
Ryan Sandes practices for the Grand Traverse 2014
© Kelvin Trautman / Red Bull Content Pool
Going back to your roots and remembering why you started running is essential.
“I’ve always tried to focus on the positive. And even in times when I’ve gotten sick and stuff like that, I go back to why I started running. I started for the pure enjoyment and love of it. I didn’t start running because I wanted to win races, I was just stoked and happy to be in the mountains and pushing myself. But that’s easier said than done. You can’t be too hard on yourself, otherwise it just backfires.”
Get started now because you never know where ultrarunning might take you.
Listen to Jasmin Paris share how she became the first woman to win the Spine Race – and shatter the record: