Mountain Running
'Scouting is crucial' - How Ryan Sandes prepares for an Ultra Trail Race
Ryan Sandes has taken on many challenging races and projects over the years and learned a lot along the way. He fills us in on his prep for the George Mountain Ultra Trail, a gruelling 100-mile race.
For Ryan Sandes a scouting trip is one of the most important elements in his race preparation. A 'recce' (reconnaissance) involves running through the course ahead of time to get a feel for the terrain, identify potential challenges, and formulate a strategy for the race. For the MUT by UTMB which takes place on 26 May, Sandes focussed on understanding the route, knowing where the big climbs are, and anticipating what it will be like to run at night.
Ryan Sandes
© Craig Kolesky / Red Bull Content Pool
Ryan acknowledges that the race presents many potential challenges, including bad weather, navigation errors, and fuelling mistakes. "Running through the night can be particularly challenging, as the cold and fatigue can take their toll," he says, explaining how he believes that the key to success is managing the low moments and staying mentally strong throughout the race.
NUTRITION PLANNING
To prepare for the race, Sandes monitored his nutrition throughout the recce and created a solid race nutrition strategy. He knows that he will be running for up to 24 hours and will need a mix of solid and quick-energy foods to keep him going, including a strategic caffeine intake over the last half of the race in the form of Red Bull energy drinks at aid stations. "The key outtake here is to test everything ahead of time and to know how your body will react. You need to trust your fuel and never try anything new on race day," he says.
Ryan Sandes studies the route ahead of the MUT by UTMB
© Craig Kolesky / Red Bull Content Pool
GEAR PREP
As he and Ryno Griesel did ahead of the Navigate Lesotho in 2022, In addition to nutrition, Sandes also tested out his gear during the recce. He paid particular attention to his Salomon shoes, which need to be versatile enough to handle the rough and technical terrain but also light and comfortable enough to wear for a long time.
"A comprehensive and thoughtful approach to preparing for a 100-mile trail race," is crucial Ryan concludes. "By doing a recce, testing out nutrition and gear, and formulating a solid race strategy I will go in with a lot more confidence." For the race updates live, here from 26 May.