Masterclass with ultra-trail running champion, Ryan Sandes

Six months ago, I sat down with my friend and ultra-trail running champion, Ryan Sandes to host a special masterclass where Ryan spoke about everything from his humble beginnings as a trail runner, to how he handles negative thoughts and failure, and his unique approach to training.

Having just won South Africa’s 2021 Ultra -Trail Drakensberg race, Ryan is still in top running form and has successfully managed a long running career with minimal (and manageable) injuries.

In this masterclass, Ryan shares some of his training strategies, which I believe, has allowed him to keep adventuring and living his passion.

More about Ryan

With rugby and surfing as his focus throughout school, Ryan’s mates were shocked to see him lace up his trainers and join some of them for the Knysna Marathon in Western Cape, South Africa in 2007. At the time, Ryan was working as a quantity surveyor and never dreamed of becoming a professional ultra-runner. But after doing really well in the Knysna marathon on very little training, the “running bug” bit and Ryan was hooked.

Now, as a local and international running sensation, Ryan has won an ultra-trail race on every continent, and he’s the only competitor to have won every stage of each of the 4 Desert Races in the ultra-marathon series.

In our masterclass, he also shared some of his gruelling experiences, including how he feared for his life while running through the Amazon jungle in the six-stage 254km Jungle Marathon in Brazil in 2009. Plus, he had to dig really deep to complete the Great Himalaya Trail in the fastest known time of 24 days 3 hours and 24 minutes, with fellow athlete, Ryno Griesel in 2018. Ryan says it was by far the craziest and wildest thing he’s ever done!

Here are some of Ryan’s winning strategies to training, prepping for races, injury prevention and recovery.

Training tips

1 Stay out of the mushy middle. This means, avoid being indecisive about which runs you need to do, or which races to enter. Have a goal in mind and stick to that. If you’re following a training program, don’t get caught up in Strava segments or push too hard if you’re meant to be on a recovery run.

2 Take the pressure off running by listening to your body first. If you planned a hard run for the day, and you’re not feeling it, don’t push it. Learn what your body needs – see what works and what doesn’t.

Believe it or not, Ryan has cut back on his runs over the years, and trained less, not more. However, he’s smart about his training and he’s consistent.

3 Be more specific with your training and focus on what you need to do to feel comfortable and relaxed on race day. For instance, if you’re entering a race with more vertical ascent, concentrate on hills training. The same goes for flatter courses and speedwork.

4 Appreciate your runs and use them as an escape from everyday stressors. Ryan enjoys the peace and clarity every run brings- rather than being bogged down by constant “noise” which often comes from being “plugged in” to social media, the internet etc.

Also use the opportunity to focus on your breathing when you run. This will help to reduce stress and instantly calm your central nervous system.

Running metrics Ryan uses…

Unlike road running, which is relatively predictable, trail running varies greatly depending on the course. Routes are generally full of climbs and seldom flat.

As a result, Ryan uses “perceived rate of exertion” (which is simply how hard you feel like your body is working), on his runs, rather than focusing solely on his speed, endurance, or heart rate.

However, Ryan did spend some time monitoring his heart rate after recovering from glandular fever- which took a few months. He says it took him a while to be able to gauge how hard he was pushing on a run- and so he had to check his heat rate. Ryan isn’t afraid to walk to lower his heart rate. This allows him to spend time on his feet and help to improve his performance when he does run.

Regardless of which metrics you use to track your running, the key is to keep it as fluid and as natural as possible.

Prepping for races

Simulate race conditions

One of the best ways to prepare yourself for a race is to try get a preview of the route and simulate race conditions. Your training should mimic the climbing and run route you’ll be doing, and you should feel inspired by the course!

Be specific

Look at your weekly runs and consider things like whether you should be doing altitude training, etc. Assess the type of course you need to become comfortable with.

Allow for flexibility

Ryan always follows a loose structure around 16 weeks prior to his races and focuses on training blocks. However, if he has a long run planned and he feels like he’s overdone it a bit, he backs off. His aim has always been to focus on a few key sessions per training block- and to be flexible with others.

Focus on small gains

Over the years, Ryan’s discovered that the small, consistent gains he makes on quality training sessions are more important than doing more volume and intensity. “Constantly increasing mileage won’t make me a better runner, it really is the small gains that help me to get stronger. I try to be smart about my training and focus on longevity,” he explains. “I want to play the long game and ensure I can run for years. This means saying no to certain races if they don’t fit in with my long-term goals,” he adds.

Be inspired

Surround yourself with people who uplift, inspire, and motivate you to be your best.

Focus on form

There’s no doubt that the better you move, the better you run. Make sure to add plenty of mobility and strength exercises into your weekly routine to stay strong and balanced.

It’s also a good idea to incorporate the correct running cues into your runs to help you stay on track, improve posture and reduce the chance of injury.

Race nutrition

When it comes to fuelling correctly for long runs or races, your gut health is really important, because the stronger and happier your gut is, the less chance you’ll have of an upset stomach or digestive issues on race day.

Ryan has battled with his digestive system since the Great Himalaya Trail, but since he’s cut down on sugar and wheat from his diet, it’s improved a lot.

Some people can tolerate energy drinks and gels on long runs, while others prefer to consume whole foods such as potatoes, dates, bananas, sandwiches etc.

The key is to figure out what works for you – which means knowing when you’re more likely to stomach food, gels or energy drinks along a running route, says Ryan. It’s also a good idea to assess your diet when you’re not running – and make any tweaks or changes that could benefit your gut.

Your race mindset

No matter how long or treacherous the route is, it’s critical to stay positive, says Ryan. The more you allow negative thoughts to penetrate your mind, the more you’ll start to suffer- physically and mentally.

If you’re on a long course, break up your run – focus on getting to the next tree, water station or whatever landmark you set your sights on.

If you go through a low patch where you’re feeling despondent, don’t let it spiral. Try to get back to thinking positively. Smile and keep shuffling along. It might sound strange but studies have shown that the act of smiling actually tricks your mind into happiness.

Focus on the beautiful, natural environment around you and meditate on positive memories that lift you up and make you smile.

Stay light-hearted and don’t take the run too seriously. Allow for mistakes and you’ll instantly take the pressure off yourself.

Injury prevention – recovery tips:

We all know that running can become addictive – and as an ultra-runner, there’s even more chance that you could get into the trap of feeling like you need to run more to be better, stronger or faster.

But running more and accumulating “junk miles” can put you at risk of injury, compromise your form and lead to poor performance. Rest and recovery shouldn’t ever be overlooked.

In addition to days off, Ryan uses recovery blocks to cross train, focus on rehabilitation exercises (with plenty of strength and mobility work – especially for the hips and ankles) and build up muscle mass. He also only enters 2-3 big races per year.

If possible, it’s also a good idea to go for regular massages, particularly using the Lyno Method. This form of massage, although uncomfortable, is an effective way to remove restrictions in the body and release trigger points across the muscular system, that could be causing pain and stiffness.

“To keep my training fun and interesting I like to mix things up and give my body a different stimulant now and then. Cold swimming is great for this- it really wakes up the senses,” says Ryan.

“I also follow a loose periodisation structure – where I have intense weeks followed by easier weeks and so on. If you had to ask me how I’ve managed to run with less injuries for so long, I’d say it’s important to be flexible and adaptable and to set realistic goals.”

If you’re considering becoming a professional runner…  

Ryan believes you should always have a plan B or something on the side, career wise. Making running your full-time career can be both physically and mentally exhausting. By having additional income streams and areas of interest, it takes pressure off, so you don’t always feel like you have to perform at your best. In fact, you’re more likely to perform better when you’re happy and relaxed.

We hope Ryan’s tips and suggestions will help you enjoy running even more!

 WATCH the full masterclass with myself and Ryan Sandes here: