Ryan Sandes is celebrating finishing second at the Cocodona 250 in 61 hours, 21 minutes, and 4 seconds; he traversed over 402km, making it his most challenging race yet.
Flagstaff, Arizona (12 May 2025) – Ultra-endurance runner Ryan Sandes is coming home, having accomplished a major feat, completing the Cocodona 250. Not only did this momentous occasion mark a first for Ryan, but he also went on to place second overall!
The Red Bull ultra-endurance athlete completed one of the most gruelling races in global trail running from 4–8 May 2025 in Arizona, USA. It spanned 402 km and over 11,000 metres of elevation gain, pushing even the most seasoned athletes to the limit. The route includes climbs equivalent to ascending Everest 1.25 times.
Sandes finished second overall with a time of 61 hours, 21 minutes, and 4 seconds, marking one of the most impressive performances of his career.
Speaking on the epic accomplishments, Ryan shared some insights into how he pushed through the challenges and what it felt like coming in second.
“This was my first 250-miler, so I focused on looking after myself throughout – rotating gear, eating properly, and not rushing aid stations. Even in the final 100km, I took my time to reset before the last steep climbs. My only real goal was to finish strong.”
Historically, more than 50% of competitors drop out of the race, unable to finish. The gruelling race tests not only physical endurance but mental strength, too. Facing challenges on the trail adds to the setbacks runners can experience; weather is a major contributor, and for Ryan, lack of sleep took a significant toll on his race as well.
“The weather caught us off guard. Rain, snow, thick mud… It felt like running with ankle weights. I had a moment of hypothermia on the second night and thought my race was over. But I pushed through by running hard to warm up. I only had about 30 minutes of actual sleep the entire race – the fatigue was brutal.”
“Honestly, the mental fatigue was the hardest part. You slow down a lot when you’re that tired, and it becomes dangerous. I think in future, I’ll approach that differently. Sleep becomes more important than you realise because once you hit a certain fatigue level, your performance drops significantly.”
With the elevation of this race being so high, it required Ryan to take a different approach to his training and prep.
“My prep for this race was probably the biggest I’ve ever done — three solid months of high mileage and consistency, which gave me a lot of confidence heading in. The course is brutal, with loads of climbing and some fast, flat sections, though we didn’t get as much heat this year as expected.
I do track my heart rate on my Garmin, but to be honest, I mostly run by feel. I believe in staying in tune with your body — knowing when to push, when to fuel, and when to ease off. I aim for a certain carb intake per hour, but I also adjust based on how I’m feeling. That’s what I love about a race like this — it’s such a big, ever-changing puzzle, and you’re constantly figuring it out as you go. I enjoyed that part.”
Ryan has been flying the South African flag throughout his career and has pushed himself to the limit not only to win but also to finish races, which have been his greatest challenges. The Cocodona 250 was a first and an epic challenge to complete. Getting to the end, in second place no less, is a major notch on his belt and a huge moment for endurance runners in South Africa.
“Cocodona took me deeper than any race ever has – physically and mentally. It’s amazing that after almost two decades of racing, I can still find events that spark that fire.
What makes it even more rewarding is that after 18 years of racing, I still find exciting events. Signing up for Cocodona reignited something in me — I felt a bit stagnant last year, especially after UTMB, and this brought the fire back. This result means a lot to me.”
It means a lot to us, too, Ryan; well done on the accomplishment! South Africa is truly proud!
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