Sandra Sevillano: the balance of skyrunning

Talking to most athletes in any field about the beginnings of their careers, they will say that they did it from a young age in a different, more or less competitive way. Many were introduced by their parents, others discovered their talent by accident while still others have always nurtured it. If in a sport such as skiing it is virtually impossible to get to certain performances by approaching the sport in adulthood, for running and especially trail running this does not apply. Age is nothing more than a number that goes hand in hand with miles in the legs and maturity.

A beautiful example of this is Sandra Sevillano, a Millet team athlete who only got into running after having her first child. A few road races, a win at the Bilbao Half, then the first trail at the Mendi Trail in Bilbao where he discovered the trails. A good dose of motivation was added to the hitherto unknown talent, and his life changed.

Sandra proves that competing at a high level can be reconciled with work life and being a mom, it does, however, take rigor… And an early wake-up call to train before starting each day’s routine. Speaking of rigor, every detail is taken care of: from nutrition to training, and in this Sandra is impeccable. Peculiar and sympathetic is her focus on “lucky charms” and elements that make her feel like herself during the race, such as her beloved visor.

This year he has already put in his pocket a long list of important appointments completed with excellent results, starting with the Transgrancanaria, to the coveted Chamonix via a silver at the European Skyultra championships in Montenegro. And it was in Chamonix that we met her, the day before her CCC debut, incredibly calm and smiling, as if she was not about to run a 100km in a matter of hours. She crossed the finish line in 14:08:18, earning 18th place female, this interview takes us back to pre-race feelings and moments.

Is there any point in the race that you fear?

No, I am quiet. I planned everything.

Millet within the trail running category has chosen to focus on skyrunning. Is there something specific that is different about skyrunning than other nuances of trail running?

I like to do everything, but I have to say that skyrunning is my biggest passion. At the equipment level, while similar, cushioning and traction must be at a premium. Millet’s Trilogy collection is perfect for me and I have always found all the features I need while at altitude.

Backpack
, what will you use tomorrow?

Intense 12, where can I store all the mandatory materials. I normally love to run with Intense 5, whose capacious and strategic pockets I love.

For races of this kind, how important is altitude training?

For me, very important! I live at sea level for example, near Bilbao. I can reach a small mountain in twenty minutes from home for just under 500m of elevation gain, but from there to running the races I participate in there is a big difference. Heart rate and sensations undergo significant changes for me depending on altitude, which is why I often move to the mountains on weekends for training. Among my favorite places are the Pyrenees, Basque Country, Picos de Europa, Leon.