LOWA TRAIL Racers Team Sandra Saitner

Just go ahead!

A status that doesn’t work at all for passionate runner Sandra Saitner? Standstill. Her motto – both in sports and in other areas of life – is: Just do it! That’s why Sandra has been taking on sporting challenges again and again for 20 years now, looking optimistically ahead and thus showing how mountains can literally be moved with the right attitude and a good portion of diligence in trail running.

Sandra started classic road running in her mid-20s. At first, her competition bucket list included ten kilometres, but it quickly turned into the half-marathon distance, which she passed for a long time. Regular trail runs were already integrated into her training plans. Sandra was really infected by trail running when she ran up the Wendelstein in the Bavarian Alps. This vertical run inspired Sandra so much that it didn’t take long to register for the Karwendelberglauf.

Since then, trail running has become an integral part of her everyday life. Not surprisingly, Sandra has found a home of choice in Bad Tölz, where she can live out her passion for trailrunning perfectly. “Close to the mountains, optimal training conditions, a great running community – I couldn’t imagine a better place to live than the Isarwinkel, ” the Upper Bavarian athlete is certain.

Why Sandra is so passionate about trail running? It’s simple: The sport shows her that you can achieve things that seem almost impossible. “With the right attitude and a little ambition, limits can be pushed. I try to always look ahead and just go for it, encouraging myself to take on new challenges – without overthinking it, ” Sandra describes her life motto. Thanks to this attitude, she has also been very successful in competitions in recent years. At the Zugspitz Ultratrail, for example, she finished in third place overall. However, she is most proud of her victory at the K85 (IATF) in Innsbruck 2023.

When she’s not training on the trails at home, Sandra can also be found on a wide variety of trails during her travels. In any case, trail running shoes are always part of her luggage. “My best trail experience so far is probably the GR20 Trans-Corsica – a guerrilla run on the GR20. Worldwide, it is one of the most beautiful long-distance hiking trails and, because of its alpine routing, one of the most difficult in Europe. ”Together with two friends, we completed 180 kilometres over 12,000 meters of altitude on this long-distance hiking trail. A very intense and wonderful run time, which we will certainly think about for a very long time, " Sandra raves about her most beautiful trail running adventure.

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Facts & figures

Birthday:: 21.06.1983

Birthplace:: Weyarn

Home base:: Bad Tölz

Profession:: National Account Manager & Senior Customer Marketing Manager

Local mountain:: Rabenkopf

Height:: 1,65 m

Weight:: 51 kg

Sandra Saitner,
Do you have a role model?

“No specific one, there are so many great athletes in this sport. But if I had to name someone, Cortney Dauwalter comes to my mind spontaneously. Courtney is probably the best female runner at the 100-mile distance right now. She runs with an ease and radiates an incredible joy. She stays true to herself through it all and doesn’t let outside conventions affect her. This inspires me a lot.”

Do you have any advice for people who would like to give trailrunning a try?

“Set goals. It helps me to have a concrete goal in mind. It doesn’t even have to be a specific competition, a private plan or project can also help. When one’s weaker self comes around the corner, I always know exactly what I’m training for. That helps me a lot to motivate myself. Training units that tend to be more difficult for me, such as track intervals, I usually do together with others. A healthy group dynamic can do wonders for motivation.”

What does outdoor mean to you?

“Outdoor is often associated with equipment and wild adventures. For me, however, outdoor begins in small ways, like coffee in the morning in the sun on the balcony. I’m an outdoor person through and through, but I don’t need any special material or a big plan for it.”

What other hobbies do you pursue besides running?

“Besides running, I love cycling in all its forms. Mountain biking, road biking and now also graveling are among my favorite alternative sports. When things are a bit calmer, I also like to go hiking or do a via ferrata. For a while I also climbed quite regularly, but unfortunately, I can’t find the time for that at the moment. In winter, I do cross-country skiing and occasionally go on a ski tour, which is the perfect alternative to running training for me.”

What does your perfect day look like?

“To be honest, I don’t want to commit to THE perfect day. A successful day can have many different facets for me.It can be a beautiful summer day that starts early at sunrise – with an extended tour on the mountain and a cozy end in the beer garden. Or a training run in rainy conditions, when it is windy and cold. Followed by a visit to the sauna and a pizza at my favorite Italian restaurant. But two components are always part of it: Exercise and good food!”

Which tour or which running route can you recommend? And why?

“One of my favorite tours goes from the Rabenkopf over the Jochberg, along the Walchensee shore back to the Jachenau.This 30-kilometer loop combines everything I love about trail running. A longer, runnable climb through a beautiful forest, a bit of technical terrain at the summit, flowy trails and beautiful views of the Alps.”