FANTÉ · TRAIL GUIDES

What to eat at Sobrescobio Redes Trail 2026: nutritional strategy for Speed Trail and Skyrace

The Sobrescobio Redes Trail is not just a mountain race in Asturias. It's a skyrunning weekend in the heart of the Redes Natural Park, with two very different profiles: the SST Speed Trail, short and explosive, and the SOT Skyrace, longer, more technical, and demanding.

That's why one of the most important questions isn't just how to train, but what to eat at Sobrescobio Redes Trail, how many gels to carry, how to use salts, when to drink, and which nutrition pack to choose depending on whether you're running the Speed Race or the Skyrace.

In this guide, we explain how to prepare your nutrition for Redes Trail 2026, with a practical strategy for the SST Speed Trail 17.5K and the SOT Skyrace 31K.

Why nutrition is key at Sobrescobio Redes Trail

In a race like Sobrescobio Redes Trail, nutrition cannot be left to improvisation. The concentrated elevation gain, changes in pace, technical descents, and the duration of each distance mean the body needs available energy before hitting a wall.

In the SST Speed Trail, the key is to arrive light, with energy, and without feeling heavy. In the SOT Skyrace, the objective changes: you need to sustain carbohydrates, hydration, and salts for several hours without overloading your digestive system.

A good nutritional strategy for Redes Trail should be written before the race, tested in training, and adapted to the actual race profile.

Redes Trail 2026: what changes between Speed Race and Skyrace

It makes no sense to use the same strategy for a 17.5 km race with 1,100 m of positive elevation gain as for a sky race of around 31 km with 2,100 m of positive elevation gain. The first requires precision and lightness; the second requires planning, tolerance, and regularity.

SST Speed Trail profile: a short, but very intense race

The SST Speed Trail is the most explosive distance of the weekend. By distance, it may seem simple, but its elevation gain forces you to run smart. The nutritional strategy must avoid two errors: arriving without energy or arriving with a too-full stomach.

What to eat before the SST Speed Trail

In a short, vertical race, breakfast or the pre-race meal should be easy to digest. We are not looking for a huge load, but an intake that leaves glycogen available and avoids discomfort on climbs.

• Pre-race meal rich in carbohydrates and low in fat or fiber.
• Avoid trying new gels, bars, or caffeine on race day.
• Take a gel or a carbohydrate drink before starting only if you have already tested it in training.
• Drink in a controlled manner, without arriving with a full stomach.

For the Redes Trail Speed Race, we recommend a strategy like the Half Marathon Trail Pack: compact, easy to carry, and designed for multi-hour or high-intensity efforts.

SOT Skyrace profile: 31 km where nutrition truly decides

The SOT Skyrace demands a more comprehensive plan. Here, it's no longer enough to "eat something when hungry." The elevation gain, duration, technical sections, and accumulated intensity mean that nutrition must be planned by the hour, not just by the kilometer.

What to eat during the SOT Skyrace

In the Sobrescobio Skyrace, the goal should be to maintain a constant intake of carbohydrates. There's no need to wait until you feel empty. When the feeling of lack of energy appears, it's usually already too late.

• Plan your gels by time, not just by points on the route.
• Start eating early, before fatigue sets in.
• Use salts if it's hot, humid, or if you sweat a lot.
• Alternate flavors if you're going to be running for several hours.
• Save caffeine for key moments, not to improvise when you're already depleted.

For this distance, we recommend the Trail Marathon Pack, because it better adapts to a long mountain race, with elevation gain and the need to sustain energy for several hours.

Key climbs and sections of the Skyrace: where to anticipate nutrition

In a technical race, not all kilometers are equal. Before a tough climb, it's good to arrive with available energy. Before a technical descent, it's best not to have an overloaded stomach. And in the final sections, caffeine only makes sense if you've already trained with it.

Quick table: which FANTÉ pack to choose for Sobrescobio Redes Trail

Carbohydrates per hour at Redes Trail

The exact amount depends on weight, level, digestive tolerance, and expected duration. But as a practical guide, the strategy should move between a moderate and an advanced approach.

• SST Speed Trail: a pre-race intake and 1-2 gels may be enough for many runners, depending on estimated time.
• SOT Skyrace: it's advisable to work on a regular intake of carbohydrates from the start, especially if the estimated time exceeds several hours.
• Redes Xtreme: if you're racing in stages, it's not just the race that matters; recovering well between days also matters.

Most importantly, the strategy must be tested. In trail running, your stomach also needs training.

Hydration and salts for Sobrescobio Redes Trail

In an alpine race in Asturias, the weather can change. It can be cool, humid, hot on climbs, or have different perceived temperatures on ridges and descents. Therefore, hydration must be adjusted to the actual race day.

• Don't drink only water for many hours if sodium loss is high.
• Use salts if you sweat a lot, if it's hot, or if the race is long.
• In the Speed Trail, avoid overdoing liquids before starting.
• In the Skyrace, start drinking before feeling intense thirst.
• Train your hydration strategy on long runs with elevation gain.

Caffeine: useful, but not essential

Caffeine can be interesting in skyrunning, especially during periods of fatigue or before a climb where you want to maintain concentration. But it should not be used without having tried it beforehand.

• In the SST Speed Trail, it might make sense before the start if you already tolerate it.
• In the SOT Skyrace, it can be reserved for mid-race or 20 minutes before each climb.
• Do not mix caffeine with a digestive strategy you have not tested.
• More caffeine does not always mean better performance.

Frequent nutrition mistakes at Redes Trail

Many runners train well for the elevation gain, but arrive at the race with a vague nutritional strategy. These are the most common mistakes:

• Starting without having tested gels on climbs.
• Eating too close to the start.
• Waiting until you're hungry to start taking carbohydrates.
• Not carrying salts on a humid or hot day.
• Using caffeine for the first time on race day.
• Copying someone else's strategy without adapting it to your own pace.

Nutrition for Sobrescobio Redes Trail should be simple, written down, and practiced. It should not depend on what you remember when you are already fatigued.

Conclusion: at Redes, it's not the most improvised who wins

The Sobrescobio Redes Trail is prepared by training elevation, technique, descents, and mindset. But it is also prepared by training nutrition.

If you're going to run the SST Speed Trail, the SOT Skyrace, or the stages of Redes Xtreme, start preparing your strategy before the race.

Because in a mountain race, the strategy doesn't start when you're hungry. It starts much earlier.