I Competed In My First HYROX. Here's How I Prepared, from Training to Nutrition

If you've been online sometime in the last year, it's likely the term HYROX has come across your feed. This global phenomenon is a hybrid fitness event that tests endurance, speed, and strength across eight exercise stations and roughly 5 miles of running.

If you're wondering what the hype is about, how to prepare, or just why someone might do this, I've got you. I recently competed in the Phoenix HYROX event in the Women's Doubles category. Here's everything I learned — what went well, what went wrong, and what I'll do differently before my next race (because of course I signed up for another one).

What is HYROX?

HYROX, short for Hybrid Rockstars or Hybrid Roxzone (this is up for debate. Not sure one is better than the other), entered the chat in 2017 in Germany. It's founders, Christian Toetzke and Moritz Fürste, were basically bored with exercise and wanted to create a challenge that would appeal to both runners and strength athletes. The result was a hybrid competition structured as follows:

• 1-kilometer run
• 1000-meter ski erg
• 1-kilometer run
• 50-meter sled push
• 1-kilometer run
• 50-meter sled pull
• 1-kilometer run
• 80-meter burpee broad jumps
• 1-kilometer run
• 1000 meter row
• 1-kilometer run
• 200-meter farmer's carry
• 1-kilometer run
• 100-meter sandbag lunges
• 1-kilometer run
• 100 wall balls

Weights for the loaded exercise stations vary by competition category, generally going up in weight for the Pro and Elite divisions, while being lower for Open divisions. All in all, it makes for one zesty fitness event.

What's all the hype about?

Dear reader, I too was skeptical about this concept. As a 30-something member of the Washed Up Athlete's Club (trademark pending), I love a layman's competition. I've competed in road races, obstacle coure races, and in my younger days, functional fitness events. Finding moments to be competitive, even at a mediocre level, gave me a sense of achievement, community, and I-still-got-it-ness that is fun and meaningful.

Coming off of 13-mile obstacle courses, dangling off of cargo nets and swinging over mud pits, I couldn't imagine a HYROX would keep my attention. On the other side of Phoenix, however, there are several things HYROX does differently that are totally hype-worthy and indicate it can appeal to participants on par with any other fitness event (if not more).

Race Standardization

First, HYROX events are standardized, meaning no matter the event, the race will always be the same. This provides a more accurate measure of how your fitness level and race times measure up against competitors from around the world. Some might call it boring, but anyone with respect for fair competition on a global scale will appreciate the methodology.

It Feels Like Competitive Sport

HYROX events have strict rules on technique and race expectations (read more about rules below). To enforce said rules are hundreds of judges, both professional and volunteer, who maintain a standard of competition that makes racers feel like they're competing at a higher level. Additionally, the course layout makes plenty of space for spectators to cheer. For the average Joe who has never experienced competing in a packed gym with hungry fans and no-nonsense referees — or a former athlete who very much misses this environment — it's an electrifying feeling.

Backed By Science, Fueled By Data

If the Greek legend about how marathons came into existence is true, it's safe to say there's not much science behind it. As a refresher, the story tells of a war-time messenger named Pheidippides who ran the 25ish miles from the city of Marathon to Athens to herald the Athenians' victory in battle... Then he immediately died. Tragic, no?

HYROX employs a Sports Science Advisory Council that informs decisions regarding weight selection, course layouts, running distances, race rules and regulations, and competitive categories. You also get a detailed data breakout of your race upon finishing thanks to a handy dandy ankle monitor that tracks your run splits, station times, and competition rankings.

Adaptive Options for Inclusivity

Accessibility often feels like an afterthought in competitive spaces, but HYROX Adaptive Divisions make room for athletes of all kinds. This applies to all HYROX events, from a general race to the World Championships. It's a welcome change that elevates athletic excellence regardless of ability.

Good Vibes, Man

This event is founded in positive energy. From the rollout of race waves (designed so no one finishes last), the MCs bringing the hype, your fellow competitors oozing good sportsmanship, to the spectators and judges cheering you on, it's an instant runner's high from start to finish.

How I trained to balance strength and cardio

Alright, time for logistics! I'm a traditional strength-focused athlete, so my biggest area of opportunity was improving my running and endurance. Your story might be different. Identify your weaknesses and supplement extra training to right the imbalances. Here's what my training breakout looked like:

Do a benchmark workout

To properly get a read on my race readiness, I put myself through a HYROX-approved benchmark test workout. You can find tons of these online or at your local HYROX Training Club (trust me, there's one in your area). My benchmark workout was a combo of running, sandbag lunges, rowing, and wall balls for time.

Create a 12-week plan

Most fitness professionals, myself included, guided by research, recommend about 12 weeks to prepare for any kind of althletic pursuit or competitive race. Using notes from my benchmark workout, I created a three month program intended to improve my running without losing strength. The duration of my workouts gradually increased week over week. I worked on increasing loads for weighted movements and learning to use running as rest (a true oxymoron).

Here's what the average week looked like:

• Monday: Total body strength
• Tuesday: HYROX training (combo of ~5 station-focused exercises followed by 30-40 minutes of running in Zone 2)
• Wednesday: Total body strength
• Thursday: Rest / mobility / active recovery
• Friday: Hybrid strength and conditioning
• Saturday: Hybrid strength and conditioning
• Sunday: Long run in Zone 2 or rest

Train harder than you think

This tip came from one of the best HYROX athletes in the game, Ryan Kent. The ultimate goal is for your race to feel manageable, and we do that by training for something harder than the actual event. For me, racing the Women's Doubles Open division, Kent suggested training with Pro weights to build strength and muscle. He also recommended training as if I was competing solo — aka less rest when doing HYROX workouts.

Did it suck in the moment? Hell yeah. But the results were undeniable. My partner and I felt collected and in control during our race. I'm also convinced this method directly resulted in nailing our goal of finishing in less than 90 minutes.

...but don't be afraid to scale back

Inside every 30+ athlete are two wolves: One wolf wants to run wild. Your best accomplishments are still ahead of you, it growls. Greatness is within reach. Unleash the beast, b***h. **Unhinged howling**

The other wolf understands we're in it for the long game and the real win is finishing without a major injury. While I let wolf one pull the sled for most of my training, I always listened when wolf two spoke up. (Tired of this metaphor yet?)

For example: My Sunday long runs started giving me lingering hip and knee pain. I knew I needed to improve my running, but if I didn't back off I wouldn't run the race at all. So back off we did, and here I am, still with my hip and ACL intact.

Remember: The run is your recovery

This is by far the cruelest part of any HYROX, but your 1-kilometer runs are intended to be your rest and recovery. Many HYROX training plans prioritize lengthy Zone 2 cardio for this reason. As crappy runner, I never fully mastered this concept. However, during my event, I noticed that by the second lap of running, my heart rate would indeed recover to under 120 bpm. I call that progress.

Schedule a dress rehearsal

Two weeks before our event, my parner and I participated in a HYROX simulation event. Consider this another important benchmark test. We were able to practice our transitions, identify strengths and weaknesses, and get our bodies ready for the actual effort of the race.

Take everything about this dress rehearsal seriously. Eat how you plan to eat before the race. Wear what you plan to wear. The more you can truly simulate the big day, the more you'll be able to properly prepare.

Nutrition: How I ate for gains, recovery, and athletic performance

The other side of any training coin is nutrition. I chatted with several nutrition experts, including Dr. Clay Moss and Sports Dietician Grace Thomas, to hone in on fueling essentials and debunk common nutrition myths. 

Understand your caloric needs

First things first: Calculate your total daily energy expenditure (TDEE) and make adjustments as needed to support your increased training efforts, says Thomas. Knowing the calories you need to fuel an average day will help you adjust food intake to support additional calorie burn, muscle growth, recovery, and energy levels. A bioelectric impedance analysis (BIA), such as an InBody scan, is a great option for getting a precise read on TDEE and body composition (think muscle mass and body fat percentage). If you don't have access to a BIA scan, try a general TDEE calculator (though keep in mind it will not be as accurate).

Start with food, supplement as needed

As a personal trainer and fitness nutrition specialist, it never ceases to amaze me how often I have to tell clients to eat enough food. Don't fear your plate, friends. If food brings you anxiety or stress, consider partnering with a functional nutritionist.

Food is also your best bet for nailing your nutrient and caloric needs. Here's how Thomas builds a balanced meal optimized for athletic performance:

• Protein: One 3-4 oz serving, about the size of the palm of your hand.
  
• Carbs: One serving = a cupped handful. Aim for about 1.5 servings.
• Color: Next, target 1-2 fist-sized portions of colorful, non-starchy vegetables, fruits, or greens.
• Fats: Finish things off with 1.5 thumb-sized portions of healthy fats.

To bring it all together, supplements can be super helpful to fill in any gaps or deficiencies if you're struggling to hit certain macro goals. To get the full scoop on supplements — the how, why, and when — checkout this guide for eating like an athlete by Dr. Moss.

And because this topic cannot be fully covered in a few paragraphs, here are some additional resources to help you create your ideal diet plan:

• What are macros — and how to calculate them
• The ultimate guide to creatine
• Meal prep ideas

My supplement stack

As someone who struggles to get enough protein and drink enough water, supplements were a game changer throughout this process. I've partnered with several nutritionists over the years to lock in a supportive supplement routine. Bare minimum, consult your healthcare provider or nutrition specialist before adding any supplements to your diet.

Here's the lineup that got me to the finish line:

• Purist® Creatine Plus: Creatine is one of the most well-researched, evidence-backed supplements for boosting athletic performance, muscle mass, and recovery. Purist Creatine Plus is NSF Certified for Sport creatine monohydrate with Chromax, a nootropic designed to support metabolism and energy. It was my secret weapon for peak performance.
• Purist® Whey Protein: My protein needs skyrocketed during HYROX training. Getting a little 25g boost with each Purist serving helped me hit my daily goals. And, thanks to Thomas, I never ran out of creative protein powder recipes.
• Turmeric / Curcumin: Curcumin's anti-inflammatory properties support muscle recovery and joint health. This was an extra kick to help me avoid DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness).
• Purist® Hydration: I didn't use this every day, but certainly on heavy run and exercise days where activity lasted for longer than 90 minutes or I sweat heavily. This also came in clutch leading up to race day.

The supplement industry is the wild west of lax regulatory practices and misinformation. Here are some tips for finding supplements you can trust:

• Third-party certifications like NSF Certified for Sport and Informed Choice. These certifications ensure supplements adhere to specific quality, purity, and production standards, so you can trust that what's on the label is actually what you're getting.
• Minimal processing and whole-food ingredients. Supplements require some processing; 'tis the way of life. Nutrition labels with minimal ingredients (that you recognize) are a great indicator for quality.
• No artificial colors or sweeteners, added sugar, or fillers. Products should contain the essentials, nothing more.
• Transparency. Quality supplements don't have anything to hide and they don't need to trick you with grand promises of rapid weight loss or massive muscle gains. They use clear language on labels and marketing materials. They share visibility into their production processes and ingredients. They are backed by science and approved by medical professionals. Tl;dr — if it feels too good to be true, it probably is.

Give alcohol a break

This girl loves her wine, but the research is clear: Alcohol negatively impacts athletic performance, muscle growth, sleep, and recovery — to name a few. My training coincided with Dry January, so I took the opportunity to spend 30 days sober. The result? I generally felt more energy during training, was able to commit fully to my nutrition plan without late-night, alcohol-induced snacking, and showed up on race day feeling strong and ready to get after it.

Race week fueling tips

Yep, I said race WEEK. As recommended by Thomas, who has been my nutrition coach through 13-mile obstacle course races, I began fueling and hydrating for my HYROX about 5 days before the actual event. This meant locking in on food choices to ensure I hit my macros, slightly increasing caloric intake each day, taking one serving of Purist® hydration daily, and drinking about 100-110 oz of water a day.

Race day fueling tips

Race times vary by event and category. My race heat started at 1:50 pm, which left ample time for sleep and fueling. If you get a less desirable start time, never fear. Do your best to schedule a decent meal and a couple snacks in the 4-6 hours leading up to the event.

Here's how I ate on the big day:

• 6 hours before: Balanced breakfast of protein and complex carbs, minimal fat and fiber.
  • Eggs and turkey sausage breakfast burrito with a side of whole-wheat banana walnut pancakes
  • Coffee + water
• 2-3 hours before: Carb-rich snacks to prime energy stores.
  • Leftover pancake and fruit leather
  • Water with Purist® Hydration (1 scoop)
• 60-90 minutes before: Carb-rich snack
  • Banana and pretzels
  • Water and Purist® Creatine Plus
• 30 minutes before: Electrolytes and simple carbs
  • .5 pack of energy chews
  • Water
• During: Fast fuel as needed
  • Remaining .5 pack of energy chews
• Recovery: High protein, high carb
  • Cheeseburger (don't at me. This is a post-race tradition that delivers protein, carbs, and joy)

Other tips and lessons learned

Your first HYROX is where you learn the lessons. In addition to racing, I also volunteered as an assistant judge to get on-the-floor experience with rules and technique. Here are some bonus tidbits to help round out your HYROX prep:

Read the rules

Rules are important, especially at HYROX. Failure to comply can result in penalties to your final time or disqualification. This article covers the biggest rules to know for the 2025-2026 HYROX season.

Figure out shoes early

Reddit is full of questions about the best shoes for HYROX. As a lifter and trail racer, I'm well-versed in flat lifting shoes (Metcons all day, IYKYK) and sneakers with tread (VJ XTRM 2 and Salomon, ILY). But what to do for an indoor hybrid fitness event?

The journey of shoe selection is unique to each racer and requires lots of research. I ended up going with the popular and well-reviewed Saucony Endorphin Pro 4 (truthfully, Saucony shoes might be the fastest way to identify a HYROXer in the wild). These carbon-plated shoes are primed for runners with cushy support, a soft and light fit, and an "upward curl" toe. While they're optimized for speed and distance running, they completely threw me for a loop doing any of the strength based movements. Being accustomed to flat shoes, I suddenly couldn't lunge without falling over. My shoes slipped off during heavy sled pushes. I struggled to smoothly get in and out of the row erg because of the fat heel.

I almost set them on fire, but my race partner pushed me to keep training in them. Eventually, my body learned to work with the new structure and they proved themselves a worthy choice on race day.

Long story long: Get your race shoes early and commit to them like a marriage. Train in them. Wear them around the house. Practice lacing techniques so shoes stay snug without cutting off circulation (pro tip: try heel-lock lacing). If you've committed for at least 8 weeks and things aren't improving, it's a sign you might need a different shoe.

Do your research. And don't keep your race shoes on the shelf until the day of. It's the fastest way to shoot yourself in the foot.

Take the 2 weeks pre-race seriously

Call me crazy, but in the two weeks leading up to my race, I treated myself like Bubble Boy; precious cargo that needed to be protected at all costs. This meant taking workouts seriously, but checking my ego to prevent injury (two weeks out, what's a sketchy lift or full-send HIIT really going to do for you anyway?).

I took extra caution to prevent getting sick — lots of hand washing, getting my vitamins in food, politely avoiding sick coworkers, and always getting at least 8 hours of quality sleep. It's not always easy to prioritize yourself in this way, so I had to work for it and set a few boundaries. But when you work so hard for a goal, don't you think you deserve to see it through? Abso-fudgin-lutely.

If racing with others, have a game plan and practice it

Have I mentioned how much I love my race partner, Lauren? Not only is she an epic competitor, but she's a HYROX365 L1 Coach. Together, we used our strengths and weeknesses to come up with a plan to save time, energy, and morale on the course.

Lauren is strongest right out of the gate, while I tend to get a second wind in the back half of the event. As such, we made it so I would start the first few exercise stations and she would finish, giving me a little bit of extra rest between runs. When she needed more rest, we switched. We also practiced sandbag hand offs, sled pulls, and burpees — stations with the strictest rules. We experimented with how to break up distances to optimize our skillset. Get to know your team or partner and try out different strategies to find what works.

Don't gas yourself on the first run and ski erg

This is the probably the most frequent tip you'll hear in the HYROX community, and it's true. Don't go too hard, too early. You've got a long way to go and don't want to burn out right at the start.

Be mindful when running

I know, fam. When you're on lap number 20 and the only thing keeping you going is dissassociating with the dance fight choreo from Cadet Kelly, you don't have much energy to give. However, running etiquette is essential at these big events.

Not only is it respectful and just basic common courtesy, following protocol can be the difference between hitting or missing a PR. Slower runners and walkers, stay to the right! Fast runners — meaning sub-4-minute 1-kilometer runners, don't be delulu here — can use the left lane. Everyone else in the middle, try not to block faster runners trying to get around you. Run your own race, but don't ruin it for someone else.

Takeaway

Alright, team. That's some hard-earned wisdom from my first HYROX. I hope this helps anyone prepping for their first race or gearing up to return and pursue a PR. If you want more tips, here's some additional content to help you prep and train. Good luck!

• 7 Training Tips to Improve Your Time, From an Elite Hybrid Athlete
• The Best Gifts for HYROX Athletes
• Strength Training for Runners: Build Power, Run Faster