My First HYROX: A CrossFitter's Dive into the Race of Fitness

On April 26th, I completed my very first HYROX event in Atlanta, competing in the Women’s Doubles Open Division—and it was one of the most rewarding fitness experiences I’ve had to date.

The Preparation

As a competitive CrossFit athlete, I’m no stranger to long training sessions or high-intensity functional movements. That said, HYROX threw one big curveball my way: running. In CrossFit, I’m used to short bursts—usually 200 to 400 meters—so training for the steady grind of eight 1K runs was new territory.

To prepare, I restructured my Sundays (previously a rest day) to focus on running. My coach gradually introduced me to distance training with short intervals paced at 170 steps per minute. At first, this cadence felt unnatural. I have long legs and a naturally extended stride, so shortening it seemed counterintuitive. But over time, I realized the higher cadence helped keep my legs under me, reduced fatigue, and allowed me to run longer and more efficiently.

Once comfortable with that cadence, I worked toward holding a ~9:00/mile pace during longer intervals, eventually pushing that pace down as the race approached. As for the rest of my training, we didn’t have to change much—HYROX movements align closely with CrossFit. My coach adjusted one to two conditioning workouts per week to focus solely on HYROX-specific stations, reinforcing the motor patterns I’d need on race day.

Partner Practice & Strategy

The Sunday before race day, I met up with my race partner, Kenzie. We practiced 1K repeats at our target pace and fine-tuned our game plan. Since I’m the more powerful athlete, we decided I’d start each station to maximize recovery time before the next run.

Like most competition weeks, we tapered training volume and intensity while keeping touches on key race movements. Thursday was full rest, and Friday was an easy two-mile jog followed by 20 minutes of mobility.

And of course, my pre-race nutrition stayed consistent. I never try anything new the night before or morning of a race. My go-to meal? A Chipotle bowl the night before and a breakfast of gluten-free waffles with syrup and sausage—easy carbs plus a bit of fat and protein for sustained energy.

Race Day

Because our division didn’t compete until later in the day, I arrived early to watch friends compete—and even got to see CrossFit legends Tia-Clair Toomey-Orr and James Newbury in action. The energy inside the arena was electric. Just being there as a spectator got my adrenaline going.

I kept fueling while we waited: plenty of carbs and protein. About 40 minutes before go-time, I checked my bag, warmed up with Kenzie, and did movement preps on each station. Ten minutes before the start, I had a Gu gel (30g carbs) and stashed another to use mid-race.

In the tunnel, we were welcomed with a hype video and pre-race briefing that replaced nerves with excitement. Then we were off.

The Race

The first run was fast—probably our quickest—thanks to the race day buzz. Still, I stuck to our pacing plan (around 8:15–8:25/mile). Our machine strategy was solid: we alternated every 250 meters, keeping work-to-rest balanced. I led each station effort, which gave me extra rest before the next run.

Here’s how we broke it down:

• SkiErg: 250m x 2 each
  
  
• Sled Push & Pull: 12.5m x 2 each
  
  
• Burpee Broad Jumps: Switched every 5–7 reps
  
  
• Row: 250m x 2 each
  
  
• Farmer’s Carry: Switched halfway through each lap
  
  
• Lunges: Switched every 10–16 reps
  
  
• Wall Balls: 50 unbroken each
  
  

We crossed the finish line in 1:09:57, feeling strong, proud, and maybe a little bit in shock (smashing our goal time by over 10 minutes!).

What Went Well

• Our station work split was spot on
  
  
• Day-of fueling and mid-race carbs kept energy high
  
  
• Running with Kenzie—she pushed me to run harder
  
  
• Felt strong on all movements
  
  
• The crowd energy was INSANE and totally motivating
  
  

What I’ll Improve Next Time

• More distance running repeats—faster pace at higher heart rate
  
  
• Be more assertive when passing people on runs
  
  
• Eat a slightly heavier breakfast or lunch for later race start
  
  
• Push machine pace more aggressively, knowing rest was built in
  
  
• Move faster on the farmer’s carry
  
  

Final Thoughts

10/10, would absolutely do it again.
This race pushed me in a new way and gave me a fresh sense of accomplishment. I’m proud of how I performed, how our strategy played out, and how I adapted as an athlete. Whether you're a CrossFitter looking to try something new or just want to test your limits in a different format—HYROX is worth every ounce of effort.

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Thanks for reading,

Dr. Emma, PT, DPT, OCS, CF-L1