A Wren Says

Maybe your social media feed has finally switched to full Hyrox content. And perhaps now you are considering signing up for your first race. I am here for you. On the other side of my first race and now no longer sore, I bring you my advice. It is a mixture of mistakes I made and some things that you should just know. Use it as you will to help you decide if you want give the race a try and to help design your training plan.

Tip #1 Train

Let’s get the obvious one out the way. I should have trained consistently and specifically in the lead up to the race. I was able to do the movements with some fitness background and sheer will, but it would have felt much better had I trained and prepared for the race.

There are multiple free and paid plans you can use to help you prepare. You can use any of those, but make sure you also take the time to familiarize yourself with the movement standards. Think about the weights you will have to use and get used to what they feel like. The first time you touch a 50 kilo sled should not be on race day.

Tip #2 Water is important, especially the week of the race

I am one of the chronically dehydrated. I should have drunk more water throughout the week and taken on more electrolytes. That would helped me with cramping that started for me fairly early on in the race. If I were to do it again, I would get very intentional about my hydration starting a week out to allow my body to adjust.

Tip #3 No new shoes.

I made the mistake of wearing a completely different type of shoe than I had been training in. In my case, I had a pair of more minimal shoes I hadn’t trained in years. The problem was that my feet weren’t used to that, so they had to work even harder.

Okay, so maybe saying no new shoes is a bit extreme, but be aware of new shoes that are more or less cushioned than you’re used to. You run the risk of shifting your gait or how you contact the ground which create an injury risk. You want shoes with good traction, but make sure any new shoes work well for your feet and movement style.

Tip #4 Get used to solid ground

If you’re training in the gym, chances are you’re going to do much of your run training on treadmills. But the race will take place on concrete. If you haven’t done any of your running on the road or sidewalk, your joints are going to be in for a shock. Literally, as you are going to call on them to act like your shock absorbers in a way they have not adapted to yet. Make sure to add some road and sidewalk training in to your plan.

Tip #5 Take care of your own nutrition

Yes, you should eat well throughout the lead up to the race. But you should also think about your body’s needs during the race. During the event, the only thing offered at the aid station is water and electrolytes. A sugar free electrolyte mix at that. If you usually use a sport drink like Gatorade, you are going to have to provide your own option for the day. And if you are a salty sweater, you really need to think about your strategy. You might want to carry energy gels to help you get through the grueling workout.

Tip #6 Run your own race

If anything, the thing I did best and am proud of myself for is my race management. I made a decision about how I wanted my race to go. I knew that my goal was to just finish the race. I had no delusions of getting on to the podium. I just wanted to cross the finish line injury-free. That meant allowing myself to walk the laps and take breaks when and before I needed them.

With this plan in place, I gave myself the benchmark of 10 minutes per station. With that goal in mind, I estimated it to take me 3 hours to complete the race.That is in stark contrast to the average finishing time of 1 hour 30 minutes. But I was not the average competitor. I hadn’t trained months for this. I was just a regular gym go-goer who wanted a challenge, and that is exactly what I found.  

Instead of being concerned that I was being lapped by people who started the race an hour after me, I stayed at my own pace. Decide ahead of time what your goal is and design a plan to help you reasonably achieve that plan. Whether you want to keep it slow and steady like me or challenge for the win, you need to think ahead of what kind of race you want to have.

If/when I race again, I will take my own advice. But I want to hear from you. Whether you’ve done Hyrox, Tough Mudder, a marathon, or any other fitness challenge, what tips would you share for others new to the event?