If you want to get faster at HYROX, it is tempting to believe the answer is simply to train harder. I have learned that it is not quite that simple. Training harder can certainly help, but getting faster also requires understanding where you are losing time and energy in the first place. That is why I use race simulations as part of my HYROX training. A simulation gives me a much clearer picture of what actually happens when running and strength work are combined under fatigue. With my next HYROX race 12 weeks away, I have a specific goal: I want to cut up to 10 minutes from my previous time. My last simulation gave me a 69 minute baseline, and that experience showed me exactly where I need to focus. 

The goal of this 12 Weeks to Hyrox plan is not to find one magical shortcut. Instead, I am looking at several small opportunities that can add up to a meaningful improvement on race day. Some of these lessons come directly from HYROX, while others come from my experience with ultramarathons and endurance racing. In this post (and the Youtube video linked here and the podcast episode linked here), I am focusing on transitions, running on tired legs, difficult workout stations, efficient form, and coaching and community. These are the areas where I believe I can make measurable improvements during the next 12 weeks.

Why I use HYROX race simulations

If you are training for HYROX, or really any type of race, I strongly recommend doing some form of simulation. A simulation gives you information that a normal training session cannot always provide. You get to experience how your body responds when different movements and efforts are placed together in the same sequence. You also begin to understand what happens as fatigue accumulates throughout the race. Most importantly, you get a baseline that you can use to guide the rest of your training.

For something like an ultramarathon, I would not necessarily recommend running the full distance simply to simulate the race. If I were preparing for a 100 mile race, I would instead run sections of the course over several weeks. That allows me to experience different parts of the terrain and understand how my body responds to them. HYROX is different because the event typically lasts roughly 60 to 120 minutes, making a full or partial simulation much more practical. The goal is not necessarily to destroy yourself in training. The goal is to collect useful information that tells you what needs work.

My 69 minute baseline and 10 minute goal

My previous HYROX simulation took me 69 minutes, and I felt very good about that result. At the same time, the simulation showed me that there was still plenty of room for improvement. I am currently 12 weeks out from my next HYROX, and I want to cut up to 10 minutes from that time. I would not have chosen that goal with the same confidence if I had not completed the simulation first. The simulation gave me a starting point. It also helped me identify the specific areas where I could potentially save time.

That is one of the biggest reasons I believe simulations are so valuable. Instead of guessing what you need to improve, you can use the experience to identify weaknesses. HYROX combines running with eight different fitness stations, so there are many places where your performance can change. You may discover that your running is strong but your transitions are slow. You might find that you perform well early in the race but struggle when your legs become fatigued. Once you understand those differences, your training can become much more intentional.

1. I am cutting my HYROX transition times

The first area I am focusing on is transition time. This might seem like a small detail, but my ultramarathon experience has taught me just how much time can disappear when you are standing still. During the first 50 mile race I ran, I finished in 13 hours and spent one to two hours, and possibly more, during transitions and refueling. When I later won a 100 kilometer race, I had a support crew that helped me reduce that wasted time. I was able to save roughly an hour or more simply by becoming more efficient during transitions.

The same principle applies to HYROX. When you are not actively completing a workout station, you still have an opportunity to move. After finishing an exercise, I want to get up and start jogging rather than casually walking or standing around. Those seconds and minutes can accumulate quickly across an entire race. This also changes the way I train because I cannot practice stopping for long periods between exercises and expect myself to move efficiently during competition. Over the next 12 weeks, I am going to keep myself moving more consistently during HYROX training so that efficient transitions become part of my normal race behavior.

2. I am learning to run on tired legs

The second area is running on tired legs. This became much clearer to me after completing my solo HYROX simulation. I had experience running while fatigued because I run regularly and have an ultramarathon background, but that is not exactly the same thing as running immediately after a demanding strength exercise. HYROX asks you to repeatedly switch between running and intense functional movements. That means your legs can feel very different during the final kilometers than they do at the start.

My experience doing doubles also taught me something important. In doubles, you can share some of the workload at the stations with your partner, which means you may not experience the same level of fatigue before each run. In a solo race, there is nowhere to hide. You have to complete every station yourself, and then you have to run again. That is why I am now incorporating more HYROX specific sessions where I run, perform an exercise, run again, and repeat that process. I want my body to become comfortable running efficiently when my legs are already tired.

3. I am improving my performance on the hardest stations

The third area is learning how to perform the hardest stations when I am already gassed. For me, this includes burpees, lunges, and wall balls. These movements can feel very different when you are doing them fresh compared with when you have already run several kilometers and completed multiple exercises. That difference matters because the later stations can have a major impact on your overall race time.

Wall balls were particularly challenging for me during my simulation, which means they also represent an obvious opportunity to improve. Rather than simply trying to do more wall balls in training, I want to understand how to perform them efficiently when I am fatigued. I also want to improve my ability to maintain a consistent effort through burpees and lunges without allowing fatigue to completely disrupt my pace. If you are preparing for your own HYROX, pay attention to which stations cause your performance to fall apart. Those moments can tell you exactly where your training needs to become more specific.

4. I am improving my form for speed and energy efficiency

The fourth area is form. However, I am not talking only about performing an exercise correctly. I am also thinking about form in terms of speed and energy conservation. There can be more than one technically sound way to perform a movement, and some approaches may require significantly more energy than others. During a HYROX race, that energy matters because you still have to run after the station.

Burpees are a good example for me. I naturally perform them aggressively, going from the burpee directly into the broad jump. That approach can be fast, but it can also cause my heart rate to spike. I am now exploring ways to maintain a strong pace while using less energy. The goal is not to become slow simply to conserve energy. Instead, I want to find the point where my movement remains efficient enough that I can preserve energy for the running that follows. Sometimes a small adjustment in technique can help you save seconds at a station while also leaving you in better condition for the next kilometer.

5. I am using coaching and community to improve

The fifth area is coaching and community. I have spent much of my athletic life around coaches, and I have learned that having knowledge about training is not the same as having someone objectively guide you through it. A coach can see things that you may not notice yourself. They can also help you structure your training around a specific goal instead of simply doing more workouts.

For my HYROX training, I have been working with my coach, Scott, at Endorphin South Broadway in Denver, Colorado. The community at Endorphin has also played a major role in why I got into HYROX in the first place. Having people around you who are working toward similar goals can make training more engaging and can push you to continue improving. The same principle applies to running and ultramarathon training. A supportive run club or training community can give you accountability, encouragement, and people to learn from. You do not have to train alone simply because you are ultimately responsible for your own performance.

How to use your own simulation to get faster

If you want to apply these lessons to your own HYROX training, start with a simulation that gives you useful information without completely overwhelming your body. Record your overall time, but do not stop there. Pay attention to your transition times, your running pace, and how your running changes after each station. Notice which exercises cause your heart rate and fatigue to spike. Then look honestly at the parts of the race where your performance begins to decline.

Once you have that information, choose a small number of areas to work on. You do not need to completely rebuild your training program every week. If your transitions are slow, practice moving immediately between exercises. If your running falls apart after strength stations, add more run and exercise combinations. If wall balls are costing you time, practice your technique and pacing while fatigued. The key is to turn what you learned from your simulation into specific training decisions.

What I am focusing on over the next 12 weeks

My goal over these next 12 weeks is not simply to train harder. I want to train with more information and more intention. My 69 minute simulation gave me a foundation, and now I have specific areas I can attack. I am focusing on reducing transition time, improving my ability to run on tired legs, getting better at the most difficult stations when fatigued, refining my form for speed and energy conservation, and continuing to work with a coach and supportive community.

If you are also trying to get faster at HYROX, I encourage you to take the same approach. Give yourself a baseline before deciding exactly what needs to change. Use your simulation to find the opportunities that are specific to you. You may not need to become dramatically stronger or run dramatically faster to improve your race time. You may simply need to waste less time, move more efficiently, and become better at maintaining your performance when fatigue sets in.

A 5 to 10 minute improvement is not something I expect to achieve through one secret workout or one training trick. It is about identifying the small opportunities that exist throughout the entire race and consistently working on them. That is what I am going to be doing over the next 12 weeks as I work toward cutting 10 minutes from my HYROX time. I will see what happens when I put these lessons into practice. More importantly, I hope you can use your own race experience to figure out what you need to work on next.

DISCLAIMER: THIS INFORMATION IS MY OPINION AND IS NOT INTENDED TO BE A SUBSTITUTE FOR YOUR HEALTHCARE PROVIDER. PLEASE CONSULT A HEALTHCARE PROVIDER FOR GUIDANCE SPECIFIC TO YOUR CASE.