If you asked me a few months ago what would make the biggest difference in a HYROX race, I probably would have given you the wrong answer. I would have said I needed to get faster at the stations. I thought if I could shave 20 or 30 seconds off the SkiErg, RowErg, sled push, or another station, I'd dramatically improve my finish time.

Then I actually did a HYROX simulation.

What I learned completely changed the way I think about training for HYROX. More importantly, it changed the advice I now give to every athlete preparing for their first race or chasing a new personal best.

In this post (and the YouTube video linked here and the podcast episode linked here), I'm going to show you why so many HYROX athletes unknowingly lose valuable minutes during a race and the simple shift in training that can help you race faster, smarter, and with more confidence.

The biggest opportunity isn't hiding inside the stations.

It's hiding in the miles between them.

If you're like most HYROX athletes, you're probably losing minutes without even realizing it. The good news is that you can get those minutes back by shifting your focus in a way that is surprisingly simple.

My first HYROX simulation changed everything

When I completed my first HYROX simulation, I had never trained specifically for the sport. I partnered with an experienced HYROX athlete who had already competed in multiple events. Despite having zero HYROX specific preparation, we finished in 58 minutes.

That wasn't just a respectable finish. It was an elite level performance, and it became a personal record for my partner.

I should probably mention something important. I'm not new to endurance sports. I've won a 100 kilometer ultramarathon in brutal conditions with intense heat, significant elevation gain, and hours of continuous effort. I've spent decades learning how to perform at a high level while managing asthma, so I understand endurance, pacing, and efficient movement.

Still, I assumed the biggest gains would come from improving the functional fitness stations. After all, those stations look like the hardest part of HYROX.

I couldn't have been more wrong.

What HYROX really rewards

HYROX is often described as a hybrid fitness race, and that's exactly what it is. Athletes complete eight one kilometer runs separated by eight functional fitness stations.

On paper, that sounds balanced.

In reality, your body experiences something different.

While the official running distance is eight kilometers, transitions between stations increase your total mileage. By the end of the race, many athletes have covered closer to six or seven miles.

That changes everything.

When you realize how much time is actually spent moving between stations, you begin to understand where the largest opportunities exist. Every second you improve your running pace compounds over the entire race.

The stations matter.

Running matters even more.

The mistake almost everyone makes

When athletes begin preparing for HYROX, they naturally focus on becoming stronger and more efficient at every station.

I did exactly the same thing.

I looked at my SkiErg and RowErg times and thought, "What if I could cut 30 seconds from each one?"

That sounded exciting.

If I could improve both events by 30 seconds, I'd save an entire minute.

A minute feels significant until you compare it with what happens when you improve your running.

Instead of asking how to save seconds, we should be asking how to save minutes.

That shift in thinking completely transforms the way we train.

Train to trim minutes instead of seconds

One of the biggest lessons I've learned from endurance racing is that small improvements repeated over long distances create enormous results.

Let's keep the math simple.

Suppose your total running distance during HYROX ends up being six miles.

Running those six miles at a six minute pace takes 36 minutes.

Running them at a ten minute pace takes 60 minutes.

That's a difference of 24 minutes.

Now let's make the comparison more realistic.

Even if you improve your pace by just 30 seconds per mile, you've saved roughly three minutes over six miles.

Three minutes.

Compare that to spending weeks trying to shave 15 or 20 seconds from one station.

The return on your training investment becomes obvious.

That's why I believe most athletes should spend far more time improving their running than obsessing over tiny station improvements.

Why running is your greatest competitive advantage

During my simulation, my partner told me something that stood out immediately.

The reason we finished so quickly wasn't because we dominated every station.

It was because we ran faster.

That's it.

He had been searching for someone who could consistently push the pace between stations, and that running speed elevated both of our performances.

Running faster doesn't just reduce your split times.

It changes the entire race.

You arrive at each station with momentum.

You gain confidence.

You stay competitive.

You create opportunities to separate yourself from other athletes.

If you're serious about improving your HYROX performance, don't just become comfortable running eight kilometers.

Become comfortable running six, seven, or even ten miles.

The more relaxed you become over longer distances, the easier race pace begins to feel.

Rest in the right places

Another lesson that surprised me was learning when to recover.

Most athletes instinctively slow down during the runs because they're trying to catch their breath.

I don't think that's the best strategy.

Instead, I believe the stations should become your recovery opportunities.

I'm not suggesting you stop working.

I'm suggesting you stop chasing unnecessary personal records during every station.

Take the SkiErg.

Instead of trying to set your fastest ever 1,000 meter split, maintain a sustainable effort that allows your heart rate to come down.

Do the same on the RowErg.

Use farmer carries to regulate your breathing.

Approach sled pushes with control instead of panic.

Then, once you leave the station, attack the run again.

You're still moving forward, but you're managing your energy far more intelligently.

That's how endurance athletes think.

Forward is always a pace

One lesson endurance racing has taught me over and over is that stopping almost always costs more time than slowing down.

I learned this during ultramarathons.

I learned it climbing Colorado's fourteeners.

I learned it during duathlons.

I even learned it during my winning 100 kilometer race when my hamstring seized late in the event.

I kept moving.

Forward is a pace.

That mindset applies perfectly to HYROX.

Every unnecessary pause costs precious seconds.

Every hesitation during transitions adds up.

Every moment standing still makes it harder to regain momentum.

The athletes who continue moving consistently often outperform athletes who repeatedly spike their effort before completely falling apart.

Consistency wins.

Build confidence before race day

None of this means you should ignore the stations.

Far from it.

You should absolutely become comfortable with every movement before race day.

Practice long sets of burpee broad jumps.

Build confidence performing 100 wall balls.

Learn efficient pacing on the SkiErg and RowErg.

Strengthen your grip for farmer carries.

Become familiar with sled pushes and sled pulls.

The goal isn't perfection.

The goal is confidence.

When race day arrives, you shouldn't be thinking about how to complete each station.

You should already know you can.

That confidence allows you to shift your attention back to what matters most.

Running well.

Focus your training where it matters most

As humans, we only have so much time to train.

Every hour spent chasing tiny improvements is an hour not invested elsewhere.

If you're already competent at the functional fitness stations, your greatest opportunity likely isn't becoming slightly stronger.

It's becoming a significantly better runner.

That's exactly why I'm passionate about helping HYROX athletes develop endurance alongside functional fitness.

Running isn't something you simply survive until the next station.

It's the foundation that supports your entire race.

When your running improves, everything else becomes easier.

The biggest gains are simpler than you think

If there's one lesson I hope you take away, it's this.

Don't spend months chasing seconds when minutes are waiting for you somewhere else.

Build confidence at every station.

Practice efficient movement.

Learn intelligent pacing.

Then devote the majority of your training to becoming a stronger, more efficient runner.

That's the strategy I'm following.

It's the strategy I believe will help me compete at a high level in HYROX.

And I genuinely believe it can help you, too.

Whether you're preparing for your first HYROX or chasing a personal best, remember this every time you lace up your shoes:

The race isn't won by mastering one station.

It's won by mastering everything that happens between them.

Keep showing up.

Keep putting in the miles.

And remember that every run is another opportunity to reclaim the minutes you didn't even realize you were losing.

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.