HYROX Training Tips: What is Compromised Running & Should I Incorporate it Into My Training?

With under 100 days to go to the first HYROX event in South Africa, it’s time for athletes to knuckle down on their training. Whether you are taking on the event solo, in a duo, or as part of a relay team, training for your first HYROX event can be daunting.

If you’ve been brushing up on your HYROX lingo before the big event in Cape Town on the 21st of September 2024, then you’ve undoubtedly come across the term “compromised running”. But, what is compromised running, and should you incorporate it into your HYROX training program?

Fortunately, you’re not alone in navigating the complexities of preparing for your first HYROX race. We have plenty of experienced South African HYROX athletes and champions to draw expertise from. We reached out to the team at HYROX South Africa to gather the very best training tips from local HYROX athlete, Ricardo Lategan.

(Even better news? WomenStuff readers get 10% off HYROX Cape Town entries when using the code “STUFF-10” upon registering online. Click here to enter now.)

What is HYROX?

Combining running and functional fitness into one epic race, HYROX is known as the biggest indoor fitness event in the world. The sport is growing rapidly with events taking place across Europe, the USA, Canada, and Australia. The sport of HYROX has become a global phenomenon — after launching in the UK in 2021, this year saw 25,000 people participate in four sold-out events in the country. Getting a UK event entry now is almost on par with bagging a Glastonbury Festival ticket with the most recent UK race boasting a waitlist of 2,000 people.

The event’s growing popularity can no doubt be attributed to its inclusive attitude to fitness, with HYROX being labelled as a fitness event for everybody. Whether you’re a newbie who wants to participate with like-minded friends, an athlete looking for a new challenge, or a serious competitor going after the win.

“HYROX is accessible to people across different fitness levels and demographics. You can see this in the various competition categories we offer and the 98% completion rate of our races,” explains Simon Goldsbrough, Head of Sports HYROX SA.

For those coming from a sports background, HYROX can be a natural transition for athletes. Just ask, Ricardo Lategan. “Before getting into HYROX, I was a rugby player. I played college rugby in the US and semi-professionally in both the US and South Africa. My training regimen was always focused on functional weight lifting combined with a bit of running, which laid a solid foundation for the demands of HYROX competitions.”

Keen to know more about HYROX? Here’s everything you need to know about the fitness event for everybody.

What does a HYROX race involve?

The event combines both running and functional workout stations with participants at each event competing in the same format each time. Participants run 1km, followed by 1 functional workout station, repeated eight times. Essentially a participant runs for 1km before completing a functional movement station, before running another kilometre and completing the next station. This continues until an individual or team has run all 8km and completed all eight functional movement stations.

The event offers categories for Individual, Doubles, and Relay (teams of 4) entries, making it accessible to a wide range of fitness levels.

The race movements consist of 1,000m ski erg, 50m sled push (4 x 12.5m), 50m sled pull (4 x 12.5m), 80-metre burpee broad jump, 1,000m row, 200m farmer’s carry, 100m sandbag lunges, and 100 wall balls. Competing in a relay or doubles team format, it’s up to participants to strategise which functional movements to assign to certain team members to capitalise on different strengths and abilities.

So, whether you are looking to take on HYROX Cape Town by yourself in the Open or Pro category, share the experience with a teammate in the Doubles categories, or split the event four ways in the Team Relay category, they have a race for everyone.

Training for your first HYROX event

The hybrid format of HYROX means that athletes of all abilities can hone their running, strength, and fitness in one workout. While it helps to have some running experience and strength in the bank before you start, HYROX is accessible for all and a fun, adrenaline-infused way to build up your running and overall fitness.

The reality is, most people training for their first HYROX event are 9 – 5 athletes with limited time to train. But, getting ready for your first event doesn’t mean putting your life on hold.

“For a 9-5 athlete getting into HYROX, the focus should be on building a balanced training regimen that accommodates their work schedule while targeting the specific demands of the competition,” explains HYROX SA Athlete, Ricardo Lategan.

Lategan lists Time Management, ⁠Strength and Conditioning, Running, and ⁠Recovery and Nutrition as key points to focus on in training.

• Time Management: Plan your workouts around your work hours to ensure consistency
• Strength and Conditioning: Hyrox combines running with functional fitness. Prioritise compound lifts and functional movements.
• ⁠Running: Incorporate varied running workouts, including intervals, tempo runs, and longer distances.
• Recovery and Nutrition: Ensure you get adequate rest and maintain a balanced diet to support your training.
  

If you’re training for your first HYROX event, it’s important to incorporate compromised training and compromised running into your workout sessions. Failure to dedicate any of your training time to compromised training is a common mistake many first-timers tend to make. HYROX is essentially an endurance sport that requires you to pace yourself, rest when needed, and dig deep to keep pushing through fatigue.

Take on any HYROX workout and you’ll find that there is a noticeable difference between running normally and running straight after pushing a heavy sled, for example. This type of running is known as “compromised running”. It can very much impact the speed at which you are able to run.

But, it’s not just your running that will be compromised — all your movements will be compromised to some extent. For example, there’s a huge difference between doing 100 wall balls out of the gate, and 100 wall balls at the end of a Hyrox race. If you only trained wall balls when you were feeling fresh, then you wouldn’t be fully prepared for what you’d face in the race, so simulating this compromised state is key.

How to tackle compromised training

It’s important to recognise that there aren’t any rest periods during a HYROX race (unless you participate in a pair or in a relay team) — and running plays a big part. No matter which category you enter, you will spend over 50 percent of your active time running. For most of the event, you’ll also be running fatigued, or compromised. Runners will recognise this feeling as similar to the fatigue you’d feel after a big uphill climb. So, in the same way, you have to pace yourself and think strategically about where you will push hard, and where you take it easier, during your HYROX race.

While your upper body will likely become fatigued during the event, the biggest factor to train for is leg endurance. When training for your first HYROX race, ensure you include weekly training sessions into your schedule that get you accustomed to completing tasks and running with ‘heavy legs’. Incorporate movements into your training that drive some leg fatigue — this can be either a sled push, lunge or squat variation — followed by a running route, whether that’s 1km laps around a track, parking lot, or the block.

Speaking on his own training programme incorporating compromised running as well as training straight after a run, Ricardo Lategan said; “I’ve seen several benefits from this approach for my HYROX preparation. Compromised running has improved my endurance by simulating the fatigue experienced during events, training my body to maintain a steady pace even when tired. It has also enhanced my recovery, making my body more efficient at bouncing back between exercises, which is crucial for the transitions in HYROX.”

Tackling this type of training at least once a week will help you build endurance and set you up to run fast with that ‘heavy’ leg feeling. You may want to ramp up the frequency as you get closer to the event, keeping in mind to taper your training volume in the days before, so you go into the race feeling fresh.

Before your first event, try your best to do a full run-through simulation where all movements and weights within the session are specific to what you’ll experience on the day. This will help you mentally and physically prepare for the demands of the event.

One of the great things about HYROX is that you know exactly what the race format is, so you are able to practise the exact movements. It’s one of the reasons why runners seem to enjoy Hyrox so much, you can practise and race just like you would for a 10k or half marathon.
One of the great things about HYROX is that you know exactly what the race format is, so you are able to practise the exact movements. It’s one of the reasons why runners seem to enjoy Hyrox so much, you can practise and race just like you would for a 10k or half marathon.

How do I sign up for a HYROX event in South Africa?

Entering to participate in HYROX South Africa is easy! Visit the HYROX website for more information on HYROX Cape Town and to register your entry for the event taking place at the CTICC on the 21st of September, 2024.

Entries for HYROX Cape Town start at R600 per person for a Relay entry, R1,200 per person for a Doubles entry, and R1,300 per person for an Individual entry. Don’t forget to USE THE CODE “STUFF-10“ for a 10% discount on your HYROX Cape Town entry! Click here to enter now.

Keep an eye on the HYROX South Africa Instagram page for announcements on introductory classes and upcoming HYROX events in Johannesburg and Durban soon. For more insight into his training journey, follow Ricardo Lategan on Instagram.