Almost every bad Hyrox follows the same shape. Fast first run, hard ski erg, then a sled that takes everything, and from run three onwards it is damage limitation. Here is how to avoid that.
The principle
Your eight runs should get faster, or at worst hold steady. If run one is your quickest, you have paced it wrong. Almost everyone paces it wrong.
Run one
Deliberately slow. Somewhere around 30 to 45 seconds slower than your target average. The course is congested anyway, which helps, and the discipline you show here determines the entire back half.
Ski erg
Steady, long strokes from the hips. This station is early enough that you can wreck yourself on it and not realise until run three. Aim to leave feeling like you could have gone harder.
The sleds
These are the two stations where you should be prepared to go slowly and accept it. Do not sprint the push. Get low, short steps, keep moving, break at the turn if you must.
The sleds load your quads more than anything else in the race, and the two runs either side of them are where the damage shows. Respect them and the rest of the race stays available to you.
The middle
Burpee broad jumps and the row are where you settle. Find a rhythm on the burpees that you could hold for twice the distance. Row at a pace that feels comfortably sustainable, not a personal best attempt.
The back half
Farmers carry and sandbag lunges are grip and grit. Plan your breaks rather than taking emergency ones. Setting the bells down when you choose is cheap. Dropping them when your hands give out is not.
Wall balls
Decide your break pattern before you start and stick to it from rep one. Sets of 20 with ten seconds rest beats going unbroken to rep 35 and then grinding out singles for the next eight minutes.
A simple rule
Through the first half of the race, everything should feel slightly too easy. If it does not, you are going too hard. The race does not start until run five.
Frequently asked
Should I use a heart rate monitor? Useful in training to learn your sustainable ceiling, less useful in the race when you should be racing on feel.
What pace should my runs be? Start at roughly your half marathon pace and expect the stations to slow you regardless.
Is it normal to feel awful at run three? Yes, and it usually means run one and the sled were too hard.
Racing soon? Our compression tights for Hyrox use 15-20 mmHg graduated compression in a 225 GSM knit built to hold shape through sled and sandbag work, and our compression race socks run at 25-30 mmHg. Free UK delivery over £50.
Hyrox Pacing: How to Not Blow Up on Run Three
Almost every bad Hyrox follows the same shape. Fast first run, hard ski erg, then a sled that takes everything, and from run three onwards it is damage limitation. Here is how to avoid that.
The principle
Your eight runs should get faster, or at worst hold steady. If run one is your quickest, you have paced it wrong. Almost everyone paces it wrong.
Run one
Deliberately slow. Somewhere around 30 to 45 seconds slower than your target average. The course is congested anyway, which helps, and the discipline you show here determines the entire back half.
Ski erg
Steady, long strokes from the hips. This station is early enough that you can wreck yourself on it and not realise until run three. Aim to leave feeling like you could have gone harder.
The sleds
These are the two stations where you should be prepared to go slowly and accept it. Do not sprint the push. Get low, short steps, keep moving, break at the turn if you must.
The sleds load your quads more than anything else in the race, and the two runs either side of them are where the damage shows. Respect them and the rest of the race stays available to you.
The middle
Burpee broad jumps and the row are where you settle. Find a rhythm on the burpees that you could hold for twice the distance. Row at a pace that feels comfortably sustainable, not a personal best attempt.
The back half
Farmers carry and sandbag lunges are grip and grit. Plan your breaks rather than taking emergency ones. Setting the bells down when you choose is cheap. Dropping them when your hands give out is not.
Wall balls
Decide your break pattern before you start and stick to it from rep one. Sets of 20 with ten seconds rest beats going unbroken to rep 35 and then grinding out singles for the next eight minutes.
A simple rule
Through the first half of the race, everything should feel slightly too easy. If it does not, you are going too hard. The race does not start until run five.
Frequently asked
Should I use a heart rate monitor? Useful in training to learn your sustainable ceiling, less useful in the race when you should be racing on feel.
What pace should my runs be? Start at roughly your half marathon pace and expect the stations to slow you regardless.
Is it normal to feel awful at run three? Yes, and it usually means run one and the sled were too hard.
Racing soon? Our compression tights for Hyrox use 15-20 mmHg graduated compression in a 225 GSM knit built to hold shape through sled and sandbag work, and our compression race socks run at 25-30 mmHg. Free UK delivery over £50.