Recently, Hyrox has been gaining popularity amongst fitness communities. You may have seen friends, family members, or coworkers taking part and sharing their experiences on social media. Earlier this April, I had the opportunity to take part in the Hyrox Relay together with friends from the Unicorn family.
It was a humbling experience, both physically and mentally, and one that taught me lessons far beyond fitness. I hope these reflections will encourage others to step out of their comfort zones, try something unfamiliar, and consider taking one small step towards better health.
Lesson 1: “This Is Not Me”
When Henry first introduced Hyrox to me, my immediate reaction was simple:
“Nay, this is not me.”
At that point, I was focused on strength training and had little interest in endurance-related activities. Hyrox looked intense, exhausting, and honestly… intimidating.
But after two years of my own fitness journey, I decided to give it a shot.
As I started training for my assigned relay stations, something interesting happened. My workouts suddenly had greater purpose. I became more disciplined and focused because I now had a new goal in front of me.
At the same time, the training exposed weaknesses I had previously ignored. It was my aerobic fitness and the experience humbled me. I realised that the version of myself who said “this is not me” was simply someone avoiding discomfort.
Ironically, this challenge became exactly what I needed.
Besides, once payment had been made and my intentions declared to friends, there was no easy escape route anymore.
Lesson 2: Discipline Means Doing What You Usually Avoid
One of the biggest challenges for me was running.
My aerobic engine was rusty. In fact, earlier body scans once assessed my metabolic age to be close to 50, despite me only being in my mid-thirties at the time. Thankfully, I later discovered that many of these health markers can improve with consistent effort.
Training for Hyrox forced me to confront the area I disliked most: cardiovascular conditioning.
I often compare it to owning a car with impressive horsepower but an engine that stalls every kilometre. Strength alone was not enough.
I avoided running whenever possible. However, being the slowest runner in the relay team motivated me even more to improve and not hold the team back. Through training, I learned pacing techniques and how to manage my breathing more efficiently. Slowly but surely, things improved.
Today, something as simple as climbing flights of stairs no longer leaves me breathless.
Sometimes growth begins by doing the very thing we spend years avoiding.
Lesson 3: Anyone Can Do This — Especially With Teamwork
Perhaps the greatest takeaway from Hyrox was the power of teamwork.
Every member of the relay team had their own responsibilities outside of training, be it work, family, and personal commitments. Yet everyone showed up, encouraged one another, and gave their best effort.
We each had personal timing goals we hoped to achieve, but what made the experience meaningful was supporting one another through the difficult moments. Even during exhaustion, there was encouragement, breathless nods, and camaraderie as we tagged each other into the next station.
Social media can sometimes make events like Hyrox appear intimidating, especially when we constantly see elite athletes completing the race with clear ease.
But the reality on the ground was vastly different.
There were participants of all fitness levels, ages, and backgrounds. Some were seasoned athletes. Others were new beginners. Some pushed through physical limitations simply to prove to themselves that they could.
And that is what made the experience so inspiring.
The goal was never perfection. The goal was courage, and the willingness to try.
Final Reflection
Many of us wait until a health scare before we start taking our health seriously. We tell ourselves we are “too busy,” “too tired,” or “not the sporty type.”
I used to think certain challenges were “not me” too. But growth often starts the moment we stop labelling ourselves and start giving ourselves permission to try.
You do not need to become an athlete overnight. You do not even need to take part in Hyrox.
But maybe there is something in your life right now that you have been avoiding because it feels uncomfortable, difficult, or unfamiliar.
Maybe, this is your sign to take the first step.
Your future self may thank you for it.
