Lessons From My First HYROX

By Kyle Gonzalez, VP of Performance at Coya

This past February, I did my first HYROX.

It was equal parts challenging and invigorating. And it reminded me of something simple, but important: if you never push your limits, you never find the edge.

That applies in sport. It applies in business. It applies in life.

The edge is not where things are comfortable. It is where doubt shows up. Where your legs and lungs burn. Where your mind starts negotiating with you.

And the reality is, most people never get there.

They stop before they start. They avoid discomfort. They let fear make the decision.

But what I was reminded of, and what I learned through my Hyrox experience, is that there is usually more in the tank.

Research in performance psychology shows that fatigue is not just physical. It is perceptual. Your brain sends signals to slow down long before your body is actually done.

Which means, if you’re willing to explore it, there is another gear.

HYROX forced me to find it.

Here are a few post-race lessons I’ll take with me.

HYROX is a runner’s race, whether you realize it or not.

Yes, there are stations. Yes, there is strength. But the constant thread is endurance. Running between stations. Running under fatigue. Running when your legs are absolutely cooked.

That’s a different challenge, and you need a real aerobic base for it.

Low-intensity cardio might not feel flashy, but it builds the engine that lets you go fast and go far. More importantly, it prepares you to perform when your body is compromised.

And guess what, that’s what this race is: movement under fatigue.

And that skill is earned, not guessed.

One of my biggest takeaways is that you have to simulate the experience.

Running on fresh legs is one thing. Running after sled pushes, lunges, or wall balls is another. If race day is your first time experiencing that transition, you’re already at a serious disadvantage.

Specificity matters.

You wouldn’t train for a 5K run on a bike — just as you shouldn’t prepare for HYROX without combining runs and stations.

It doesn’t have to be perfect. But it has to be intentional.

Feel the fatigue. Learn how your body responds. Figure out your pacing through trial and error.

When you’ve felt it before, it’s not a shock. It’s familiar. You’ll know what to do, because you’ve done it before.

And that matters when things get hard.

Race day is not the time to figure things out.

Food. Fuel. Warm-up. Gear. Timing. Logistics.

It all matters.

You need something in your system. You need fuel during. You need to warm up your body without draining it. You need gear that works with you, not against you.

For this, you need a plan.

Get there early. Know your heat time. Understand the flow. These are small things, but they add up.

When you’re prepared, you remove stress. You create clarity. You give yourself the best chance to perform.

The environment at a Hyrox race is electric.

The music, the people. Adrenaline is pumping. Energy is everywhere.

As exciting as that is, it can also be a bit of a trap.

Going out too fast is the kiss of death in a race like this.

You don’t win HYROX in the first half. But you can definitely lose it there.

When you’re tired, small things become big things.

Burpee standards. Wall ball depth. Sled lines. Lap counts.

Miss one, and you pay for it in time, energy, and momentum.

It’s not just about effort. It’s about execution.

Know the rules going in. Don’t leave it up to chance when fatigue sets in.

Run a clean race.

At the end of the day, it’s still just a race.

But at the same time, it’s also something more.

The atmosphere. The people. The shared experience.

Strangers cheering. Competitors encouraging each other. Energy that lifts you when you feel like you have nothing left.

That was my favorite part.

It helped me find another gear.

If you can, bring people with you. If you can’t, you’ll still feel it.

This environment gives you something you don’t get on your own.

Once it’s over, it goes fast (faster than you expect). And oddly enough, you find yourself wanting to do it again.

HYROX reminded me of something I talk about often.

Nobody knows what you’re capable of until you show them.

But first, you have to show yourself.

You don’t need to sign up for a race.

But you do need to find your edge.

The place where it gets uncomfortable. The moment where your instinct is to quit. The point where doubt starts getting loud.

That’s where growth happens. That’s where confidence is built. That’s where you learn what you’re made of.

What edge are you avoiding right now… and what would it look like to lean into it?