HYROX
HYROX race day: Expert strategy and pacing tips you can’t miss
HYROX isn’t just about who can run the fastest or push the strongest. It’s about preparation, pacing, mindset and knowing how to manage your body from the first stride to the final wall ball
The speakers are shaking, the start tunnel is glowing red, and in front of you are eight runs and eight brutal workout stations. You’ll push sleds, row, ski, lunge and wall-ball your way to the finish line, testing every ounce of endurance, strength and grit you’ve built in training. This is HYROX race day.
Since its launch in 2017, HYROX has become a global phenomenon, filling arenas from Berlin to Chicago and attracting everyone from first-timers to elite pros chasing sub-one-hour finishes. With more than half a million athletes now signed up across the season, chances are you’ve either stepped onto the course - or you’re thinking about it.
Few athletes embody the transformation this race demands like Robinson Bentler. Once a powerlifter weighing 104kg, he admits he was “strong as an ox and wider than the door frame,” but after light cardio, would be “ready for an oxygen tent”. As for competing in HYROX? “Unimaginable.”
Five years later, he qualified for the HYROX World Championships in Chicago, finishing the Pro Doubles in 58m 17s with an average pace of 3m 45s per kilometre. Over 14 HYROX races, he’s refined every aspect of his race-day strategy - from pacing and fuelling to gear choices - turning what once seemed impossible into repeatable performance. Consider this your masterclass in race day strategy.
01
The final week matters
Every station taxes the body differently
© Christian Pondella/Red Bull Content Pool
The preceding week before the race sets the tone. Training volume tapers, sleep and recovery take priority and nutrition shifts toward fueling for endurance. Bentler frames it simply.
“HYROX is a high-intensity race with a long duration and you will be burning carbs as fuel at a very high rate. Your fuelling strategy begins the day before race day. Focus on eating a lot of carbs while cutting out fats and protein to ease up your digestion.”
Tapering also means giving your body the best chance to arrive fresh. Light sessions, mobility, and confidence-building workouts take precedence over maximal lifts or long runs.
02
Arriving at the venue
Lucy Procter warms up
© Christian Pondella/Red Bull Content Pool
The atmosphere at a HYROX event is electric, with thousands of athletes funnelling through check-in and the hum of nerves in the air. “You want to arrive 90 minutes before your starting time to have enough time for check-in, bag drop and warm up,” Bentler advises. “Don’t forget to bring your ID and ticket for a smooth check-in. Take a look at the course set-up, including the order of stations and their locations, to understand how the event works and maintain your orientation. If it’s your first time, this step is super important.”
From there, it’s about timing. He recommends entering the warm-up zone 30 to 45 minutes before the start. “Most beginners warm up too hard or too short, so they will either burn out after five minutes, or not be ready for the race at all. It’s a 60 to 90-minute intensity full body effort, so make sure you take enough time to prepare your metabolism, muscles and mentality.”
His warm-up sequence is equal parts practical and physiological: 10 minutes of easy cycling on a stationary bike or treadmill, before mobilising ankles, hips and thoracic spine, activating the core, and rehearsing station technique. Before heading to the start tunnel, he adds short ski-erg bursts to elevate heart rate, and makes sure to leave 10 minutes for the inevitable restroom queue.
When the race starts, people will fly out the gates and the adrenaline will push you to do the same. Remember to stick to your own gameplan
03
The stage is set
Pacing yourself from the start is vital
© Tyrone Bradley/Red Bull Content Pool
The start line is where adrenaline takes over. Athletes surge out, legs flying, crowds cheering and it’s easy to get dragged along. Bentler has learned not to go the hard way. “When the race starts, people will fly out of the gates, and the adrenaline will push you to do the same. Remember to stick to your own game plan.”
That plan is won or lost on even pacing. “The best recommendation for pacing in HYROX is to choose a running pace that you can sustain for about 75 minutes. This pace will feel like you are running on 80 percent, but those last 20 percent are your buffer zone for the stations that will flood your body with lactate. If you can speak two to three sentences during your run, you are on the right pace. If you can barely catch a breath, you want to slow down a bit.”
Consistency is the marker of a strong race. Bentler points to lap times as a key signal. “One of the most important factors for a great race result is running constant lap times. Your future self will thank you in the later stages of the race if you started a bit slower than you could at the start.”
04
Checking in
Take a steady approach to the rowing station
© Christian Pondella/Red Bull Content Pool
Every station taxes the body differently, leaving runners to head back onto the track with legs full of lactic acid. This is where races can often unravel, and Bentler sees the rower at station five as the critical checkpoint.
“We are on station five, and the second half begins. Use the time to reflect on your energy level. Did your lap times drop significantly? Do you feel like it’s too easy-going? Use the time on the row to recall your race strategy and decide if you need to hold back a little bit to recover or push yourself to a harder second half.”
From then on, it’s about breaking the race into pieces. “To maintain mental clarity during the tough stages, try to split the race up into small chunks. Focus on the task at hand: the next repetition, the next corner on the run, the next jump on the burpee. Completing each small chunk will give you confidence and make the race feel easier and more manageable.”
05
Fuelling the machine
Nutrition is key to HYROX performance
© Christian Pondella/Red Bull Content Pool
Bentler treats nutrition as a performance variable, not an afterthought. He advocates eating a full meal two to three hours before race time, topping up with a banana or gel an hour out, and carrying one gel into the race itself.
“This last snack can be a banana or an energy gel for easy digestion. I also recommend grabbing an energy gel to use before the row erg. This is halfway through the race and sitting on the erg will be easier on your digestion than running.”
Recovery starts the moment the race ends. “After finishing your race, your body will crave fluids and carbs, so make sure to drink a lot of water and get some carbs in your system as fast as possible,” he says. “Sugary drinks are your best bet because they will be absorbed very quickly and replenish your glycogen stores. You can help your body recover by doing a cooldown bike ride for 10 to 15 minutes.”
06
Choosing the right gear
Ida Mathilde Steensgaard gears up for the Elite 15
© Christian Pondella/Red Bull Content Pool
Shoes are the most decisive piece of equipment, Bentler explains. “The most important gear will be your running shoes. Make sure that your feet are accustomed to your shoes and the shoe gives you good stability for lunges, wall balls and running on the curved track. Grip is essential on the sled push and pull.”
Light, sweat-wicking clothing is also vital in the hot, humid race environment. A sports watch helps track splits, while gloves are purely personal preference.
07
Emptying the tank
Athletes recover in Auckland
© Graeme Murray/Red Bull Content Pool
For Bentler, the lunges mark the tipping point from controlled effort to full send. “Up until the lunges, you should always have the feeling that you are working hard, but you could always do a little harder. After the lunges are done, you go all out and leave everything on the floor.”
His recent race data shows how this plays out in practice. In Hamburg, his total run time was 31m 57s, with lap times averaging four minutes and a best lap at 3m 54s. His workout total came in at 29m 06s, with a particularly sharp 3m 38s average across stations. The numbers show how pacing, fuelling and focus keep performance steady deep into the race.
Crossing the line, however, is one of the best parts, he says. “Crossing that finish line after giving all you got is an experience you will never forget.”
You'll bounce between feeling motivated and energised and questioning every life choice up until this point
08
Lessons from experience
No matter where you are in the world HYROX always ends with the Wall Balls
© Christian Pondella/Red Bull Content Pool
Looking back, Bentler sees pacing as the biggest shift in his approach. “On my first HYROX, I started out way too fast, and I was barely able to finish the race. Now I know what pace I can run comfortably and sustainably, and I have understood that I need to manage my energy for the whole race. Making mistakes is part of the process, and I have learned different things at each of the 14 HYROX races that I have done.”
It’s a reminder that race day isn’t just about fitness. It’s about composure, discipline and patience - qualities that transform the event from survival into mastery. Or, as Bentler puts it, the race itself is an experience of highs and lows. “You'll bounce between feeling motivated and energised and questioning every life choice up until this point. Keep your mind on the task and enjoy every bit of the energising atmosphere.”
About the expert