Fitness
Fitness Training
Endurance training hacks: How hybrid athletes balance running and strength
HYROX pro Jake Dearden reveals practical strategies for maintaining strength while building endurance, tackling the unique challenge of switching between long-distance runs and heavy lifting.
At just 24 years old, England’s Jake Dearden has already achieved more than most athletes do in their entire career. A HYROX pro, he’s a fixture in the Elite 15 singles and doubles races, with a Men’s Doubles World Championship title under his belt, alongside Marc Dean.
In 2025, Dearden reached a new high, with a PB of 55:44 at the HYROX Glasgow. He has no plans to slow down. In January 2026, Dearden achieved yet another milestone, running a 2:22:08 marathon in Houston. It was just short of his 2:19 aim, but nevertheless a six-minute personal best and a massive achievement showcasing just how useful Dearden’s hybrid approach to training can be.
As with everything Dearden does, the reason behind the run was strategic. “I realised that running was my weakness during HYROX competitions and I wanted to get quicker,” Dearden – a former ultra runner – explains.
It’s a myth that running and strength training don’t go together
It’s part of a wider focus on running over the past few years which has seen Dearden shave minutes off his 10k time, giving him that slight edge in HYROX competition. “In HYROX, the only place you can really improve right now is in the running, so I wanted to get ahead of the curve and become really efficient,” he explains. Next up, the Berlin marathon in September.
Dearden has shaved minutes off his 10k time in recent years
© Christian Pondella/Red Bull Content Pool
Contrary to the myth that cardio kills gains, Dearden hasn’t sacrificed any strength. In fact, he’ll be returning to the 2026 HYROX World Championships (alongside James Kelly) as part of the Elite 15 Men’s Doubles once again – a testament to how his hybrid training helps him perform as one of the sport's most well-rounded athletes.
“It’s a myth that running and strength training don’t go together,” he says. “Every professional runner does strength training, it just might look a little different to the type of strength training that a bodybuilder is doing. But in performance-based training, like in HYROX, they absolutely do go hand in hand.”
If you're thinking about becoming a HYROX athlete, or entering Red Bull Gym Clash, here's everything you need to know about hybrid training, including Dearden’s tips on how to refine your own approach.
01
What exactly is hybrid training?
At its core, hybrid training means combining weight training and cardio fitness. For example, if you’re working out five times a week, you might focus on two sessions of running and three of weight training. It’s that simple.
It's not much good being super strong if you don't also have the fitness to walk up a flight of stairs without getting out of breath
Training with weights at the Red Bull Athlete Performance Center
© Markus Rohrbacher/Red Bull Content Pool
"Hybrid training gives me a sense of satisfaction, because you’re strong and relatively fit at the same time,” says Dearden, HYROX champion and master trainer. "A lot of times, we focus on one over the other, but it's not much good being super strong if you don't also have the fitness to walk up a flight of stairs without getting out of breath.”
Rather than focusing on aesthetics, it’s all about training for practical fitness. After all, who wants to be a super-fast runner that can’t do a press-up? Or a super-yolked body builder who can’t run to catch the bus? By combining these different training modalities, you won’t just be fit for your first HYROX comp, but fit for life.
02
How hybrid training works
HYROX is arguably the high point of hybrid training. And no one knows this better than Dearden. “HYROX requires many different disciplines,” he says. "It isn’t just about strength and speed, but perfecting eight vastly different exercise stations, from SkiErg to wall balls. Each is taxing in its own right."
The beauty of hybrid training is that it’s open to endless personalisation and interpretation. Here’s what works for Dearden at the moment.
Listen to your body
Dearden says the key is not to over-train as this can lead to injury and illness. “In order to avoid that, you have to be honest with yourself," says Dearden. "You have to know when enough is enough, and have the willpower to leave it there for the day.”
Knowing when to stop working out is key
© Baptiste Fauchille/Red Bull Content Pool
Be flexible with your focus
Structuring your hybrid workouts to improve both endurance and strength at the same time can be tricky. For Dearden, it’s about having the flexibility to mix it up, depending on which area needs improving at a given time.
“Prioritise what you want to improve,” he says. “Work on one area, keeping the other on the back burner.” This doesn’t mean ignoring your strength training if you’re working on running. Instead, you should do just enough weights to maintain strength, instead of pushing for PBs in both lifts and sprints.
“While I’m running I’d reduce my strength training from five sessions a week to two or three,” says Dearden. "When you’re feeling good in your running – or vice versa – you can then readjust your training accordingly."
Jake Dearden powering through Hyrox challenge
© Craig Kolesky / Red Bull Content Pool
Focus on form
Any type of training is going to fatigue you. When you’re working across strength and running, this is doubly true. Dearden wants you to remember that going all out all the time will break you down, physically and mentally.
“There might be some sessions where you can afford to do that, but most of the time it’s about keeping some energy in reserve, focusing on good form, and getting the basics right.” Instead of giving it your all every session, Dearden says slowing it down and focusing on technique over effort will allow those minuscule improvements that add up to a big performance edge on the day.
Hone in on your weakness
In the same way that it’s impossible to go all out, all the time, it’s also impossible to be perfect at every aspect of a HYROX race. Again, Dearden says it’s about slowing things down and working on your weaknesses.
“You have to hone in on a couple of aspects; it might be you need to work on running under fatigue, or transitioning between stations,” he says. Instead of focusing on “junk volume”, which Dearden defines as people doing too many hours of overly broad training, it’s about focusing on the small areas that will move the needle on the day.
“Ask yourself before every exercise, ‘How is this helping me achieve my goal?’” Dearden suggests. “If you can’t answer, don’t do it.”
It's all about honing in on your weaknesses
© Joerg Mitter/Red Bull Content Pool
Experiment
If there’s one thing that stands out from Dearden’s training, it’s an emphasis on individualisation. None of us are built the same, so it makes sense that we need to cater our hybrid training to what works for us.
Dearden extends this mindset into his endurance training. “Heat training definitely works for me,” he says. Playing around with this might be the key to levelling up your own performance. There’s no harm in trying different modalities to see what works for you. At the very least, you’ll try some fun workouts.
Schedule progression
Dearden is able to maintain a high level of training because he has a clear weekly plan. Creating your own will help give structure to your progression and avoid burnout.
Dearden is currently working to improve his cardio times
© Markus Rohrbacher/Red Bull Content Pool
“If you can only train four or five times per week, I’d do one HYROX-style session simulating race day where you’re focused on compromised running, then I’d do one threshold session running at pace for 800 metre efforts, then I’d do a slower longer run, and finally a weights session,” Dearden says.
This, of course, is based on Dearden’s current mission to improve his cardio times. Your goals will be different, but, if you’re new to hybrid training, breaking down your week like this would be a fantastic place to start.
03
Why hybrid training can be for everyone
Hybrid training isn’t just for HYROX athletes. It’s for anyone looking to stay fit. Especially if you’re new to fitness, just running three times a week can get boring. Ditto just lifting weights. By mixing it up, you not only build a broader and more practical base of fitness, you stand a better chance of avoiding over-use injuries, too.
Best of all, you’ll keep your training interesting. One month, you might set yourself a running goal, the next, it might be all about improving your clean and press, or your burpees. There’s an infinite amount of goals to work towards, whether you’re looking to crush a marathon, HYROX race, or simply want to feel fitter and faster.
