You ready? Turn the influencer on! I told them there were two rules this weekend: One, I have to sleep the night before my race. And two, no one judges me for being an influencer. But honestly, nothing could have prepared me for the emotions, nerves, and ultimate satisfaction of completing my first solo open women’s HYROX race.
The night before my race, my teammate Trevor (Dr. Trevor Baston, PhD in Exercise Physiology, as I like to call him) was racing first the next morning. And what did he choose for his pre-race meal? Mexican food. When I asked him about this decision, he said, “When I first looked at the Uber Eats menus, there was a crunch wrap that was really speaking to me. So that’s what brought up the Mexican food.”
But then he got a little more responsible and ordered a burrito – no cheese, just rice, beans, chicken, and veggies. “Started off as a bad idea, but I think I saved it last second,” he laughed. “I’m also not going to eat a ton in the morning, so I need something that’s going to sit there.”
This perfectly captures the balance we all try to strike before big races – wanting to fuel properly while also honoring what sounds good and what will actually sit well.
I don’t think people realize how organized and responsible I’ve become – it’s a new thing over the last three years of my life. It’s definitely a hyper-compensation for my natural state, but I’ve learned that being prepared eliminates so much stress.
The night before, I pre-organized and pre-set everything up for the next day, to the point where the toaster was ready to go. My energy drink was open and ready to be decarbonated (I can’t drink cold, carbonated energy drinks before racing). I’m basically doing favors for my future self because I’ve learned that you face the consequences of how unorganized you are.
Trevor was racing his first solo open race the morning before mine (he’d done doubles before), so we were all excited to watch his strategy and game plan – mostly so I could steal it for my own race!
Watching Trevor race was incredibly valuable. He crushed the first several stations, stayed smart during his strengths (like burpee broad jumps), and maintained his pace beautifully through most of the race. The only area he wanted to improve was having “a little bit more dog” in him during the wall balls, but overall, he executed his race plan perfectly.
His time was around 1:12, and seeing him succeed gave me so much confidence that my plan could work too.
One of the most overwhelming parts of this weekend was the incredible support from our community. People I hadn’t seen in years showed up to cheer. Coaches, clients, and friends all came together, and honestly, it made me emotional in the best way.
This is exactly why I built The Lyss Method the way I did – because fitness is so much better when you have people in your corner. Having Corey and Danny there coaching me through each station, having people cheering my name, knowing that our entire TLM community was following along – it reminded me that this stuff isn’t just about individual achievement. It’s about the connections we make and the people who believe in us.
Race morning, I was about an hour and 40 minutes out from my start time. I was trying to get in my last bit of carbs and had consumed 100mg of caffeine, with Danny on the hunt to get me more for a performance boost.
My nerves were actually much lower than I expected. Talking to people – clients, friends, our community – always calms me. It grounds me and reminds me that this stuff isn’t so serious, even though we take our training seriously.
Noah texted me that morning with the perfect motivation: “Don’t forget to bring out that bitch in you.” Very appropriate motivation for me! Then Corey texted reminding me that I was trying something new, that I’m a good athlete, and that he was proud of me for showing up for our team.
The contrast between those two coaching styles perfectly represents our TLM coaching philosophy – we meet you where you need to be met, whether that’s with tough love or gentle encouragement.
Going into the race, my secret goal was to break 1:20. Our coaches had given me a conservative pacing strategy, and I was determined to stick to it no matter what.
The race itself was exactly what I’d trained for. Station by station, I executed the plan:
The Ski: Hit my target pace, looked strong
Sled Push: Did exactly what we talked about – going halfway, taking a couple of breaths, then finishing strong
Sled Pull: Maintained consistency
Burpee Broad Jumps: Looked great, felt strong
Rowing: Stayed calm and recovered as planned
Farmer’s Carry: Crushed it
Lunges: Felt strong throughout
Wall Balls: So much better than I thought they were going to be!
Throughout the entire race, I could hear our coaches: “Do this all day long!” “You’re hitting the paces we talked about!” “Stay calm and recover!”
What surprised me most was how that “ultra brain” clicked in. You just get in the zone and focus. It’s the same mental state I tap into during ultramarathons – you find your rhythm and trust your preparation.
There were definitely areas where I could have pushed a little harder, but I wasn’t critiquing that on race day. I was just proud that I stuck to the plan and executed it. Sometimes the biggest victory is following your strategy instead of getting caught up in the moment and going too hard too early.
When I crossed the finish line and saw that I’d broken my 1:20 goal, I was overwhelmed with pride – not just about the time, but about the execution. I’d stuck to my pacing plan, I’d trained smart, and I’d surrounded myself with the right people to make it happen.
This is exactly the approach we take in The Lyss Method with all our training programs. Whether you’re preparing for HYROX, ultramarathons, strength goals, or general fitness, we focus on smart preparation, realistic goal-setting, and having the right support system to execute your plan.
Our HYROX-specific programming incorporates all the lessons I learned through this process – proper periodization, event-specific training, pacing strategies, and the mental preparation that makes the difference between surviving and thriving on race day.
Standing there after the race, I was hit with immense gratitude. All the nerves I’d had going into this were completely overshadowed by appreciation for the people around me and the realization that a dream and vision I’d had years ago was now reality.
This weekend was about so much more than a race time. It was about showing up for something that scared me, trusting my preparation, and being surrounded by an amazing community of people who wanted to see me succeed.
No matter how the race had gone, this weekend was one out of one because of the people who made it possible and the journey that got me there.
I’m already excited to come back and crush Atlanta and New York with Corey and Danny. Now that I have this first race under my belt, I know exactly what to work on and how to approach the next ones.
The areas for improvement are clear, but more importantly, I have the confidence that comes from executing a race plan successfully. I know I can do this, and I know our training methods work.
If you’re considering HYROX or any challenging fitness event, here’s what I learned:
1. Have a Plan: Go in with clear pacing and execution strategies
2. Stick to the Plan: Resist the urge to go harder than planned early in the race
3. Prepare Everything: Pre-race organization eliminates unnecessary stress
4. Build Your Community: Surround yourself with people who believe in your goals
5. Trust Your Training: If you’ve done the work, trust that it will show up on race day
6. Focus on Execution: Sometimes the best performance is following your strategy
Whether this is your first time hearing about HYROX or you’re already planning your own race, remember that the journey is just as important as the destination. The training, the community, the personal growth that happens along the way – that’s where the real magic happens.
If you’re ready to start training for HYROX or any other challenging fitness goal, The Lyss Method has the programming, coaching, and community support to help you succeed. We’ll help you build not just the physical capacity, but the mental resilience and strategic thinking that make the difference on race day.
And remember – whether you’re aiming to break 1:20 like I was, or just finish your first race, the most important thing is showing up and giving your best effort. Trust the process, lean on your community, and don’t forget to bring out that athlete in you when it counts.
Here’s to chasing goals that scare us and having the people in our corner to make them happen!
I’m Exercise Physiologist, sports nutritionist, weight lifter, and ultra runner. I am here to bring science to your training in a no-nonsense way. I have helped thousands of women crush big lifting goals, cross race finish lines, and even do both. I’m here to help you do the same!
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