Ep. 20: Life Updates, HYROX Prep, and Hybrid Tips
- Keenan Lee
- Aug 30
- 2 min read
Life Updates, HYROX Prep, and Hybrid Tips
What a Full HYROX Simulation Actually Teaches You
Episode twenty is a catch-up between Keenan and Jared after a few months apart. Keenan explains his full HYROX simulation experience to find his actual weaknesses ahead of HYROX Anaheim. He finished in 1:43 against a sub-1:30 goal, and the two break down exactly what went wrong: pacing, fatigue carrying over between strength stations and running, and where the real difficulty in the event actually shows up.
TAKEAWAYS
1. Do not start too fast. Keenan's early 1K splits were around a 7:30 per mile pace; by the end, he had slowed to 9:00 per mile. Adrenaline at the start of an event like this is misleading. Aim for one sustainable pace across every run instead of sprinting the first few and fading later.
2. Train "compromised running" specifically, not just running and strength separately. The hardest part of HYROX isn't any single station; it's running immediately after your legs or upper body are already fatigued from the last one. Build workouts that pair a strength or endurance movement directly into a run, rather than training them in isolation.
3. Stay present at each station instead of racing ahead mentally. Keenan noticed his form and breathing broke down because he was mentally already on the next station instead of focused on the one in front of him. Staying present with your form, even under fatigue, prevents the kind of compounding breakdown that costs you time later.
4. No sled? Improvise the pattern, not just the muscle. For sled pulls, use a cable stack (or a resistance band around your waist) and walk backward against resistance. For sled pushes, a curved treadmill in push mode works, or overcoming isometric holds against a wall that mimic the drive angle and knee action of a push.
5. Weigh strength versus endurance training based on your body and your weak point. Jared, a stronger but slower athlete, trained roughly 30% strength and 70% running to bring up his weaker skill. If you're already a strong runner but light on strength, flip that ratio. Train toward your actual gap, not a generic split.
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