My Hyrox experience

Sled pushes, burpees and wall balls

By Michela Apruzzese, Team Leader Transport, Logistics, Smart Mobility at PNO Innovation Italy

On May 30, 2025, I completed my first Hyrox race in Rimini, Italy, competing in the ‘women’s doubles’ category with my friend Giulia. Hyrox is a global fitness competition that combines running and functional workouts. Each race includes 8 x 1 km runs, each followed by a workout station such as the SkiErg, sled push and pull, burpees, lunges, and more. It’s designed to test both endurance and strength, perfect for those who love gym training and want a new challenge.

There are different categories to choose from:

individual: for individual athletes;
doubles: two athletes share the workout stations but run together;
relay: a team of four, each completing two run-workout sections.

Each race follows the same sequence of eight workout stations:

HYROX stations (source: https://hyrox.com/about-race/)

The structure creates a scenario that is both predictable and challenging, requiring careful pacing, resilience, and effective teamwork. Weights are different based on divisions.

Why Hyrox?

Before discovering Hyrox, I was already training regularly at the gym, mainly focusing on strength. But a year ago, I couldn’t even run 1 km without stopping. When I learned about Hyrox, it immediately caught my attention. It looked intense, but also attainable for people who love gym workouts more than long-distance running. I had heard about Spartan races before, but they seemed more about obstacles and mud, while Hyrox felt like a test of functional fitness, the kind of challenge that rewards consistency, not just talent

Me and Giulia after the race

‘The kind of challenge that rewards consistency, not just talent’

Me and Giulia before the race

My preparation for the race

I started adding short runs to my training, before or after gym sessions. At first, I could only manage 1 km at a slow pace, often with walking breaks. But little by little, I improved. I gradually increased my distance and pace. I started doing compromised running, running after a strength workout, which simulates the feeling of racing with already-fatigued muscles. It made a big difference in preparing for the actual race.

I told my friend Giulia about the idea, and she was excited to join me. A few weeks later, we signed up as a doubles team. By January, we began serious training at a CrossFit gym, focusing on Hyrox-specific workouts. In February, we secured our race tickets.

As the race day approached, running was still our biggest challenge. So, we focused on improving it, combining it with strength work, and we completed four full Hyrox simulations to build confidence and stamina.

Race day

At 16:50, we stood at the starting line with about 30 other female pairs. I was so nervous I almost cried. But once we started the first 1 km run, the nerves disappeared.

We kept a steady pace. The SkiErg was manageable; splitting the station helped us recover despite a significant rise in heart rate. The sled push and pull seemed more challenging during the race than in training; the sled appeared more difficult to move on the race ground compared to experiences at the gym, but the activity was completed. The 80 meters of burpees were intense: indeed, my partner was tired, so I found some extra energy and covered most of that station.

After that, adrenaline took over. I was running without feeling my legs. The rowers and farmers’ carry went well, and the lunges were challenging but doable (this was our favorite station).

Me and Giulia running towards the finish line

‘After that, adrenaline took over’

Me showing my friends that I was OK 😁

Finally, we reached the last run and the wall balls. At that point, I wasn’t thinking clearly anymore: I was just throwing the ball and hoping for the best. Thankfully, Giulia was incredibly strong and handled most of the reps.

When we finished, we were in disbelief. It took a moment to realize we had done it and then we ran to the stage to celebrate our finish! We were completely exhausted and incredibly proud. It was a mix of joy, fatigue, and pure adrenaline. Such an unforgettable experience!

What about a PNO Relay team?

I also realized that Hyrox mirrors the kind of challenges we face as consultants at PNO Innovation:

one rarely starts as an expert: you learn by doing, testing, and adjusting
success isn’t about perfection, but about consistency and resilience
working with a partner or team always makes you stronger: one pushes when the other is tired, and together you go further.

Reason why I would love to extend my Hyrox experience to the PNO community!

The idea is to form PNO teams or doubles and choose a Hyrox race in Europe where we can all participate, whether you’re an experienced athlete or just curious to try. You don’t need to be in top shape: the event is designed for all fitness levels, and training together (even remotely) can be a great way to build team spirit beyond the office. If you feel like joining a very sportive Hyrox community, then add your name and your contact details to the list by January 30, 2026.

Next, a group call will be facilitated by me, to check who we are and discuss our intentions and participation mode. For that, stay tuned! Let’s see how far we can push ourselves, together.

A word from the Board: Everyone knows that exercise is a good thing. But Hyrox is next-level! We think Michela’s initiative to set up an international Hyrox community is incredibly cool! That’s why we are happy to pledge our material support, in a form that we will be happy to discuss with Michela once the community has been established.