Inside the HYROX World Championships: Race Strategy, Risks, and Lessons from the 2025 Elite 15

A deep dive into the HYROX World Championships 2025: race-day strategies, critical mistakes, and the mindset behind chasing the podium. Discover the hard lessons and future plans from this Elite 15 athlete.

The HYROX World Championships is where the world's best hybrid athletes converge to test the limits of their fitness, strategy, and mental toughness. For me, this was my third consecutive year competing in the prestigious Elite 15, and unlike previous years where I approached the race conservatively, 2025 was different. This year, I was all in with one clear goal: to win.

A Shift in Race-Day Strategy: Closing the Gap Early

Historically, I’ve been a mid-pack athlete who starts cautiously and aims to move up later in the race. But I realized that this approach wasn’t going to bridge the gap between me and the podium. I made a calculated decision to change my race strategy—starting aggressively to maintain contact with the front-runners from the very first run.

In prior races, I often found myself trailing within the first 15 to 20 seconds. To eliminate this gap, I put in significant training to develop my early-run speed and to hold the pace comfortably. This required not just physical conditioning but a fine-tuning of every detail—nutrition, supplementation, and body composition—so I could perform at my absolute best when it mattered most.

Executing the Plan: From Start Line to Sled Push

On race day, I stayed with the lead pack right from the opening run. The pace was intense, but it felt sustainable. I entered the SkiErg in a competitive position, holding steady and exiting without losing major ground.

My big move came at the sled push—a station where I had focused much of my training. I had drilled this station relentlessly, preparing to go unbroken for two lengths before taking a short break. The plan worked perfectly. I recorded the fastest sled push time of the day among all Elite 15 competitors, propelling me from eighth place into third.

At this point, the strategy was unfolding exactly as I had envisioned. I was racing aggressively, closing gaps, and positioning myself among athletes who had struggled to finish strong in past events. My preparation had put me right in the mix.

Navigating the Sled Pull and Burpee Broad Jumps: Where Fatigue Creeps In

The sled pull was another strong moment. Despite two athletes overtaking me briefly, I surged ahead and secured the second-fastest sled pull time of the day. This kept me locked in at third place as I approached one of the most challenging segments: the burpee broad jumps.

Fatigue began to show here. Although my jumps started strong, I soon had to slow down to meet increasingly strict judging standards. This was a mental turning point. The energy I had spent pushing hard early started to catch up with me, and despite fighting to maintain pace, I slipped to sixth place.

The following run after the broad jumps was surprisingly solid, but I couldn’t fully regain the momentum I had earlier in the race.

The Tipping Point: Farmers Carry and Mental Resilience

When I reached the farmers carry, I was tied for fifth and still in contention for a strong finish. However, a critical equipment detail became a turning point. Unlike the usual powdered chalk, we were provided with rosin bags that didn’t offer the same grip. Fatigue combined with slipping kettlebells cost me valuable time. I dropped the weights twice and immediately fell from fifth to tenth place.

This was where the mental battle kicked in. In the past, when races unraveled, I might have mentally checked out. But not this time. I kept pushing. I reminded myself to do my best and focused on finishing the race with effort I could be proud of, regardless of the leaderboard.

Closing Strong: Lunges, Wall Balls, and Reflections

I gained one spot back on the run heading into the walking lunges, but this station has historically been a weakness for me, especially late in races. My cadence slowed, and I lost more time here than I would have liked. This ultimately left me in "no man’s land" heading into the final wall balls.

Even though I was no longer racing for the win, I committed to finishing strong. I battled through the wall balls, managing a decent split despite dropping the ball a few more times than I wanted. I crossed the finish line with a time around 57:02, my third-best HYROX time ever.

Lessons from the 2025 HYROX World Championships

While I didn’t achieve my ultimate goal of winning, this race was a critical learning experience. I took a major risk by changing my race style at the biggest event of the season. I proved to myself that I belong in the conversation with the sport’s best and that my fitness is capable of podium finishes.

This race also taught me that aggressive racing requires reps, practice, and refinement. You can’t always perfect a new strategy on the fly, especially not at the World Championships. But I don’t regret taking that chance. I didn’t come to Chicago to play it safe—I came to win.

The 2024-2025 season felt like a fairy tale in many ways. I wasn’t even sure I’d make it back to the Elite 15 after a rough previous season. To compete on this stage again was already a win in itself. But I’m not satisfied. I know there’s more in me, and I plan to keep pushing, keep learning, and keep evolving as an athlete.

I’ll be back for the 2025-2026 season—smarter, stronger, and ready to fight for that top spot.

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