Owning the Mental Game: How to Prepare for a Championship-Level HYROX Race
Meg Jacoby
When it comes to preparing for a big HYROX race—whether it’s Worlds, a national qualifier, or just a high-stakes event you’ve circled on the calendar—it’s easy to focus on the obvious: mileage, split times, sled pushes, wall balls. But here’s the truth no one wants to admit until it’s almost too late: when everyone is fit, it’s your mental game that separates a good performance from a great one.
In our recent chat on the RMR Training Podcast, Meg Jacoby and I broke down what it really takes to show up and execute when the lights are bright and the stakes are high. Spoiler alert: it’s not just about how many burpee broad jumps you can do unbroken. It’s about how you respond when things don’t go perfectly—and they never do.
Let’s get into it.
Know When to Pull the Plug
Meg had to make a tough call before Barcelona. She got hit with food poisoning out of nowhere—felt great one minute, was down for the count the next. She had every reason to force it. She’d traveled. She had sponsors. The race was supposed to be a key tune-up. But she bailed.
Why? Because she trusted her process.
The race wasn’t the goal. Worlds was. And she knew that racing sick could set her back more than skipping it would. That’s the kind of mental clarity that comes from sticking to a plan, not winging it week to week. And that kind of discipline is what builds long-term confidence.
If you’re in a similar situation—injury, illness, or even just life stress—ask yourself: Is this race helping me, or am I trying to prove something to someone who’s not even watching?
Lean Into Structure: Anchors Are Everything
We talk a lot about consistency in training, but there’s another level to it. Meg and I both use anchors—physical and mental routines that ground us before races and tough sessions.
For example, I have a warm-up routine that doesn’t change. It doesn’t matter if it’s a simulation day or a Wednesday tempo. Same banded mobility, same plyos, same activation drills. Why? Because when I’m 20 minutes out from a major race and nerves are kicking in, I don’t have to think. I’m moving on autopilot.
Meg has her own version—a 1-minute mental routine where she visualizes the first few moments of the race. It’s short, specific, and repeatable. That’s the key. You don’t need a 20-minute meditation. You just need something that cues your brain: "We’ve been here before."
Practice the Race Before the Race (Without Moving a Muscle)
Visualization isn’t fluff. It’s performance training. And Meg is a master at it. She’s been mentally racing Worlds since she qualified months ago. She runs through the stations in her head, imagines transitions, envisions what it feels like to chase, to lead, to suffer. She’s not hoping the race goes perfectly—she’s prepared for when it doesn’t.
I started doing the same. Especially the “what if” scenarios:
What if I get boxed out on sleds?
What if I’m behind early?
What if my grip goes during farmers?
The more reps you get in your head, the calmer you’ll be in real time. No surprises. No panic.
The Hardest Part? Going Easy
It took me years to embrace this, but easy days are where champions are made. When you truly let yourself recover—like, embarrassingly slow Zone 2 runs, mobility work, maybe even a nap—you give your body the fuel it needs to crush the big days.
Meg’s on the same wavelength. Since her surgery, she’s dialed in her recovery game. Her easy days are sacred. There’s no ego involved. Because when it’s time to turn it up, she can.
If your easy days are half-hard, your hard days will never be elite. Let that sink in.
Warm-Up Like a Pro
Warming up is one of the most overlooked pieces of the puzzle. Meg is religious about hers now, and I’ve followed suit. You need more than a jog and a few jumping jacks. We’re talking:
Joint-specific mobility (hips, ankles, shoulders)
Activation drills (glutes, core, upper back)
Power primers (short sprints, explosive movements)
It’s not just about preventing injury. A proper warm-up lets you hit pace early without blowing up. It’s your launchpad. Treat it that way.
Don’t Crash Your Nutrition
Both of us tighten things up nutritionally in the 6–8 weeks before a big race. But we’re not crash dieting. We’re optimizing.
Meg drops sugar, alcohol, and excess snacks. I watch my hydration, get consistent with meals, and track weight—not obsessively, but with intention.
If you’re trying to lose 10 pounds in the last 10 days before a race, you’re already in trouble. Instead, aim to hit your racing weight early and stay there. That gives you a chance to train at race weight, sleep well, and avoid the panic of last-minute dieting.
Match Your Training to Your Race Schedule
When Worlds schedule came out, Meg and I both adjusted our key sessions. If race day is Thursday at 5 PM, we trained at that time. That might sound extra, but it’s not. It’s smart.
Your body doesn’t know what a “normal” Saturday workout is. It knows when it’s ready to perform. So train your timing like you train your movements. It’ll pay off.
Focus on What You Can Control
At the end of the day, there’s a lot you can’t control. Who shows up. The lane assignments. Whether the sleds are sticky. But you can control three things:
Your training quality
Your recovery and nutrition
Your mental state
If you nail those, you’re already ahead of 90% of the field.
Final Thought: Prepare Like It’s Inevitable
The best part about all this? It’s empowering. When you’ve done the physical work, built your anchors, visualized your scenarios, nailed your warm-up, and handled your fuel, there’s no mystery left. You walk into the venue and you’re calm—not because the race is easy, but because it’s familiar.
This is what separates high-level athletes from weekend warriors. Not genetics. Not luck. Just preparation. Relentless, intentional preparation.
If you want more help with that—especially as you get ready for Worlds or any big goal—check out the RMR Training App. We’ve got custom race-prep plans, group coaching, and detailed race breakdowns with Rocks Opt to help you see exactly where you can gain time.
Until then, keep showing up smart. You’re closer than you think.
Want to hear the full conversation?
Head over to YouTube and watch Meg and I break this all down—mindset, prep, race-day strategy, and everything in between.