My HYROX 2025 Check-In: Madrid Edition
Wrapping up the race year at HYROX Madrid 2025 felt like the perfect ending to a big season. Three HYROX competitions, three badges: one Doubles Mixed and two Singles, plus a couple of 10K races along the way. People have all sorts of opinions about what counts as “a lot,” especially when you see the number of badges some athletes have stamped to their bags. I’m proud of my consistency and what I accomplished this year.
Madrid wasn’t originally part of the plan. I hesitated for weeks, feeling undertrained and unsure if the travel, cost, and energy were worth it. Then the universe handed me a nudge: a car ride from Barcelona and accommodation for two nights. All I needed was a race ticket, and they were still on sale. So I went.
I treated this race as an experiment, a check-in with myself, physically and mentally.
HYROX is brutal in the best way because it shows you exactly where you’re at.
Would you go anyway, or wait for the “perfect moment” to chase a PB?
Race Weekend: Arrivals, Nerves, and Momentum
Arriving Friday night gave me a full Saturday to get into the right headspace. I went to the arena to cheer for friends, register, and see the layout: Roxzone, stations, entry and exit points, suddenly everything felt real. After a solid sleep and my usual race-day breakfast: porridge, dates, black coffee, I arrived at the arena an hour early on Sunday. The races were already buzzing. Before warming up, I crossed paths with a few friends racing in my wave. We exchanged encouragement, reminders, and a quick mantra:We kept it simple: Breathe Stay in your own lane Don’t go out too fast Enjoy itAll great… until the gun goes off and HYROX brain takes over. It’s wild how grounding a familiar face can be in a loud, chaotic environment. It softens the edges of race nerves.
Sometimes I take competitions too seriously, but one smile from a friend snaps me back, this is meant to be fun.
Lessons Learned From HYROX Madrid:
Observing Others, Learning Yourself
In races like HYROX, comparison is almost automatic. I notice other women’s strengths sometimes faster than my own, a habit I’m actively working on, shifting from self-doubt to self-trust.
HYROX can be deceptive. Different waves and start times mean the person sprinting past you might actually be two stations ahead or behind. Comparing myself mid-race never helps; it breaks focus.
I reminded myself: You’re here to try. You’re here to learn. You’re here to move forward.
Now, I treat these moments as information. Watching someone push through fatigue or crush reps shows me what’s possible and often sparks motivation, not discouragement. If you feel a pinch of envy, whether on the HYROX floor or in life, ask yourself what it’s telling you. Usually, it means you want that too. Use it as fuel. Thinking back to what my friend said pre-race: “Stay in your own lane.” You can admire others’ strength without dimming your own.
Your Words Shape Your Performance
Races, tough workouts, or any meaningful challenge can trigger old habits: shrinking, doubting, or putting others on a pedestal. That’s where internal dialogue comes in.
Truth 1: What you say to yourself becomes your reality. Thoughts shape actions. Confidence isn’t magic; it’s practiced belief. Saying “I can’t keep this pace” slows you down. Focusing on “form and breath” keeps you moving.
After the sled push, when my legs tightened, I reminded myself as I started the run: “I’m back.” It worked, mentally and physically, I shifted focus from fatigue to action.
Truth 2: Your body listens. Every emotion, phrase, or doubt leaves an imprint. Positive self-talk isn’t cheesy, it’s instruction. During wall balls, changing from “I can’t do this” to “steady and strong” reset my posture, breath, and focus.
These reminders pull me into myself so I can show up fully, and ready.
Ending the Season With Perspective
Madrid wasn’t planned, but it was needed. It reminded me why I show up, not to prove anything, but to understand myself better and keep evolving.
I finished the season not with perfection, but with perspective, and that feels even better.
Practical Takeaways for HYROX Racers
Technical Lessons
See the big picture, master the details. Stay present at each station and focus on perfecting your technique.
Work at your “comfortably hard” threshold. Pay attention to your body. Mental lapses are often physical cues in disguise.
Hydrate proactively. Proper hydration before sessions can prevent unnecessary Roxzone stops.
Test your fuel. Not all gels sit well. Maurten didn’t work in Madrid. Next time, I’ll try Precision Fuel & Hydration during training.
Sharpen weaknesses. Wall ball form matters; isolate the gaps and refine your technique.
Race-Day Tips
Talk to yourself like a teammate. Your mindset can sabotage a race faster than fatigue.
Learn the layout beforehand. It removes a surprising amount of stress.
Don’t follow someone else’s pace. You don’t know their wave. Focus on yours.
Respect the training you did. Race with what you have today, not what you wish you’d done.
HYROX Barcelona recap
here
One Response