Once reserved for elite athletes only, endurance racing events are more accessible than ever for the fitness enthusiast who wants to challenge themselves without spending years on a professional level racing circuit. Maybe it’s that snowball effect of seeing more people you know and relate to doing it via social media, but it seems that more and more everyday Australians are stepping up to take on extreme endurance events. For some people, it’s the social media visual fodder of Tough Mudder that piques their interest, and for others, exposure to fitness racing sports and entry level opportunities can come about depending on where you’re training, via channels such as the CrossFit Open.
When Aussie-founded juggernaut, BFT, became the official training centre for HYROX, BFT members suddenly had access to a world-class training regime to prepare them to take on the worlds’ fastest growing fitness racing event. We had the opportunity to chat to Sammy Hankins, BFT franchise owner and first-time HYROX athlete, who fought her way to qualify for the HYROX World Championships.
What is HYROX?
Since first appearing in Germany in 2017, HYROX has soared in popularity, with events now spanning across eleven countries. In 2023, there were over forty HYROX races held across the globe, which drew participation from over 90,000 athletes.
The HYROX structure – running intervals paired with functional workout stations – is consistent across the world, so global leaderboards can reflect how a participant in Brisbane compares to someone in Europe. Each race is held in an environment that allows an immersive spectator experience, and there are a variety of race formats, from individual to team events.
Deciding to enter HYROX for the first time
As the owner of BFT Indooroopilly in sunny Queensland, Sammy already had a good level of baseline fitness. However, while she was no stranger to functional training, endurance racing and fitness competitions wasn’t a world she had been immersed in previously. So what inspired her to answer the call?
“I’ve always loved the feeling I get after finishing something ‘hard’. I feel proud, and happy and it gives me the confidence to translate this to everyday life.” said Sammy.
Sammy’s involvement in HYROX was brought about by her involvement in Search4Hurt. With BFT being the exclusive training centre for HYROX in Australia, she was already in the communications loop about related topics and received an email about the S4H applications to qualify. “At the time, I had lost motivation for training so regardless of whether I made it, I was excited to have a purpose for my training. I couldn’t believe I made the top 6 girls (out of 300 applicants across Australia), which took me to HurtCamp.” said Sammy.
HurtCamp was held at Industree Group Stadium on the Central Coast of NSW. Attendees were pushed to the brink physically and mentally with a series of tough challenges. “After six gruelling events over 12 hours, I proved to be one of the top two girls to be selected for Team Search4Hurt!”
Physical and mental preparation for Search4Hurt
We asked Sammy about how she prepared for the physical and mental challenges she faced on Search4Hurt 2024. “Physically, I was ready for the show, but it was my mindset that let me down early. I remember after training camp, we had to introduce ourselves and speak of our past sporting achievements. When the others started to list their accolades, and I started comparing (lack of) my own, I started to doubt myself.” said Sammy.
“I was lucky enough to be put in contact with Dean Kinney; a High Performance Coach who helped me reframe my thoughts. We focused in how I wanted to ‘feel’ as an athlete during the events and he helped me build a plan for each event. We used cue words to associate with the behaviours that I wanted to action when I competed, and it really helped me narrow my focus and enjoy the experience.”
Preparing for HYROX as a first-timer
Sammy’s involvement in Search4Hurt saw her compete in a series of elite endurance events, so she had the added factor of needing an especially varied training regimen as well as facing accumulative fatigue when she faced back-to-back challenges over a short period. We asked her about which workouts and training schedules she used as she prepared with HYROX in mind.
“I tried splitting my workouts between building speed in my running, as well as focusing on the functional movements of HYROX. My favourites were:
- 8 x 1km run (5 – 10 seconds under race pace) with 2 minutes rest in between or;
- 1000m on the echo bike, 25m sled push, 25m sled pull, 40 walking lunges, 30 wall balls (at race weights) x 4 rounds.
Coming into HYROX Melbourne, I had been preparing for another two endurance events before Search4Hurt. I competed in Xterra in April & Race the Sun in May, so a lot of the workouts in the months prior were 30-60 minutes Zone 2 (either running or on the bike). That allowed me to focus on my running speed and the specific HYROX movements in the four weeks leading into HYROX Melbourne.”
Balancing rest and recovery while training for endurance events
Recovery is a crucial part of a productive training schedule, and anecdotally, it could be said that Aussies are more aware of the importance of recovery than ever. Ice baths, sauna, massage guns, recovery boots – all these offerings have been on an upward trajectory for some time now. So how did Sammy find the right mix of training versus recovery in the lead up to the demands she faced during Search4Hurt?
“This was a massive juggle, and quite overwhelming at times,” said Sammy. “The whole idea of Search4Hurt is finding the fittest Aussies and putting them in events they have never done before. So, not only were we given minimal time to prepare for each event, we had to do it back to back for seven events over six months. At first I felt ‘guilty’ for having time off after an event, as I wanted to use all the (minimal) time I had to get ready for the next. But, I quickly learned I had to balance my training load with good amounts of recovery to give me the best chance to perform. I focused on getting adequate sleep, and listened to my body intuitively. If I had planned to train, but my body wasn’t quite feeling it, I would opt for a rest day, knowing that would benefit me more than ‘pushing through’.”
Sammy worked weekly with a massage therapist, who also incorporated dry-needling into the sessions. She also added in sauna sessions and lots of working with a foam roller and trigger ball.
Nutritional preparation when training for endurance events
Ensuring that you’re giving your body what it needs in the lead up to (and during) an extreme event such as HYROX or Backyard Ultra is crucial. “Early on in the Season, I realised I wasn’t fuelling myself enough for the increase in my training load. This showed dramatically when I hit the wall at the Backyard Ultra.” said Sammy. “If I wanted to last the Season, and perform well I had to make sure I was getting enough calories and macronutrients. I built my meals around including good sources of carbohydrates (oats, rice, potatoes), protein( steak, salmon, chicken), and fats (oil, avocado, nuts), and made sure I had good snacks on hand. My favourites were definitely the Chief Collagen Bars – so easy, clean ingredients, and delicious.”
Sammy's advice for anyone training for their first HYROX event
“The best thing about HYROX, is it accommodates professional athletes and everyday fitness enthusiasts looking to take their training to the next level. With four different categories to choose from (Pro, Open, Doubles, or Relay), it is the sport for everybody! You can either take the P.F.T (Physical Fitness Test) or jump onto the HYROX website and complete the questionnaire, which will give you an indication of which race you might be best suited to for your first time. I’d also recommend sourcing a gym that focuses on the HYROX movements, as there are specific movement standards you need to adhere to.”
The format of HYROX, which splits 1km running intervals with functional movement stations is the same across each race being held worldwide, but obviously the venue determines how the course is laid out. “The biggest mistake I see is miscounting the running laps.” said Sammy. “Each event is different, which means the 1km run could be 1, 2, or 3 laps of the venue. Be sure to watch the pre-race briefing on the @hyroxaus Instagram the night before and get to the venue early on race day. I’d recommend two hours before your race start time, so you can register, get familiar with the race venue, warm up area, and go to the toilet before you start (the lines can be crazy.)”
Now that she’s a seasoned professional and earned a spot at the HYROX World Championships, we asked Sammy what a first-timer could expect as the most challenging part of HYROX. “Compromised running.” said Sammy. “After an exercise like sled push, or lunges, the legs are already fatigued, but you have to get out of the Rox Zone as fast as possible, and onto the 1km runs with speed. It’s best to practice this in training, so you aren’t caught out on race day. Try this simple workout:
Weighted lunges at reps 50, 40, 30, 20, 10, with a 1km run in between. It will get you used to pushing the runs on heavy legs.”
Reflecting on the Search4Hurt experience
Growth only happens outside of the comfort zone, and Sammy has broken her comfort zone barriers down with a bulldozer this year. So, how can taking on a significant physical challenge like an endurance event (or seven in the case of Team Search4Hurt) affect other areas of your life?
“Never stop challenging yourself. Search4Hurt came at the most opportune moment for me. I was lost with life and training, and I needed to be pushed outside my comfort zone.” said Sammy.
“I’ve learnt the importance of a positive mindset, and how that can dramatically change an outcome. The importance of having a growth mindset, and instead of comparing myself to those with more experience, viewing it as an opportunity to learn from them. And no matter how tough things get, trying to always be present in the moment. The more we challenge ourselves, and keep stacking wins (big or small), the more we learn and feel equipped to take on anything in life!” Amen, sister.
Going from a HYROX first-timer to qualifying for the World Championships in one fell swoop is a hell of a growth curve. “It was amazing!” she said. “I crossed the line feeling so incredibly proud of myself. I feel so much more confident as an athlete and it’s given me so much motivations to keep pushing myself. I can’t wait to see what comes next.” Neither can we, Sammy!
You can watch Search4Hurt Season 4 on 7Mate, 7Plus, Sky News NZ, and Outdoor Channel Asia from August 10, 2024. To follow Sammy’s journey from here on, find here on Instagram @sammyhankins.
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