My First HYROX (Solo, at 40)
Training, the venue, the people that helped me and some other bits I couldn’t fit in the video…
I did my first-ever HYROX. Solo race. At 40.
The whole story's up on YouTube now here, but there's always stuff that I can’t squeeze into the video; here they are...
The Project
Mine was a HYROX SIMULATION at a local CrossFit/HYROX gym, same workout, done locally.
I loved the race day at The Project.
The team were so welcoming and supportive the whole way round; there was no pressure, just a really friendly environment to push yourself hard.
My nerves were through the roof, worse than I expected, but that welcoming atmosphere really helped.
If you've been put off trying HYROX because it looks a bit scary, a sim at a gym like this is a really nice way in.
There are no judges or penalties at the sim races, so it’s a great way to practice rules and technique before an official HYROX.
Another difference in this sim race was that you don’t get your splits for each section like you would at a HYROX race. I worked mine out as well as I could from my Garmin watch, but the times may include transition times too. You do get your overall time on race day. I share the time and splits in the video.
Wallballs my nemesis
I'm not sure it came across in the video exactly how hard the wall balls were from day one.
Being 5ft did not help my wallball journey 😆. There are definitely athletes who are short and smash them, and I hope to be one of them one day, haha.
Because of an ongoing injury (my Baker's cyst), I hadn't done deep squats in 2 years, and I'd had almost a full year off squats altogether. So it took me 5 weeks just to be able to squat to depth again, and luckily, my cyst didn't grow.
And then there's the throw. I've always been s**t at throwing (and catching), so once I nailed the depth, I trained overhead strength and throwing technique.
But, in the end, all that hard work made getting through the wallballs on the day feel even better. The work paid off.
It’s the last station of the race, and it was like something took over my body. I can't actually remember it; I think I blacked out 😂.
I don’t want these to be a worry again, so I bought a wallball and target for home (see below), and I’ve continued to train deep squat, shoulder stability and overhead strength.
Lucy Shakespeare Personal Training
In the video, you see Lucy (a HYROX Champion) helping me.
I had two personal training sessions with her to check technique and work on my weakest areas. She helped me mentally too by answering all my annoying questions and reassuring me on race week.
Lucy is an amazing human and brilliant personal trainer in Chesterfield; you can see more about her in this recent article in the Derbyshire Times.
Lucy at the 2026 HYROX World Championships in Stockholm.
Falling back in love with lifting
This is something I didn't have a chance to share in the video.
A few years ago, I closed my fitness business after 8 years.
I'd loved it, but I was pretty burnt out by the end.
As a women’s health coach, I led online strength-training classes from home, Monday-Friday at 6am, and I loved delivering them live and working out with my clients.
When it stopped, I lost my spark for lifting weights, and strength training turned into a bit of a chore.
I still did it to support my running and my 40-year-old bones and muscles, but the love had gone.
Training for HYROX brought it back.
Maybe it was having a proper goal and timeframe, but after just a few weeks, I started actually enjoying the gym. Every session I felt a bit stronger, and that felt amazing!
I hadn't felt like that in a long time, and I didn't realise how much I'd missed it.
I have continued this way of training (now that I’ve recovered from the race).
Leading a home strength class back in the day. I miss my fitness from back then!
The HYROX training (from Doc Lyss)
I built my HYROX training around Doc Lyss's sample lifts.
Dr. Alyssa Olenick, AKA "Doc Lyss", is an exercise scientist, an ultra runner and a hybrid athlete, so she really knows her stuff, and she's someone I've trusted for years.
I took her HYROX sample lifts (linked below) and turned them into my own sessions. After a PT session with Lucy, we tweaked a few things to suit me and my weak spots. So this routine is what worked for me, adapted to my fitness background and current running level.
Here's how I structured my week:
Upper body strength: pressing, pulling and core, with a bit of SkiErg and rowing mixed in
Lower body strength: squats or deadlifts, single-leg work, heavy lunges and thrusters
A HYROX "compromised" session: running at 5k pace in between the actual HYROX stations (SLED PUSH, LUNGES, WALLBALLS etc.), so my legs learned to work when they were already knackered.
1 long easy run
1 intervals session (I focused on 5k paces)
Get the FREE Workouts:
Access Doc Lyss's HYROX sample lifts here: https://doc-lyss-fitness.myflodesk.com/tlm-lifts
The race pacing strategy I used can be accessed from this Instagram Reel: https://www.instagram.com/reels/DWBtUv9iTJs/
Physio HQ - Anthony (Ant)
During training, my neck and shoulder completely froze up (you'll see it in the video). I got in to see Ant at Physio HQ in Mosborough as quickly as I could.
Ant's a brilliant physiotherapist and exercise specialist; he specialises in progressive rehab and strength work to actually fix the issue, not just treat it.
Find Ant on Instagram here.
Physio HQ website here.
What’s Next
I have managed to get tickets for an official HYROX at Birmingham NEC this year, and I am SO excited.
Before that, though, I will be doing my first doubles race at The Project: September 2026 HYROX Simulation Fundraiser.
Thanks for reading/watching, I hope you enjoyed the journey with me :)
Manda xx
ps - If you’ve got any questions about the race, nutrition, recovery, or anything related to my Hyrox training, drop a comment on the YouTube video; I’m happy to chat.
Running & Fitness Gear
Filming Gear:
IPhone 17 Pro (race day footage)
More on my Amazon Shop HERE
*links are affiliate links, meaning if you purchase via these links, I will receive a small commission at no additional cost to you, thank you :) As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases on my store, again at no additional cost to you. Thank you again for supporting :)
