RMR Training Podcast

Are you pacing your HYROX race correctly, or going too hard too early?

Rich Ryan and Meg Jacoby break down how to master HYROX pacing, understand RPE (Rate of Perceived Exertion), and use training zones to improve race-day performance.

Learn the difference between Zone 2, threshold training, and VO2 max efforts, how to avoid common pacing mistakes, and why listening to your body can be more valuable than constantly checking your heart rate.

Train smarter, manage your effort, and finish your next HYROX race stronger.

00:00 – Introduction: Rich Ryan & Meg Jacoby Catch Up

13:19 – HYROX Pacing Mistakes: Why Going Out Too Fast Hurts Performance

21:53 – Understanding RPE: How to Pace Without Relying on Heart Rate

30:21 – Zone 2 to Zone 4: Finding the Right Training Intensity

50:21 – Zone 5, Mental Toughness & Race-Day Pacing Strategies

Rich Ryan breaks down his HYROX Tampa solo race victory, sharing insights into his training, race preparation, and execution. Then, Matt Mason from Race Brain joins the podcast to preview the HYROX Hamburg Major, discussing the biggest Elite 15 storylines, key matchups, and what to watch as the competition heats up.From race-day strategy to elite HYROX competition, this episode covers it all!

00:00 – HYROX Hamburg Major Preview with Matt Mason

06:01 – Women's Elite 15: Joanna Wättrich vs. Alyssa McElheny

12:48 – HYROX Qualification System & Challenger Division Strategy

24:33 – Men's Elite 15: Who Can Win the World Championship?

44:27 – The Future of HYROX Racing Shoes & Equipment

What are the best tools, gear, and strategies for HYROX training and racing?

In this episode of the RMR Training Podcast, Rich Ryan, Meg Jacoby, and Ryan Kent compete in the ultimate HYROX draft, choosing their favorite cardio equipment, strength tools, running shoes, supplements, recovery methods, and dream race destinations.

From improving endurance and building strength to finding the perfect HYROX racing shoe, the crew debates what really matters for performance. Plus, a bonus discussion on race pacing, mental toughness, and lessons from HYROX Boston.

YouTube Chapters

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02:50 – The Ultimate HYROX Draft: Rules and Categories

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07:05 – Best Cardio and Strength Equipment for HYROX Training

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19:49 – Best HYROX Running Shoes, Supplements, and Recovery Tools

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23:24 – Dream HYROX Doubles Partners and Race Destinations

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01:08:28 – HYROX Boston Recap: Race Pacing, Mental Toughness, and Lessons Learned

What’s the hardest part of HYROX training? It might not be the workouts.

Rich Ryan and HYROX World Champion Meg Jacoby break down the biggest challenges athletes face, from training structure and nutrition to recovery, race-day performance, and mental toughness.

Discover why training harder doesn't always mean getting faster, how to avoid common HYROX training mistakes, and what really matters when preparing for race day.

🔥 Train smarter and improve your HYROX performance with RMR Training: https://www.rmr.training/rmr-app

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00:04:54 – HYROX Workout Structure: Are You Training Effectively?

00:08:20 – Building a HYROX Training Plan That Actually Works

00:17:53 – HYROX Nutrition: Why Underfueling Hurts Performance

00:33:55 – Race-Day Performance: Why Your Training Doesn't Always Translate

01:00:38 – The Biggest Mental Challenge in HYROX: Stop Comparing Yourself to Others

Rich Ryan answers some of the biggest HYROX training questions: how to improve running speed, how training should change as you age, when to push hard, ideal body composition, running vs. ERG volume, compromised running, and the best ways to measure HYROX fitness.

5 Timestamp Highlights:

• 00:00 – How to Get Faster at Running for HYROX
• 15:26 – How HYROX Training Should Change as You Get Older
• 28:35 – How Hard Should You Push in Training?
• 36:24 – Ideal Body Weight & Strength vs. Running Speed
• 44:46 – Compromised Running & Measuring HYROX Fitness

What does it actually take to race HYROX well? Rich Ryan, Meg Jacoby, and Ryan Kent break down their 12 rules for HYROX racing, covering pacing, suffering, mindset, sled strategy, fueling, race-day preparation, and how to respond when things go wrong. Plus, the crew reacts to the latest HYROX World Championship prize money. Rules of Racing Rules of Racing

12:27 — Suffering Is Not Optional
Why learning to push through discomfort is essential for racing HYROX at your best. Rules of Racing

24:40 — Train Your Race-Day Mindset
Positive self-talk, visualization, and preparing mentally for when your race doesn’t go according to plan. Rules of Racing

38:36 — HYROX Pre-Race Rules
Why Ryan skips music, avoids entering the start corral too early, and believes athletes should start where they truly belong. Rules of Racing

47:25 — The Biggest HYROX Pacing Mistake
Why Run 1 should feel controlled—and why burning through your adrenaline early can destroy the back half of your race. Rules of Racing

51:07 — When Your HYROX Race Goes Wrong
Bad sled? Bad run? Penalty? Leave it behind, adapt, and stay in the fight instead of letting one mistake ruin the entire race.

Ready to train smarter for your next HYROX? Join the RMR Training App for structured programs, expert coaching, daily support, and a global HYROX community built to help you improve every race.https://www.rmr.training/how-to-build-your-own-hyrox-training-program-g

Rich Ryan breaks down his HYROX Salt Lake City weekend, including how to fuel, recover, and mentally prepare for back-to-back races. Plus, he shares lessons from his solo and doubles races, his experience with HYROX Young Stars, and an early look at the new Axis hybrid racing shoe.

00:00 – HYROX Back-to-Back Racing: What You Need to Know
02:00 – Recovery & Fueling: The #1 Priority Between Races
21:25 – HYROX Salt Lake Recap: Altitude, Course & Race Strategy
50:20 – Singles to Doubles: Changing the Mindset & Racing with Jack Driscoll
58:55 – Introducing Axis: Rich’s New HYROX Racing Shoe

Meg Jacoby breaks down her comeback win and what it took mentally and physically to return after injury. Ryan Kent shares how smarter training and strength work have changed his fitness, while Rich Ryan joins the conversation on training volume, motivation, recovery, and preparing to race HYROX at altitude..

A real look at what it takes to keep improving, stay healthy, and compete for the right reasons.

06:09 – Ryan Kent’s Strength Gains & HYROX Carryover
10:37 – Meg Jacoby’s Comeback Win & Race Breakdown
23:29 – The Mental Side of Returning From Injury
40:50 – Why Training Smarter Beats Forcing Results
01:01:14 – HYROX Salt Lake & Racing at Altitude

Ready to train smarter for your next HYROX? Join the RMR Training App for structured programs, expert coaching, daily support, and a global HYROX community built to help you improve every race.

https://www.rmr.training/how-to-build-your-own-hyrox-training-program-g

How much training is actually enough for HYROX?

Rich Ryan answers listener questions on weekly training volume, Zone 2, progressive overload, tapering, body weight, race-day shoes, and what it really takes to reach the Elite 15. Plus, why doing more isn’t always better—and how to build volume without burning out.

00:01 – How Much Training Volume Do You Really Need?
20:45 – Is It Too Late to Build Elite Aerobic Fitness?
30:40 – Zone 2, HYROX Workouts & Progressive Overload
40:30 – How to Taper for a HYROX Race
48:30 – What It Takes to Become an Elite HYROX Athlete

Ready to train smarter for your next HYROX? Join the RMR Training App for structured programs, expert coaching, daily support, and a global HYROX community built to help you improve every race.https://www.rmr.training/how-to-build-your-own-hyrox-training-program-g

Which training methods actually work best for HYROX?

Rich Ryan and Meg Jacoby rank popular approaches including double threshold training, half marathon and marathon training, cluster sets, conjugate strength training, and high-carb fueling—plus who each method works best for.

Learn how to balance running, strength, recovery, fueling, and race-specific training to improve your HYROX performance.

11:29 – Double Threshold Training for HYROX
27:17 – Half Marathon & Marathon Training
35:16 – Conjugate Strength Training Ranked
42:58 – Why Cluster Sets Work for HYROX
46:33 – High-Carb Training & Race Fueling

Ready to train smarter for your next HYROX? Join the RMR Training App for structured programs, expert coaching, daily support, and a global HYROX community built to help you improve every race.https://www.rmr.training/how-to-build-your-own-hyrox-training-program-g

What should you actually prioritize in HYROX training? Rich Ryan, Meg Jacoby, and Ryan Kent break down the HYROX training pyramid, from aerobic fitness and movement quality to strength, threshold work, muscular endurance, and race-specific speed. Learn what matters most—and what you probably don’t need to spend as much time on.

00:20 – Building the HYROX Training Pyramid
20:20 – Why Aerobic Fitness Comes First
24:45 – Movement Quality & Building Base Strength
35:00 – Threshold Training: Running vs. Ergs
40:00 – Muscular Endurance, VO2 Max & Race Speed

How much is sleep actually affecting your HYROX performance?

Rich Ryan sits down with with Dr. Rafael Zuzuarregui to break down sleep, recovery, jet lag, melatonin, circadian rhythm, and the strategies athletes can use when traveling for HYROX races. They also dive into sleep wearables, screen time, cooling mattresses, cold plunges, supplements, and which popular sleep hacks are actually worth trying.

If you’re racing HYROX overseas, preparing for World Championships, or simply trying to recover and perform better, this episode gives you practical ways to make sleep one of your controllables.

02:16 – Melatonin, circadian rhythm & jet lag
14:43 – How to sleep on flights before a HYROX race
20:38 – How poor sleep impacts athletic performance
36:53 – The best sleep environment for recovery
57:40 – Ranking popular sleep hacks for athletes

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Rich breaks down how his HYROX training has evolved—from high-mileage running and double-threshold experiments to the Zone 4 strategy that produced his biggest breakthroughs. He also explains why he is skipping the Hamburg Major, choosing long-term development over scrambling for qualification points, and what he is changing to become faster, stronger, and more competitive this season.

00:00 Why the Hamburg Major changed Rich’s race plans
08:05 The early training mistake that inspired HYROX tempos
22:40 Double threshold, overtraining, and declining performance
39:15 The Zone 4 breakthrough that transformed his racing
54:20 Building speed, strength, and a higher athletic ceiling

What does it really take to compete at the highest level in HYROX while balancing family, coaching, and everyday life?

In this episode of the RMR Training Podcast, Rich Ryan, Ryan Kent, and Meg Jacoby share an honest behind-the-scenes conversation about offseason training, injury recovery, strength progression, race preparation, parenting, and the mental challenges of staying competitive in HYROX. If you're training for your next HYROX race, this episode is packed with practical insights and relatable conversations.

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00:00 – Offseason updates, strength training & injury recovery

12:00 – Balancing HYROX, coaching, careers & family life

25:05 – The reality of being a full-time athlete and coach

45:08 – Heat training, race preparation & building mental toughness

59:20 – HYROX race strategy, pacing, wall balls & finishing strong

Training in hot and humid conditions can wreck your pace, heart rate, hydration, and recovery—but it can also make you a stronger athlete when managed correctly.

Rich Ryan and Ryan Kent break down how dew point affects running performance, when to move a quality workout indoors, how to adjust intervals without losing the purpose of the session, and the best cooling and hydration strategies for summer training. They also discuss heat acclimation, super shoes, running durability, and ideas that could make HYROX racing even more unpredictable.

Timestamp Highlights

00:00 Understanding humidity, dew point, and running performance
09:16 When to train outside versus using the treadmill
17:14 How heat acclimation changes your body
20:15 Adjusting intervals, recovery, and pace in extreme heat
43:31 How HYROX could become more unpredictable and exciting

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Is the new HYROX Cruise Major a game-changing innovation or the biggest mistake the sport has made? Rich Ryan and Meg Jacoby break down the controversy, discuss whether race simulations actually improve performance, explore why elite runners are finding success in HYROX, and share practical training advice for athletes of every level.

If you're preparing for your next HYROX race or want an inside look at the biggest conversations shaping the sport, this episode is packed with expert insights and honest opinions.

👍 Like, subscribe, and turn on notifications for more HYROX training, racing, and performance content.

00:00 Intro + Injury-Friendly Aerobic Training Workout

08:40 HYROX Cruise Major: Good Idea or Bad Decision?

27:45 Should You Do HYROX Race Simulations?

36:20 Can Elite Marathoners Dominate HYROX?

59:25 Burpee Rule Changes & Judging Controversies

Rich Ryan and Ryan Kent break down why the HYROX off-season may be the most important phase for making real performance gains. They talk strength training, running volume, recovery, race planning, periodization, and how athletes can stop chasing every race peak and start building toward bigger jumps next season.

This episode also covers Worlds takeaways, controversial judging moments, burpees, lunges, wall balls, and why smart off-season training can separate athletes who improve by seconds from athletes who improve by minutes.

5 Timestamp Highlights:

00:00 — Intro + Worlds Catch-UpRich and Ryan open with travel stories, post-race fatigue, and the shift into full off-season mode.

06:40 — Why Off-Season MattersThe guys explain why stepping back from race-specific HYROX training can lead to bigger long-term gains.

07:37 — Strength Training for HYROXRyan breaks down his squat-focused strength block and how to build durability without wrecking recovery.

13:30 — Running Less, Training SmarterA discussion on replacing some easy runs with low-impact machines to show up fresher for key sessions.

41:19 — Race Planning + Peak TimingWhy athletes should stop trying to be race-ready all year and instead build toward the races that matter most.

Fresh off the HYROX World Championships, Rich Ryan sits down to break down his entire race weekend, including a 7th-place finish in the Elite 15 race and a 3rd-place podium finish in Elite Doubles alongside Pelayo Menendez Fernandez.

Rich shares what it was like competing at the highest level of the sport, the lessons learned from both races, and his biggest takeaways from the championship weekend.

The conversation also dives into the evolution of HYROX as a sport. From major brand activations and athlete support to the overall production and race experience, Rich discusses how both HYROX and its partners have significantly raised the bar and what that means for the future of competitive hybrid racing.

Plus, for the shoe nerds, Rich gives his early thoughts on the new Adidas Dropset Elite and compares it to one of his favorite race shoes, the Mizuno Wave Rebellion Pro.

Topics include:
• HYROX World Championships race recap
• Elite 15 singles race analysis
• Elite Doubles podium performance
• The growth and future of HYROX
• Brand involvement and athlete experience
• Adidas Dropset Elite first impressions
• Mizuno Wave Rebellion Pro comparison
• What's next after Worlds

This version reads well on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube while hitting the main storylines from the episode.

Rich Ryan, Meg Jacoby, and Ryan Kent talk HYROX World Championships prep, Meg’s return from injury, the importance of recovery, New York HYROX takeaways, and what to expect in Stockholm.

00:24 — Meg Jacoby announces she’s racing HYROX Mixed Doubles at Worlds.

06:45 — Ryan Kent explains why he took real rest after a long season.

10:14 — The squad talks about why athletes don’t lose fitness after one week off.

23:51 — Meg shares her slow return-to-running progression after injury.

48:24 — Rich breaks down HYROX Worlds race strategy and predictions.

https://www.rmr.training/rmr-app-yt

In this RMR Training Podcast Q&A episode, Rich Ryan answers listener questions on some of the biggest HYROX training and racing decisions athletes face. He breaks down when to push through a hard workout versus when to pull the plug, how to taper before a major race, what heat training actually does for endurance performance, and how to know if running more is the answer for HYROX doubles.

Rich also shares predictions for the Elite 15 World Championship races, gives thoughts on nasal strips, explains where plyometrics fit into training, and reminds every HYROX competitor that if you are showing up and racing, you are an athlete.

Whether you are building your HYROX base, preparing for race day, or trying to make smarter training decisions, this episode gives practical insight into performance, recovery, pacing, and long-term development.

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00:00 — Intro and HYROX Q&A preview
03:15 — When to stop or push through a workout
18:40 — Elite 15 World Championship predictions
27:30 — HYROX taper timeline and race readiness
39:45 — Heat training, overdressing, and sauna benefits
52:20 — Should HYROX doubles athletes run more?