The One Pacing Rule
Run your first kilometer 10–15 seconds slower than goal pace. That's it. Adrenaline will make you want to fly. Don't.
HYROX is won and lost in the back half. Athletes who blow the first 4 km will be reduced to walking by station 6. Athletes who hold back early will pass them on the back half — and feel strong doing it.
Target Splits by Finish Time
These are estimated splits for Open Men (sub-60 is elite, sub-90 is the most common amateur goal). Open Women should add roughly 8–12% to each split. Numbers are rounded for readability.
| Goal | Run pace | Ski | Sled Push | Sled Pull | BBJ | Row | Carry | Lunge | Wall Balls | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sub-60 (elite) | 3:50/km | 3:45 | 1:50 | 2:30 | 3:30 | 3:40 | 1:35 | 3:20 | 5:00 | ~58 min |
| Sub-75 (strong) | 4:30/km | 4:20 | 2:30 | 3:20 | 4:30 | 4:15 | 2:00 | 4:30 | 6:30 | ~74 min |
| Sub-90 (target) | 5:15/km | 5:00 | 3:00 | 4:00 | 5:30 | 5:00 | 2:30 | 5:30 | 8:30 | ~89 min |
| First-timer | 6:00/km | 5:30 | 3:45 | 5:00 | 7:00 | 5:30 | 3:00 | 7:00 | 11:00 | ~105 min |
Splits are approximate and don't include Roxzone transition time. Real races add 1–3 minutes total for transitions.
Station-by-Station Pacing Notes
SkiErg (1000 m)
Don't sprint. Settle into a sustainable damper-5 stroke. This is the first station — most athletes burn matches here that they need at station 8.
Sled Push (50 m)
Drive through the legs, low body angle, short steps. If you stop, restart slow. The fastest sled push is the one that doesn't have a stop in it.
Sled Pull (50 m)
Hand-over-hand grip. Wide stance. Don't muscle it — use bodyweight to pull. Grip is the limiter; pace it so you don't drop the rope.
Burpee Broad Jumps (80 m)
The most cardio-spiking station. Take longer jumps to do fewer reps. Smooth chest-to-floor mechanics will save your shoulders for later.
Row (1000 m)
The midpoint. Take the first 200m to recover your breathing, then settle into a stroke rate around 24–28. Don't sprint the last 200 — you have 4 km of running left.
Farmers Carry (200 m)
Grip, grip, grip. Walk steady, no jogging. If you drop the kettlebells, the penalty is bigger than the time you save by rushing.
Sandbag Lunges (100 m)
Where races go to die. Short, controlled steps. Drive through the front heel. Mental tip: count to 10, then count to 10 again. You'll be done before you know it.
Wall Balls (100 reps)
The grand finale. Break it 25-25-25-25 if you're suffering. Catch in the bottom of the squat to use the bounce. Smooth rhythm > raw power. Never set the ball down — when you stand up, it's hard to start again.
The Negative Split Goal
The best HYROX races have a negative split — meaning the second half is as fast as or faster than the first. This is hard to do but it's the gold standard. If your first 4 km + 4 stations took 35 minutes, your second 4 km + 4 stations should also take ~35 minutes (or less).
The way to do this: hold back early. Refuse to chase. Pass people in the back half, not the front.
Roxzone Discipline
The transition area between the run and station counts toward your finish time. Most athletes lose 30–90 seconds here per race because they walk it or get lost. Practice transitions in training:
- Jog through the Roxzone, never walk
- Know exactly which lane your station is in before you arrive
- Have water and any small supplies ready before the race
- Start the next station within 10 seconds of arriving
Practice Pacing in Training
Pacing isn't something you can wing on race day. Practice it in half simulations and full simulations 3–6 weeks out. Use a watch — preferably one that records every station split — so you can see your pacing in numbers, not just feel.
Read the full 12-week HYROX training plan for how to integrate pacing work into your weekly schedule.
Pace Your Race With Real Splits
HyCrew records your time at every station automatically — so you can see whether you're hitting your pacing goals in training, not just guessing on race day.
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