Highway to HYROX Episode 5: Pacing the Race, Tapering, and Race Day Fueling

Send us Fan Mail With just two weeks until my first HYROX race in Denver, I’m putting together a plan for one of the biggest challenges: pacing. In Episode 5 of Highway to HYROX, I recap my latest training and share what a recent half-distance HYROX simulation taught me about managing effort, running on tired legs, and knowing where to hold back. From controlling the opening run and SkiErg to tackling burpee broad jumps and saving enough for the final wall balls, I walk through how I’m approaching each part of the race. In this episode, I discuss: Balancing running, strength training, and HYROX workouts as race day approaches. What my simulation revealed about my strengths, weaknesses, and potential finish time. Managing race-day adrenaline and resisting the urge to follow someone else’s pace. Using heart rate and perceived effort to guide pacing. Building back into running pace after demanding stations. Planning breaks for burpee broad jumps, sled work, and wall balls. My taper plans and fueling strategy for an afternoon start. As a sports dietitian, running coach, and first-time HYROX competitor, I’m sharing the reasoning behind my plan—and the questions I won’t be able to answer until race day. I talk about my training the past two weeks during the first 25 minutes so feel free to  skip that first part if you want to jump ahead to my thoughts on pace, fueling, and tapering for the race. Have you raced HYROX? I’d love to hear your pacing lessons and first-race advice. Next up: the race recap! For coaching inquiries: Coach Katie → https://fuel2run.com Coach Justin → https://tabularasaracing.com Podcast Email → [email protected]