Before Chinese New Year, I made one dangerous decision.

Not buying another motorbike.
Not registering another Ironman.
Not suddenly becoming vegetarian.

Worse.

I joined HYROX training.
Why?Mid-life crisis? Maybe.

Need something new to spice up my gym life? Confirm.

I already go gym at least 3 times a week for one whole year. But after a while, gym became very predictable.
Even the barbell also looked bored seeing me.

Then I saw HYROX.
Run 1km.
Do one workout station.
Repeat 8 times.

I looked at it and said the most dangerous sentence an uncle can say:
“Macam doable.”

That was mistake number one.
I thought HYROX was just running with some gym decoration.
I got running background.
8km run? Should be okay one.

But HYROX doesn’t ask whether you can run 8km fresh.

HYROX asks :
Can you run 1km after sled push?
Can you run after burpee jump?
Can you run after walking lunges when your legs already turn into kuih lapis?
That one different story.

So I committed 3 times a week. 8am class.

Let me introduce the six nasty stations that exposed me one by one :

Sled Push macam push Myvi up Genting. Without the engine.

Sled Pull macam tarik lori rosak. Coach said use your back and core. My back said “old man la bro.” My core said “who, me?”

Burpee Jump macam main lompat tikam, where you forget how to breathe, jump, and be human all at the same time.

Farmer’s Carry is the nature’s most boring form of suffering. Halfway through, my fingers started negotiating: “Boss, can let go or not?”

Dumbbell/Kettlebell Lunges macam jongkok-tegak-jongkok-tegak, but each one your knee cry sikit more. Taught me my knees still remember every single injury from running and cycling years ago. Every. Single. One.

Wall Balls taught me counting to 20 (not even 100 like in the real tournament) can be a spiritual crisis.

I thought HYROX was a running race with some gym stations sprinkled in.

Wrong.
HYROX is actually :
Run → Strength → Run → Strength → Run → Suffer → Run again → Why did I sign up?

As a runner, I always thought I knew how to control my heart rate. Zone 2, Zone 3, easy.

Then HYROX gave me lunges, sled push and wall balls.

Suddenly my Garmin also panic and beep beep beep. Heart rate straight to max.

I realise running is only half the game.
Without strength and, every station will tax your legs until your running speed drops macam siput.

At 57, I don’t need to prove I’m young.

I just need something that makes me train properly, suffer honestly, and laugh at myself after class.

After each workout, I sit alone catching my breath, sweating like a dog. That one already uncle routine.

Then I stare at my Garmin watch:
Recovery time: 20 hours.
Anaerobic load: above 20.

I nod to myself and say: “Good workout.”