Strong Enough To Play

We just got back from a week at the beach, and while it was technically vacation, it didn’t mean training came to a halt. I still completed all of my scheduled weight training, just with a few modifications based on what the local gym had. And on top of that, there was plenty of bonus movement: beach volleyball in the mornings, spikeball in the sand, afternoons on the pickleball courts. 

What stood out most was that Walker and Henry got to see it. Usually, I train while they’re at school. Every once in a while, they’ll catch me on the treadmill or doing light dumbbell work in the garage, but most of it happens out of sight. On this trip, they were part of the rhythm. They saw what being active looks like up close. Not just as something I talk about, but something I do.

Lately, whenever I head out, their first guess is that I’m going to tennis, yoga, or the gym. And I don’t hate that. That’s the world they see: movement as a default, not a task.

Coming off that trip, I felt more focused. Still in the flow of training, still checking in with how things are landing. Which brings me to the numbers, because if the beach gave me momentum, the data is giving me feedback.

What My Data Is Telling Me

I’ve tracked eleven runs over the past couple weeks, everything from quick pre-lift efforts to two 18k long runs. The average pace across all of them was 5:08/km, with an average heart rate of 162 bpm.

That heart rate is definitely on the higher side. But for me, it doesn’t seem to be a sign that something’s wrong, it might just be how my body responds to effort. Some runners cruise at lower heart rates. I don’t. What matters more is how the effort feels, how well I’m recovering, and whether I can show up again the next day. And right now, I can.

The clearest example? A recent 10k run at 4:56/km pace, with my heart rate sitting at 168 bpm. It felt strong and sustainable, even after 12 hours in the car the day before. 

My two long runs (both around 18k) came in at 5:16/km and 5:22/km, with my heart rate holding steady even in the Georgia heat and after strength work earlier in the week. I’m running on tired legs, and they’re holding. And more importantly, I’m recovering well enough to stay consistent.

How This Compares to HYROX Pro Women

In the Women’s Pro division, the total running distance is 8 km. Competitive athletes typically complete those 8 one-kilometer runs in 40 to 43 minutes total, depending on how the sleds and stations hit. That translates to an average pace of about 5:00 to 5:23 per kilometer—and that’s while running under serious fatigue, not on fresh legs. Top athletes may log early laps as fast as 4:30 to 4:40/km.

Right now, my steady training runs are landing between 4:56 and 5:06/km, and I’m holding that on controlled sessions without race adrenaline or full rest. Based on that alone, I’m in the range. The real challenge will be maintaining that pace after the functional stations, but that’s what I’m building toward.

What Comes Next

The running engine is there. What I’m focused on now is station efficiency and transitions—being able to get off the rower, sled, or wall balls and get back into pace quickly. 

The data doesn’t say I’m perfect (who is?). But it does say I’m on the right track. It tells me I’ve got a solid aerobic base and that I’m building the right kind of resilience for race day.

This next block is about refining—not restarting.

Monday’s Session: Wall Balls + Rower Burnout

Monday kicked off with my scheduled lower-body work, and a first ever introduction to wall balls. The plan: 2 unbroken sets of 20 reps. I grabbed a 10 lb ball (about 4.5 kg), which felt solid, but based on Hyrox Women’s Pro standards (6 kg wall ball to a 9‑foot target, for 100 reps) I should probably move up sooner rather than later. Even at the tail end of leg day, those reps felt surprisingly good.

Then came the rower. My workout called for this:
6 rounds of 500 m row + 1 min bike.

Rowing, for me, is different from running. On runs, I’m cruising—thinking through my next blog post or what’s for dinner. On the rower, though, I’m locked in, staring at the meters on the screen. Every pull technically brings me closer, but it still feels like I’m crawling. Time stretches. The meters tick along so slowly. I have to stop myself from checking every five seconds.

And it’s not that I’m rowing slow—I’m averaging around 2:00 per 500 m. But it gasses me in a way running doesn’t. It’s work. Every round of it.

A 2:00 split puts me slightly ahead of the average recreational rower but still behind elite Hyrox Women Pros, who hit around 1:55–1:58 per 500 m. That split isn’t elite, but it’s holding strong, even after wall balls and heavy leg work.

Why it matters for Hyrox

That rowing station in Hyrox comes in the middle. It’s the fifth functional station, right after the burpee broad jumps and before the final run and wall balls. You’re already tired when you sit down. The goal isn’t just to row fast—it’s to row fast and then get up and keep racing.

I was gassed after a couple rounds of that session, just the kind of fatigue I need to train under. My mission now is to dial in consistency at that pace, and strengthen my ability to transition smoothly from rower to run, then back into functional work.

Learning to Fuel (Like, Actually Fuel)

It sounds strange to say out loud, but I really didn’t know how to fuel my body. Not in the “I’m totally lost” kind of way, but in the “how did I make it this far being this active and still miss the basics?” kind of way.

I’ve played sports my whole life. I’ve trained consistently. And yet, until recently, I couldn’t have told you the difference between how to fuel before a workout versus after. I didn’t know how carbs actually functioned, or what “enough protein” really looked like beyond a vague mental checklist.

I know I’ve touched on meal tracking in an earlier post and I’m still doing it, but not in a restrictive sense. I’m using it to make sure I’m getting enough protein and carbs and keeping my fat intake within a reasonable range. I’m not talking about a low-fat diet. Just a more intentional one.

The shift has been huge. Since reducing my fat just slightly I’ve noticed a big difference in how I feel day to day. Less sluggish. Less heavy. More steady energy. But the bigger breakthrough has come from learning how to time my macros—not just hit them.

For years, I would grab a high-protein or high-fat breakfast right before heading to the gym or the tennis court. I’d wonder why I felt slow or heavy, even though it was the first thing I was doing all day. Shouldn’t I have had energy?

Now, after a few deep dives (Google, ChatGPT, and a very helpful performance dietitian), I’ve started shifting toward high-carb, moderate-protein, low-fat meals before training—and it’s been a game changer. I have more energy during workouts. I’m less ravenous afterward. And I feel better all day long.

Strong Enough to Play

On the way home from school today, my three-year-old said, out of nowhere,
“I have to get strong so I can play.”

The car had been quiet just moments before. I wasn’t sure what sparked it. Maybe something a teacher said. Maybe a line from a book. Or maybe just one of those thoughts that blooms in the mind of a child.

I smiled, maybe even laughed a little, but it stuck with me.

Because we do talk, in our house, about how food gives us energy. About how muscles help us move. About how growing strong helps us do the things we love. Climb. Run. Jump. Throw. Be wild and alive in our bodies.

And honestly, isn’t that the point?

We train to get stronger. To move better. To recover faster. To chase goals. Sure.
But underneath all of that, if we’re lucky, we train so we can keep playing.

So our bodies don’t just carry us, but join us in the life we want to live.
So we can carry groceries and babies and beach bags. So we can run after toddlers, rally on tennis courts, or say yes when someone asks if we want to race down the street just for fun.

We train for function. For freedom. For the long game.
And if we’re really paying attention—
We train for play.