So maybe after reading Part 1 and Part 2 of my Hyrox articles you’re starting to think…

“okay, maybe I actually could do a Hyrox.”

But doing the whole thing alone still sounds a little intimidating. Good news! You don’t have to.
One of my favorite things about HYROX is that there are different ways to experience it. You
can race solo, do Doubles with a partner, or get a group together and do a Relay.

I’ve done six HYROX races alone, three alson, two with my husband, and one with a female
partner.

And while I love the challenge of racing solo, there is something pretty special about doing
something hard alongside someone else. You encourage each other. You suffer together. You
laugh together. And when one of you is struggling, the other one keeps you moving.

But here’s the thing I’ve learned:
You don’t just need a race partner. It helps to have a life workout partner.

Find Someone Who Will Show Up
Having a workout partner isn’t about finding someone who is exactly as fast or as strong as you
are. It’s about finding someone who will show up.

Someone who texts:
“Are we working out tomorrow?”
Someone who is waiting for you at 6:00 a.m. when you’d much rather hit snooze. Someone who
notices when you haven’t been around.
And someone who sometimes says:
“We’re going. Get up.”

There are mornings when motivation is high and working out is easy.
And then there are the other mornings; You’re tired. It’s cold. You’re busy. You didn’t sleep well.
You just don’t feel like it.

Those are the days when having someone counting on you can make all the difference.
Because it’s a lot easier to cancel on yourself than it is to cancel on someone who’s waiting for
you.

Accountability Goes Both Ways
The best workout partnerships aren’t one person constantly dragging the other one along. You
take turns!
Some days you’re the motivated one. Other days, you’re the one who needs the push.
Sometimes your partner believes in you more than you believe in yourself.

And eventually something pretty cool happens……..Showing up becomes what you do.
You don’t have to negotiate with yourself every morning about whether you’re going to exercise.
It’s simply part of your life.

Your Partner Doesn’t Have to Be Just Like You
This is important.
Don’t wait around looking for the “perfect” workout partner.
Maybe it’s your spouse. Maybe it’s your best friend. Maybe it’s someone you barely know from
the gym. Maybe it’s a coworker who’s also been talking about getting back in shape.
And they don’t necessarily have to be at your fitness level! You can have different strengths.
One of you might be a better runner. The other might be stronger. One might love burpees while
the other absolutely hates them! (Or do we all hate burpees?)

That’s actually part of what makes a partnership fun. You push each other in different ways.

And Then…Pick Something to Do Together.

This is where things get really fun. Instead of saying: “We should do a race someday.” Pick one.
Maybe it’s HYROX Doubles.
Maybe you find two more friends and do a HYROX Relay.
Maybe it’s your first 5K.
Maybe it’s a local obstacle race.
Maybe it’s simply committing to meeting three mornings a week for the next two months.
Put something on the calendar!!

Because when you have a goal you’re working toward together, workouts suddenly have a
purpose.

You’re not just exercising.

You’re training for something.

You have a purpose.

Fitness Is Better WITH People. With a community!
Yes, HYROX is a race. But one of the best things that can come from signing up might have
nothing to do with your finishing time. It’s the people, the training sessions, the inside jokes, the
terrible workouts you somehow survived together, the mornings neither of you wanted to be
there.
And eventually, standing at a starting line next to someone and thinking:
“We actually did this.”
So if doing something new feels intimidating, don’t automatically decide you have to do it alone.

Find your person.

Find someone who will challenge you.
Find someone who will encourage you.
Find someone who will notice when you don’t show up.
And be that person for them, too.
You may start out looking for someone to do a HYROX with.
You might end up finding someone who helps you stay active for life.