8-Week Hyrox Training Plan
Build to a confident, well-paced Hyrox race in 8 weeks. Targets sub-1:35 for Open Men, sub-1:50 for Open Women.
You have a base of running and gym fitness and 8 weeks of clear calendar. You've either raced before or done significant Hyrox-style training and want a tight, complete plan to race day.
- Run 8 km without stopping
- Some prior Hyrox-style training (sled, ski, wall balls)
- Access to all Hyrox stations
- 5 days/week training availability
Overview
Eight weeks is the sweet spot for Hyrox prep — long enough to build race-specific fitness, short enough to keep motivation high. This plan compresses base, build, peak, and taper into 8 sharp weeks with one full simulation in week 7.
Why this plan works
Eight-week training works because the recency of every session matters at race day — no part of this plan is more than 7 weeks from race effort. The progressive structure (foundation → build → peak → taper) hits all four phases of a normal 12-week plan in compressed form, prioritising race-specific work over base accumulation.
Week-by-week schedule
Each row is one week. Each column is one day, Monday → Sunday. Hover or tap any session to read the detail.
| Week | Phase | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| W1 | Base Aerobic foundation | Easy Z2 run 45 min45 min Conversational pace zone 2. | Rest0 min Full rest day. | Threshold 3×10 min55 min 3×10 min at threshold with 2 min jog rest. | Lower-body strength60 min Heavy squat / hinge / single-leg. | Sled volume45 min 4×25 m push + 4×25 m pull at race weight. | Long run 75 min75 min Long aerobic effort. | Mobility & core30 min Hip, ankle, T-spine mobility plus a short core circuit. |
| W2 | Base Threshold + station volume | Easy Z2 run 45 min45 min Conversational pace zone 2. | Mobility & core30 min Hip, ankle, T-spine mobility plus a short core circuit. | Threshold 5×1 km50 min 5×1 km at threshold with 90 s rest. | Station-specific strength55 min Heavy carries, sled drag, lunge volume under load. | Sled volume45 min 4×25 m push + 4×25 m pull at race weight. | Long run 90 min90 min Aerobic durability builder. | Rest0 min Full rest day. |
| W3 | Build Race-pace introduction | Easy Z2 run 45 min45 min Conversational pace zone 2. | Rest0 min Full rest day. | Hyrox 1 km repeats × 655 min 6×1 km at goal Hyrox running pace with 60 s rest. | Lower-body strength60 min Heavy squat / hinge / single-leg. | Compromised running circuit45-55 min 3 rounds: 1 km run + 50 wall balls + 200 m sandbag lunges. | Long run 90 min90 min Aerobic durability builder. | Rest0 min Full rest day. |
| W4 | Build Volume + heavy sled | Easy Z2 run 45 min45 min Conversational pace zone 2. | Mobility & core30 min Hip, ankle, T-spine mobility plus a short core circuit. | Hyrox 1 km repeats × 655 min 6×1 km at goal Hyrox running pace with 60 s rest. | Station-specific strength55 min Heavy carries, sled drag, lunge volume under load. | Heavy sled day40 min 3×25 m push + pull at race weight + 20 kg. | Long run 90 min90 min Aerobic durability builder. | Rest0 min Full rest day. |
| W5 | Build First simulation | Easy Z2 run 60 min60 min Steady aerobic hour. | Rest0 min Full rest day. | Hyrox 1 km repeats × 875 min 8×1 km at goal pace simulating full race running volume. | Station-specific strength55 min Heavy carries, sled drag, lunge volume under load. | Mini Hyrox (half race)45-55 min 4×1 km + 4 stations at race pace. | Long run 90 min90 min Aerobic durability builder. | Active recovery walk30-45 min Easy walk at conversational pace. |
| W6 | Peak Three-quarter sim | Easy Z2 run 45 min45 min Conversational pace zone 2. | Mobility & core30 min Hip, ankle, T-spine mobility plus a short core circuit. | Hyrox 1 km repeats × 875 min 8×1 km at goal pace simulating full race running volume. | Station-specific strength55 min Heavy carries, sled drag, lunge volume under load. | Three-quarter Hyrox60-75 min 6×1 km + 6 stations at race pace. | Long run 75 min75 min Long aerobic effort. | Rest0 min Full rest day. |
| W7 | Peak Full dress rehearsal | Easy Z2 run 30 min30 min Conversational pace zone 2. | Rest0 min Full rest day. | Hyrox 1 km repeats × 655 min 6×1 km at goal Hyrox running pace with 60 s rest. | Station-specific strength55 min Heavy carries, sled drag, lunge volume under load. | Full Hyrox simulation60-100 min Complete Hyrox: 8×1 km + all 8 stations at race effort. | Active recovery walk30-45 min Easy walk at conversational pace. | Rest0 min Full rest day. |
| W8 | Taper Race week | Easy shakeout 20 min20 min Very easy run with 4×20 s strides. | Mobility & core30 min Hip, ankle, T-spine mobility plus a short core circuit. | Threshold 3×10 min55 min 3×10 min at threshold with 2 min jog rest. | Rest0 min Full rest day. | Pre-race activation30 min Light activation 1-2 days before race. | Rest0 min Full rest day. | RACE DAYRace The race itself. Trust the plan. |
- Week 7 (Peak): Full sim Friday at 95%. Use the time as your race-day predictor.
Weekly volume notes
- Weekly run volume: 30-45 km in build weeks.
- Strength: 2 sessions/week.
- Hyrox-specific: 1-2 sessions/week.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Trying to copy a 12-week plan into 8 weeks. The phase structure here is intentional — don't add a fifth phase.
- Skipping the deload-style structure of week 6. Week 6 is where week 5's simulation pays off.
- Doing two full sims (week 7 + race day). One full sim is sufficient — week 7's effort is your test.
Session library
Every workout referenced in the schedule above. Click to expand for cues, target paces, and rest intervals.
Easy Z2 run 45 min 45 min
45 minutes at zone 2. The bedrock of Hyrox aerobic capacity. Stay disciplined — too many athletes drift this into zone 3 and accumulate junk fatigue.
Rest 0 min
Complete rest. Sleep, hydration, light stretching only. Recovery is when adaptation happens — do not skip rest days during a hard build phase.
Threshold 3×10 min 55 min
15 min easy warm-up, then 3×10 minutes at threshold pace (comfortably hard, ~10 km race pace) with 2 min easy jog between. 10 min cool-down. Lifts your lactate threshold so race-pace running feels easier.
Lower-body strength 60 min
Back squat 4×5 @ 80%, Romanian deadlift 4×6, walking lunges 3×16 with dumbbells, single-leg calf raises 3×12. Builds the unit-strength that makes sled push and lunges feel light.
Sled volume 45 min
After warm-up: 4×25 m sled push at race weight (152 kg M / 102 kg W) with 90 s rest, 4×25 m sled pull at race weight (103 kg M / 78 kg W) with 90 s rest. Builds technique under fatigue.
Long run 75 min 75 min
75 minutes continuous, mostly zone 2 with the last 10 minutes drifting into low zone 3 if you feel good. Builds aerobic durability and fat oxidation.
Mobility & core 30 min
10 min hip openers (90/90, couch stretch, deep squat hold), 10 min ankle and T-spine work, 10 min core (dead bugs, side plank, hollow holds). Important for sled push depth and lunge stride length.
Threshold 5×1 km 50 min
15 min warm-up, 5×1 km at threshold pace (~10 km race pace) with 90 seconds easy jog rest. 10 min cool-down. Pure lactate-threshold work.
Station-specific strength 55 min
Trap-bar carries 4×30 m, heavy sled drag 4×25 m at 1.5× race weight, walking lunges with sandbag 3×60 m, weighted plank 3×60 s. Targets the exact muscle groups that fail in the back half of Hyrox.
Long run 90 min 90 min
90 minutes continuous. Optional finish: last 15 minutes at marathon pace. Critical for handling Hyrox's 8 km of running spread across stations.
Hyrox 1 km repeats × 6 55 min
15 min warm-up, 6×1 km at your goal Hyrox running pace (treadmill or track) with exactly 60 seconds rest — same as Hyrox's compressed transition windows. Cool-down 10 min.
Compromised running circuit 45-55 min
After warm-up, 3 rounds: 1 km run at goal pace, 50 wall balls (6 kg M / 4 kg W), 200 m sandbag lunges (10 kg). Teaches your legs how to run on a fatigued posterior chain.
Heavy sled day 40 min
After warm-up, 3×25 m sled push at race weight + 20 kg with 2 min rest, 3×25 m sled pull at race weight + 20 kg. Overloads the system so race weight feels manageable.
Easy Z2 run 60 min 60 min
60 minutes at zone 2. Builds the durable mitochondrial base you need for the second half of a Hyrox where the running really hurts.
Hyrox 1 km repeats × 8 75 min
15 min warm-up, 8×1 km at goal Hyrox running pace with 60 s rest between. Total volume mirrors race-day running. Most race-specific aerobic session in Hyrox prep.
Mini Hyrox (half race) 45-55 min
4×1 km run + 4 rotating stations (ski 500 m, 25 m sled push, 25 m sled pull, 40 m burpee broad jumps) at race pace. Half the volume of a full sim — usable mid-week without crushing recovery.
Active recovery walk 30-45 min
30-45 minutes walking at a conversational pace. Heart rate stays under 60% max. Use it to flush legs after hard sessions and accumulate easy aerobic time.
Three-quarter Hyrox 60-75 min
6×1 km run + 6 stations (ski, sled push, sled pull, burpees, row, farmers) at race pace. Bridge between mini and full sim. Useful 4-6 weeks before race.
Easy Z2 run 30 min 30 min
30 minutes at zone 2 — you should be able to hold a full conversation. Roughly 60-70% max heart rate, or about 90 seconds per kilometre slower than your goal Hyrox running pace.
Full Hyrox simulation 60-100 min
Full Hyrox simulation at race effort. 8×1 km running, all 8 stations in order, race weights. The most accurate predictor of race-day finish. Schedule 4-6 weeks out, not sooner.
Easy shakeout 20 min 20 min
20 minutes very easy running, finish with 4×20 s strides at goal Hyrox pace. Keeps legs primed without depleting glycogen.
Pre-race activation 30 min
10 min easy bike or row, dynamic mobility, then 3 rounds of: 200 m run + 5 wall balls + 10 m sled push + 5 burpee broad jumps. Wakes up race-day movement patterns without fatigue.
RACE DAY Race
Race day. Eat your normal breakfast 3 hours out, arrive at the venue 90 minutes before your wave, complete the activation drill, and execute your pacing strategy. Nothing new on race day.
Frequently asked questions
Is 8 weeks enough to train for Hyrox?
Yes if you have a base of fitness. From scratch, 12-16 weeks is more appropriate. From general fitness, 8 weeks of focused training will get you to a competent first race or a meaningful PR.
Can I do this plan twice back-to-back for 16 weeks?
Better to follow the dedicated 12-week or 16-week plan instead. Stacked 8-week blocks have too many peaks and not enough deeper base development.
What pace should the long runs be at?
Conversational zone 2 — about 90 seconds per kilometre slower than your 5K race pace. If your 5K is 22:00 (~4:24/km), long runs should be ~6:00/km.
- Full Hyrox Simulation — The complete Hyrox race format performed in training as a benchmark and race-pace dress rehearsal.
- Mini Hyrox (4 + 4) — Half-distance Hyrox simulation — 4 km running plus 4 stations. The standard mid-cycle benchmark workout.
- Hyrox 1k Repeats — 8 × 1 km running with short rest — the gold-standard Hyrox running workout.
- 12-Week Hyrox Training Plan — Open division · Any goal
- 4-Week Hyrox Training Plan — Already-fit athlete · Race in 4 weeks
- Sub-1:40 Hyrox Training Plan — Open Men · First-timer
Track your progress with the calculator
As you complete each phase, run your improving 5K times and station benchmarks through the Hyrox time calculator to see how each fitness gain translates to your projected race finish. The calculator's goal-time guides give you split-by-split targets for sub-60, sub-75, sub-90, and sub-100 finishes.