Sunday run clubs are replacing Friday party nights. Strength training is becoming part of everyday life. Protein shakes are overtaking hangover cures. Fitness culture has shifted dramatically over the past few years, and HYROX sits right at the centre of it. Hear from Joanna Wietrzyk, Faisal Abdalla and Simon Gronau how hybrid fitness racing is redefining fitness through community, resilience and the belief that anyone can cross the finish line.
Part race, part strength challenge and part community event, HYROX has exploded around the world by offering something many people have been searching for: a chance to train with purpose, compete without needing to be a professional, and belong to a community that celebrates effort as much as results.
We spoke with three people experiencing the HYROX movement from completely different angles: PUMA athlete Joanna Wietrzyk, PUMA ambassador and HYROX MC Faisal Abdalla, and world-record holder Simon Gronau. Their stories couldn’t be more different, but together, they paint a picture of why this sport has become one of fitness’s biggest success stories.
We spoke with three people experiencing the HYROX movement from completely different angles: PUMA athlete Joanna Wietrzyk, PUMA ambassador and HYROX MC Faisal Abdalla, and world-record holder Simon Gronau. Their stories couldn’t be more different, but together, they paint a picture of why this sport has become one of fitness’s biggest success stories.
Simon Gronau
Faisal Abdalla
Joanna Wietrzyk
The Finish Line Belongs To Everyone
For Faisal Abdalla, who has witnessed the sport’s growth from the microphone at events around the world, HYROX’s appeal starts with one simple idea: everyone gets to feel like an athlete. “I think that’s what I love,” he says. “People can feel they’re competing in a professional sport when they’re not professional athletes.”
It’s a mindset that echoes the rise of marathon culture. The fastest runners may grab the headlines, but the real heartbeat of the event is everyone else crossing the line.
For Faisal Abdalla, who has witnessed the sport’s growth from the microphone at events around the world, HYROX’s appeal starts with one simple idea: everyone gets to feel like an athlete. “I think that’s what I love,” he says. “People can feel they’re competing in a professional sport when they’re not professional athletes.”
It’s a mindset that echoes the rise of marathon culture. The fastest runners may grab the headlines, but the real heartbeat of the event is everyone else crossing the line.
That accessibility has become one of HYROX’s defining strengths. Unlike sports that demand years of technical skill before you can even participate, HYROX invites anyone willing to train. Joanna sees that every time she races. “You’ve got people from 16 to 86 years old,” she says. “I love the inclusivity of the sport.”
Elite athletes line up alongside first-timers. Friends race doubles together. Parents compete with their children. The stopwatch may separate performances, but the finish line unites everyone. As Faisal puts it, “It’s the everyday athlete who keeps the sport going.”
And for Faisal, that everyday athlete mindset is about more than crossing a finish line- it’s about helping people believe they belong there in the first place. That belief is what shaped his reputation as Mr. PMA (Mr. Positive Mental Attitude), a nickname that grew organically from the community he built while coaching fitness classes. “I believe in choosing a positive solution for any situation,” he says. “It’s just how I live my life.”
For Simon Gronau, who recently completed 100 consecutive HYROX races- a world first- that same mindset is about discovering what’s possible when you commit to a challenge. “If I can complete 100 HYROX races in 100 days, you can absolutely take on your own HYROX challenge.”
Elite athletes line up alongside first-timers. Friends race doubles together. Parents compete with their children. The stopwatch may separate performances, but the finish line unites everyone. As Faisal puts it, “It’s the everyday athlete who keeps the sport going.”
And for Faisal, that everyday athlete mindset is about more than crossing a finish line- it’s about helping people believe they belong there in the first place. That belief is what shaped his reputation as Mr. PMA (Mr. Positive Mental Attitude), a nickname that grew organically from the community he built while coaching fitness classes. “I believe in choosing a positive solution for any situation,” he says. “It’s just how I live my life.”
For Simon Gronau, who recently completed 100 consecutive HYROX races- a world first- that same mindset is about discovering what’s possible when you commit to a challenge. “If I can complete 100 HYROX races in 100 days, you can absolutely take on your own HYROX challenge.”
Simon Gronau pictured visiting the PUMA HQ in Herzogenaurach
Whether it’s someone crossing their first finish line or an athlete chasing a world record, HYROX has created a space where progress is measured individually – and everyone gets the chance to surprise themselves.
There Is No Single Way To Become A HYROX Athlete
One of the most interesting things about HYROX is that almost nobody grows up dreaming of competing in it.
Joanna arrived after years in elite tennis, where discipline, resilience and consistency became second nature. “Tennis developed the athlete and person I am today,” she says. “That mindset transferred.”
There Is No Single Way To Become A HYROX Athlete
One of the most interesting things about HYROX is that almost nobody grows up dreaming of competing in it.
Joanna arrived after years in elite tennis, where discipline, resilience and consistency became second nature. “Tennis developed the athlete and person I am today,” she says. “That mindset transferred.”
Joanna Wietrzyk pictured in new PWERMODE campaign
Simon came from endurance sports, discovering that the combination of running and functional strength suited him perfectly. “I realised I was better at shorter, more intense efforts.”
Faisal’s journey is different again. Having spent decades across football, basketball, athletics, running and strength training, he smiles when people describe hybrid fitness as something new. “I was doing hybrid when I was a kid.” His point is bigger than the definition itself.
Rather than asking athletes to fit into one sporting identity, HYROX rewards versatility. Running supports the stations. Strength supports the running. Endurance, power, resilience and pacing all matter equally. It’s perhaps why the sport feels so relevant today. Modern athletes no longer want to be defined by one discipline, they want to be capable across many.
More Than Fitness, It’s Where Community Happens
HYROX reflects one major cultural shift, where for many people, the gym has become more than somewhere to train. It’s where friendships begin. It’s where weekends are planned. And, it’s where personal milestones are celebrated.
“The majority of my friendships now are through HYROX or the gym,” Joanna says. She believes those relationships often become stronger because they’re built around shared goals rather than shared habits.
Faisal’s journey is different again. Having spent decades across football, basketball, athletics, running and strength training, he smiles when people describe hybrid fitness as something new. “I was doing hybrid when I was a kid.” His point is bigger than the definition itself.
Rather than asking athletes to fit into one sporting identity, HYROX rewards versatility. Running supports the stations. Strength supports the running. Endurance, power, resilience and pacing all matter equally. It’s perhaps why the sport feels so relevant today. Modern athletes no longer want to be defined by one discipline, they want to be capable across many.
More Than Fitness, It’s Where Community Happens
HYROX reflects one major cultural shift, where for many people, the gym has become more than somewhere to train. It’s where friendships begin. It’s where weekends are planned. And, it’s where personal milestones are celebrated.
“The majority of my friendships now are through HYROX or the gym,” Joanna says. She believes those relationships often become stronger because they’re built around shared goals rather than shared habits.
Simon has noticed exactly the same trend among his own generation. “We’re not drinking or partying,” he says. “We’re doing sports, eating healthy and having fun doing that.”
The phrase “the gym is the new club” has become almost a cliché, but listening to athletes across the sport, it feels increasingly accurate. Run clubs fill city streets before work. Recovery cafés replace post-race pubs. Fitness events have become social calendars in their own right. Competition is still there, but community has become just as important.
A Sport That Reflects Where Fitness Is Heading
HYROX has become one of the fastest-growing fitness sports in the world, but perhaps its biggest achievement isn’t measured in race entries or world records. It’s that it has redefined what success in fitness can look like. For some, success is standing on top of the podium. For others, it’s completing their first race.
For Simon, it was proving that humans are capable of far more than they imagine.
For Joanna, it’s inspiring the next generation while continuing to raise the bar herself.
For Faisal, it’s watching thousands of ordinary people discover they’re capable of extraordinary things.
Three different perspectives, but one shared belief: progress isn’t reserved for elite athletes. It’s available to anyone willing to show up, put in the work and take on the challenge.
And perhaps that’s exactly why HYROX – and the culture surrounding it – continues to grow.
The phrase “the gym is the new club” has become almost a cliché, but listening to athletes across the sport, it feels increasingly accurate. Run clubs fill city streets before work. Recovery cafés replace post-race pubs. Fitness events have become social calendars in their own right. Competition is still there, but community has become just as important.
A Sport That Reflects Where Fitness Is Heading
HYROX has become one of the fastest-growing fitness sports in the world, but perhaps its biggest achievement isn’t measured in race entries or world records. It’s that it has redefined what success in fitness can look like. For some, success is standing on top of the podium. For others, it’s completing their first race.
For Simon, it was proving that humans are capable of far more than they imagine.
For Joanna, it’s inspiring the next generation while continuing to raise the bar herself.
For Faisal, it’s watching thousands of ordinary people discover they’re capable of extraordinary things.
Three different perspectives, but one shared belief: progress isn’t reserved for elite athletes. It’s available to anyone willing to show up, put in the work and take on the challenge.
And perhaps that’s exactly why HYROX – and the culture surrounding it – continues to grow.
