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What it takes to conquer a HYROX competition
Reggie Mboya, a fitness trainer and enthusiast, exercises during a workout session at Sosh Fitness gym, located at Signature Mall along Mombasa Road, Nairobi, on April 30, 2026.
Photo credit: Wilfred Nyangaresi | Nation Media Group
Last month, hundreds of athletes converged on the Cape Town International Convention Centre for HYROX Cape Town 2026. Reggie Mboya, a Kenyan trainer, was among the 717 men who lined up for the challenge.
He finished top in the men's open and 20th overall, completing the race in one hour and nine minutes. Not only did his performance demonstrate his physical capacity, but it also highlighted the discipline and sacrifice that had guided him to this remarkable level.
HYROX is a standardised indoor race that fuses running with functional strength training. Competitors must cover eight kilometres, which are broken into segments by eight challenging workout stations.
Each kilometre of running leads directly into a test of resilience, whether through the ski erg, sled push, burpee broad jumps, rowing, farmer's carry, lunges or wall balls. These exercises are designed to disrupt rhythm and force athletes to draw on their reserves of strength.
“The workout tests how you handle high pressure. You learn how to balance your body, how to cover the distance and how to complete the workout,” explains Reggie.
HYROX has surged in popularity across Europe and North America, attracting athletes from diverse disciplines such as CrossFit, swimming and obstacle course racing. Elite competitors often finish in under 60 minutes, combining speed, stamina and strength to achieve an unrelenting standard.
Reggie's journey to HYROX began in Nairobi after finishing high school, when he looked for ways to raise money for his university education. Having played a bit of rugby in high school, he started looking for jobs in the fitness industry. “Although I also earned money playing rugby for clubs, I decided to stop and focus on fitness.”
Preparing for HYROX required him to reshape his body and lifestyle. He lost seven kilograms, trained twice daily and committed to a gruelling schedule that included 21-kilometre runs on Saturdays, 10 kilometres every morning and strength training every evening.
Reggie Mboya, a fitness trainer and enthusiast, performs l-sit exercise during a workout session at Sosh Fitness gym, located at Signature Mall along Mombasa Road, Nairobi, on April 30, 2026.
Photo credit: Wilfred Nyangaresi | Nation Media Group
“You really have to be mentally prepared for it,” he says.
“I had to change my sleeping schedule to ensure I got eight hours of sleep a day. Running for three hours each evening meant that I had no social life and couldn't go out.”
His primary focus was lower body strength, involving squats at 100 kilograms, lunges with 25-kilogram dumbbells, sled pushes and yoga for mobility. His diet was equally strict, consisting of carb-loading with chapatti and sweet potatoes in the morning, protein shakes during the day, and protein-heavy dinners.
“I avoided junk food and focused on natural foods.”
Reggie also talks about the challenges of training for a global sport in a developing fitness ecosystem. Access to proper Hyrox-standard facilities is still limited in Kenya.
"Currently, Kenya doesn’t have an arena big enough for us. International HYROX requires a running track that is about one kilometre long and 150 metres wide, as well as a mat for sled pushes and pulls. I had to improvise a lot while preparing for the competition.”
Reggie, who was participating in the sport for the first time, noted the need for Kenya to invest in HYROX competitions.
One of the sport's strengths is its accessibility, with categories ranging from Open to Pro, Doubles and Youth divisions, which allow younger athletes to safely experience the sport while developing their fitness.
“HYROX is open to anybody, even children,” says Reggie.
After winning the Men's Open, Reggie is now going to try to win the Pro Division. In this division, the weights are heavier, the qualifying times are faster, and the competitors are stronger from all over the world.
“I want to challenge myself to reach an elite level. The elite level is on the pro stage, and it really requires a lot. I now have to decide how to balance working eight-hour days with training.”
