Your Next Race Should Be a HYROX Doubles

Madeline and CJ Tully crossing the finish line during their first HYROX Doubles race.

Looking for a new challenge? Or maybe you are HYROX curious? HYROX Doubles might be just what you are looking for. Push yourself with a loved one or friend for a blend of camaraderie, fitness, and testing your interpersonal skills out on the competition floor. You might be surprised at what challenges you the most! 

What is HYROX?
If you aren’t familiar with HYROX, it is the functional fitness race that combines strength with endurance. It is a continuous grind of eight rounds of one-kilometer runs followed by stations consisting of SkiErg®, sled push, sled pull, burpee broad jumps, RowErg®, farmers carry, lunges and finally wall balls. HYROX has taken the fitness race scene by storm - growing into a global series of standardized races across five continents.  

When competing in the HYROX Doubles division, two competitors race together as a team and are able to divide the work of each station in whatever way is best for them. This allows teams to capitalize on their strengths, push each other, and take on the course with a little extra support. But it is more than just fitness when you compete in a HYROX Doubles race; it is also about working with your partner under pressure and pushing each other to be the best on race day. 

Why We Think You Should Try a HYROX Doubles 

Shared Workload
Tackling a HYROX with a partner makes the physical load more manageable - especially if it's your first race. You can divide the work in whatever way works best for your team. 

It's a Great First HYROX Race
If you are new to HYROX or not sure what to expect, Doubles is a smart entry point. It's still intense, but having someone by your side makes it more approachable (and a lot more fun). Competing in a Doubles is an excellent way to see if you might be interested in doing a Solo HYROX race eventually, too! 

Fitness Benefits
Training for a HYROX is a fantastic way to boost your baseline fitness. It improves your cardiovascular health, builds muscular strength, and increases your endurance. 

Challenging and Competitive
HYROX is ideal for those who love to push themselves physically and mentally. You’ll develop mental toughness as you push past fatigue and make daily choices to prepare your best for the event. 

Social and Fun
You'll meet like-minded people, feel the buzz of race day, and tap into your competitive and social butterfly side. Whether you're there to win or just finish strong, the team dynamic adds something special. 

Things That Might Surprise You About Competing in a HYROX Doubles 

There might be some things that will surprise you and challenge you more than just the physical aspect in HYROX Doubles. We sat down with Madeline Tully, founder and coach at MDT Leadership, who recently completed her first HYROX as a Doubles team with her husband CJ. You aren’t just strengthening your body; you’re also pushing your mind on how to get the most out of yourself and your partner. Here are just a few things that Madeline and Chris wanted to share with other HYROX Doubles participants. These are things that they encountered while training and competing that surprised them. 

Communication
The ability to effectively communicate and understand your partner is critical. Success and avoiding frustration often depends on understanding your partner’s abilities and energy levels, as well as being able to communicate with your partner during training and while racing. For Madeline and CJ, that meant talking about strategy ahead of time and being smart about each person’s strengths and weaknesses. Talking about how the work will be divided and how you will cue your partner when help is needed is crucial. 

Humility
HYROX will humble you, regardless of how prepared you are. Be ready to meet yourself and your partner with modesty and understanding when you are in the pain cave. By being in the moment and meeting yourself and your partner where you are at, it will help you have a much more positive experience. For Madeline and CJ, this meant knowing how to support each other in the race when things got tough without judgement. 

Learn New Things
For those new to HYROX, the opportunity to learn and get better at the stations is endless. You only get to be a beginner at something once, so fully embrace it while you can. Something Madeline really enjoyed seeing was the time and dedication that her husband CJ put into learning how to best train and prepare themselves for their HYROX Doubles race. The effort that Chris put in researching and enjoying the process of how they could best succeed for their race was poignant. 

Positive Mindset
A positive mindset and outlook are crucial when the going gets tough in a HYROX Doubles. The energy you bring is not just affecting you, but also your partner. While training and racing can be tough, remember that you get to compete—not that you have to. The ability to move and exercise is a gift. Being able to share a HYROX race with your partner is also something that few get to experience. Madeline and CJ were both excited and enjoyed the process before and during their first HYROX Doubles. Their piece of advice? “Soak it in while you can!” 

Compromise
At some point during your HYROX Doubles, you will need to make compromises when you or your partner are getting tired. That might be slowing or speeding up your run for your partner, taking on more of the sled push or pull, or something else entirely. Whatever it is, be ready to stay patient and go with the flow during the race. For Madeline and CJ that meant CJ doing more of the work for the sled push, and Madeline leading the charge on the runs. 

Accountability
Training for the HYROX Doubles adds an extra layer of accountability; you are not just training for yourself, but for your teammate as well. Getting out of bed for an early Erg session suddenly feels a little easier, and weekly workouts with your partner help keep you on track. For Madeline and CJ Tully, Sundays became their ritual to do their big HYROX workout of the week together, with even their two young children joining them at the gym. Whether training in person or virtually, having a partner pushes you to work harder and ensures you don’t let your team down. 

Whether you are chasing a podium or just want a new kind of fitness goal, HYROX Doubles offer a race experience that's as rewarding as it is challenging. And when you cross that finish line — side by side with your teammate — the effort will be worth it. So, grab a partner, start training, and take on your next challenge together.