Hybrid Games

Event and Race Review

This was the race where I learned the most about myself, a different approach to a new challenge.

The Event

With UK Hyrox tickets feeling almost impossible to secure, the announcement of a new hybrid/functional race was music to my ears, and clearly to many others as well. There was significant hype around this event, and with numerous big name athletes serving as ambassadors, it was inevitably a sell out that I was looking forward to. While new races are popping up around the country regularly, the early signs indicated this was going to be something special.

Was it a Hyrox? I was asked this question a hundred times, and no, it wasn’t. Was it a similar format? Of course, but so are all functional and mixed-modality races. It featured an interesting race format with several different stations and varying run lengths, giving athletes something fresh to sink their teeth into.

Race Format

• 600m run
• 50 calorie assault bike
• 600m run
• 100 wall balls
• 600m run
• 1000m row
• 600m run
• 80m burpee broad jumps
• 600m run
• 50 DB snatch
• 600m run
• 100m lunges
• 600m run
• 200m farmers carry
• 600m run
• 1000m skierg
• 600m run
• 60m sled push
• 200m sprint finish

The additions of the assault bike and snatches, along with different running distances, made for an exciting race. My initial impression was that it looked like a slightly faster-paced event than Hyrox.

The Day, The Venue, The Event

I arrived at the venue a few hours before my race, following my usual routine. I like to watch one complete race beforehand to get a real feel for the layout at full speed.

Walking up to the Liverpool Expedition Centre, you couldn’t miss The Hybrid Games signage—banners, giant photos, and everything you’d want to see approaching a venue. The check-in system was smooth and efficient, and you could hear the race day music thumping from the main room.

Once you walked through the athletes’ entrance, you knew it was going to live up to expectations. Though on a slightly smaller scale, the vibe and atmosphere matched Hyrox perfectly with racers flying around the course, spectators, and cameras everywhere. It felt like the real deal.

My Race

I hadn’t done much specific preparation for this event. I was initially planning to stop racing for the summer after Hyrox London in May, but I couldn’t ignore the hype and wanted one last test. I usually prepare thoroughly for races with a clear strategy, flowing smoothly through each event and finishing strong, getting slightly better each time I compete.

This presented an opportunity to try something different. I wanted to see how much I could handle, how much I could embrace the suffering, and test whether my mind could handle what my body wanted to do….’go out hot’. With the running distances being shorter, my strategy was to hit them hard and fast, then try to hang on through the stations, especially in the later stages.

The first two stations—assault bike and wall balls—went well. The assault bike was a cool addition, provided you had the ability to pace yourself. For wall balls, I simply split them into 5 sets of 20 reps to avoid unnecessarily burning out, treating it like the sled push in Hyrox—take breaks and save the legs for the rest of the race.

I hit the next four runs hard, averaging 2:25 over 600m, and the stations came thick and fast. The burpees hit me hard in this race, but I still made good time. I felt comfortable with the snatches, knowing I could handle the movement as long as I managed my pace and heart rate.

Lunges. This was the first point where I thought I could be in trouble. They felt incredibly heavy, and with the fatigue in my legs at the halfway point, combined with the pace I was trying to maintain, I feared I was in deep water. Everyone watching knew I was well off my usual lunging pace—I’ve seen the video, and it looked painfully slow. I had no choice but to dig in and get them done so I could get running again.

Farmers carry and ski were next, both stations where I’m relatively strong, so I knew I could catch a second wind and get through them comfortably. Going unbroken on the farmers is an unwritten rule, and for the ski, I used a low dampener setting and just stroked it out.

The last 600m run was a full send to the sleds… and the sled didn’t want to move. Great. The combination of fatigued legs, race pace, and heavy sleds was a nightmare. It took every bit of strength to push those things for 60m. I don’t think it was pretty, but there was no giving up now and no letting the pace slow down so close to the end. Digging deep and getting those sleds moving was the only option.

The final surprise from The Hybrid Games was a 200m sprint finish—a fantastic addition to the race format. This was the furthest thing from a sprint for me, but after a 100m speed-waddle-walk, I managed to get my legs moving for what could generously be called a “sprint finish.”

Race time: 1:02

On the day, this placed me in the top 10 for my age group and top 30 overall. In reality, though, the time and positioning weren’t what mattered most. I proved to myself that I can race the hard race, hold it together when my face is in the mud, dig deep, and get the job done. This is definitely a new aspect I can utilize in future races.

Overall, it was a great event and an excellent race to be part of.

Will It Compete with Hyrox?

In my opinion, it doesn’t have to. It’s a fantastic addition to the race calendar and a great new way to test our limits.