Choosing the right footwear for HYROX
In April 2024, we began our search for four everyday athletes to be part of our ROAD TO HYROX project, a collaboration between ANTA, Performance Bike Fitter [training and coaching], Red Dot Running Company [nutrition], Recovery Systems [recovery equipment] and ALLSET [sports testing], to give the four athletes access to training support that high-level athletes might be able to tap into.
The 8-week-long build-up to the first edition of HYROX Singapore 2024 helped the four athletes optimise their training, from shoes and apparel to coaching to training facilities, sports nutrition, recovery tools, and sports testing.
We spoke to the four athletes, Cami, Chelsea, Marcus and Kelver, after they completed their first HYROX race on 29 June at the Singapore National Stadium so that you can learn how to best prepare for your first or next HYROX race.
A bit more about the four athletes
Cami, @camie03
"I consider myself a recreational runner who occasionally joined events between 10–21km but routinely go to the gym three times a week."
Marcus, @marcussxw
"I'm an avid endurance athlete who has been running marathons every year since I was 18 years old before completing a full Ironman when I was 25—I never did strength sports."
Kelver, @chookfc
"I've been focused on obstacle course racing [e.g., Spartan Race] and marathons, which had a lot of bodyweight movements but only had a little strength training that involved weights."
Chelsea, @chelz_fit_queen
"I typically competed in Spartan Race and marathons and had not tried HYROX before."
What shoes should you wear for HYROX?
One of the most frequently asked questions when HYROX began gaining popularity. While many have experience participating in sports like long-distance running, multisport [e.g., triathlon] and CrossFit, HYROX lies somewhere between those sports.
Like how the HYROX blends elements of various sports, the right shoes are crucial, you'll need shoes built for running, stable enough to complete the stations and with enough traction for the sled stations.
With 1km runs before or after each station, 50% of a HYROX race is running, and you might hone in on race-specific running shoes like the C202 5 GT [Marcus, Kelver and Chelsea's shoe of choice].
While carbon-plated super shoes are designed for speed over long and even surfaces, some people may want more stability to tackle the stations so that they don't wobble when pushing, pulling, and moving weights.
With five of the eight HYROX stations involving weights [i.e., 50m sled push, 50m sled pull, 100m sandbag lunge, 200m farmer's carry and 75 or 100 wall-balls], cross-training shoes like the HEAT PRO, designed for CrossFit-style activities will be better suited to tackle them. However, they weren't designed for running long-distances.
It comes down to matching the characteristics of a shoe to your specific needs. But here's a checklist to help you choose your shoes for HYROX
- Get shoes running shoes
- Running shoes you feel are stable enough for you to move weights
- Running shoes with an outsole that'll give you good traction
In ANTA's collection of running shoes, we'd recommend models like the MACH 4 [Camie's shoe of choice], MACH 4 PRO and C202 5 LITE for most people because they're energetic and snappy enough for HYROX's 8km of running stable enough underfoot for most people to manoeuvre the stations while having generous amounts of high-traction rubber on their outsoles.
By Matthew Leu