Hyrox heaven or hell?

Hello pal,

Well this week is a very different vibe from last week's newsletter and you know what…. I love it! We are mutli-dimensional beings and that's why living & breathing the 8 dimensions of wellbeing is so important. ?

Last week I was sharing stories and guidance around the dimension of Occupational Wellbeing and this week I am sharing more about Physical and Mental Wellbeing.?

Have you ever heard of HYROX?

HYROX combines both running & functional workout stations, where participants run 1km, followed by 1 functional workout station, repeated eight times! (Think…. 1000m skierg, 50m sled push, 50m sled pull, 80m burpee broad jumps, 1000m rowing, 200m farmer's carry, sandbag lunges, 75 wall ball throws!)

I KNOWWWWWWWW! WILD with a capital W!

I first heard about this a year ago when I moved back to Scotland and some of my pals were training for it. A few of them said I should look into it - I might be up for it and to be honest I took one look at the website and read through the 8 functional exercises and thought HELL NO!?

I had just floated off the plane as a full blown yogi from Byron Bay and this seemed like the complete opposite to where I was at - physically and mentally. I felt like I was very much in my feminine energy and I felt like Hyrox was very much about masculine energy.?

What do I mean my feminine and masculine energy I hear you say?

Feminine energy refers to a specific set of traits, considered to be the opposite of traits associated with masculine energy. Your masculine side gets expressed when you're working towards a goal, making progress, getting things done, and pushing forward. Your feminine side gets expressed when you move with the flow of life, embrace your creative energy, dance, play, and attune to your internal process. It is important to note that these traits are not associated with gender. For people of all genders, both feminine energy and masculine energy are necessary to embody in order to feel like a complete person.?

For me, a year ago I just wasn't keen, my thoughts were it's not very “me” and honestly I knew that having not been in a gym for about 3 years that physically it would be a massive challenge. So what did I decide to do instead?

I VOLUNTEERED of course! So that I could support and cheerlead for my pals. I swear as soon as I entered that hall with thousands of people screaming, music blasting with lights and cameras everywhere, my body was instantly hating it. It felt intense. There were half naked people running around everywhere and quite honestly I was scared. For the first couple of hours I was checking people had hit their 1000m on the rowing machine and my only thought was THIS IS NOT MY VIBE - GET ME OUT OF HERE! (In a true "I'm a celebrity get me out of here" kinda moment!)?

However, as the hours went on I saw all people of all shapes and sizes run passed me and I started to feel inspired. I witnessed two women who I'd say were in their 60s or 70s helping each other on the rowing machines. That is the moment Hyrox shifted for me. I obviously respected the athletes who were FIT as F*CK sprinting passed me but these women - these women moved my heart and changed the game for me.?

So a year on… after witnessing these Hyrox heroes in my eyes… what did I decide to do? What inspired action did I take? Or did I do nothing and let this moment pass me by?

Yes you guessed it…..?

A year on from being a Hyrox Hater, I was offered a “free ticket” because I volunteered my time (really very clever strategy Hyrox I will give you that!) Although, I never activated this ticket for months…I sat with it. And as I started to notice all those same pals sign up again and commit to giving it another go I started to ask myself - “Michelle, what are you going to do with this free pass you've been given because it has been given to you for a reason”?

I really honestly believe we are all given these free passes in life but a lot of the time because of fear and doubt in ourselves we let them pass us by.?

But there was something, a wee bit of curiosity was sparked inside of me, I still had the memory of my Hyrox heroes edged in my heart and you know what? Deep down a very quiet inner voice knew that I could do it even if the louder voices inside of me were telling me I couldn't.?

I also noticed that I had shifted energies, I had way more balance with my feminine and masculine energy. I had been going to the gym for months and I had already committed and was going to the gym 5 days a week.?

So I quickly activated the ticket and within a few months I started to train. Did I have a strict and rigorous Hyrox training plan ? NO. If I am really honest looking back I could have come up with a much tighter plan and even got a Hyrox coach. But I never, What I did do was keep up my gym classes 5 times a week - a mix of Blaze (Cardio, Strength, Combat), yoga, core work and dance! Then I practiced the functional exercises I had never done before - like the sled push and pull and wall ball throws. I started a Hyrox Heroes whats app chat with people I knew were doing it too because I know that creates accountability and leads to committed action. You are less likely to let a pal down that you are training with. FACT.

One of the key actions I took that boosted my confidence before Hyrox was doing a simulation with Hyrox coaches in a gym. This proved to me that I could actually do it all which was a pivotal moment for my confidence a few weeks before the main event.?

THE MAIN EVENT…?

On the day of the main event and even a week or two before I felt neither excited or felt fearful. I was very neutral. I honestly just wanted to tick it off my to do list and move on with my life and work.

Just before walking into the arena, I walked along the River Clyde in Glasgow, took in the sunlight, took a few deep breaths and talked positively over myself & my body. These were the words I landed on:

I am cool, calm & collected. I am prepared. I am strong. I am capable. I have zero expectations. I am staying present in each moment. I am staying in my own lane. I am enjoying the experience. I am grateful I get to do this with my body. I am ready.?

These words totally helped me get grounded and I felt solid as I got into the arena. This time as I saw the thousands of people screaming, heard the music blasting out and the lights and cameras going off everywhere, they didn't affect me at all. I was simply here to challenge myself physically and mentally and simply stick to my own path. No target time, no expectations just simply to complete one of the hardest fitness tests I have ever committed to.?

What was it like?

I must say I loved the running because it felt like that was the only time my body got a break. Every single functional exercise felt hard, especially the sled pull and the wall ball throws! I checked my heart monitor after the event and my heart rate was in the red (high 90s) for about 1 hour 28 mins.. hehe… the majority of the race.?

In terms of my mindset it was strong throughout it all… until the wall ball throws… I rocked up to this last station with the glimpse of the finish line a stone throw away and I thought OK 75 let's go. I did the first 10 and honestly I felt like I had nothing left in the tank. My entire body just stopped because my mind said “no way I cant do this!” and that pals is when the game is finished… because as soon as the mind takes you out the body will follow.?

Then enter the arena my Hyrox Angels. I never asked anyone to come watch me or support me (I didn't think it was that big a deal, ;) little Miss super independent over here… Plus all the spectator tickets sold out and I really should have asked some people to come earlier! ANYWAYS!)?

Lucky for me when I was standing looking at this 4kg black ball on the floor at my feet and then looking up at the 10 million foot high target above my head (that's honestly what it felt like for me!) I see two pals who had already completed the race SCREAMING FOR ME! And I was like RIGHT THEN! And then I look at the “judge” who is there to check I do the perfect squat and then hit the ball on the target.?

He took one look at me as he started clicking his counter for my wall ball throws. He saw it in my face and eyes. He saw that I was like YEAH NAH. And he looked me calmly in the eyes and said OK give me 5. Just 5.?

I did it. He said OK breathe for 5.?

Do another 5.?

Breathe for 5.?

And this went on until I got to 75!

This honestly felt like a lifetime. But it was done.?

I don't know this man's name but I will be forever grateful for this Hyrox Angel because he literally pulled my mind out of the gutter and onto those wall ball throws.?

My legs were like jelly and I somehow managed to find the energy to run over the finish line!

WOW !!! I DID IT!!!?

1.49.41

I had never felt like that in my life. To push myself and my body to its limits.?

I sort of felt a bit numb. Until I saw my pals for a big hug! :)

One of them asked me “would you do it again?”

I said NO, absolutely not.?

What came up after the main event?

I wasn't expecting this but when I received the pictures from the event, I looked at them, I started hating on some of them because of the way my body looked! I quickly decided that they were “horrendous” and I wouldn't be buying them.?

Then as I was chatting to a pal about this… I had this moment…. a moment that went a bit like this… “Michelle, how dare you hate on the body that has just pulled you through the hardest physical challenge you have ever completed?!”

I was shocked with myself and I very quickly rectified the situation. I purchased all the pictures and I promised myself I would share these pictures and be PROUD of this body without any judgement on how I looked.

Because do you know what? All I was doing was comparing my body to others, I was placing judgement on my body because of the world we live in where we believe bodies need to look a certain way. I was comparing myself to athletes that compete in Hyrox that look ripped AF. I even started to feel shame around my finish time of 1.49.41 because I felt that it wasn't good enough. WILD…. WILD with a capital W!?

Hyrox is HARD. And when you do hard things or lean into hard things it isn't always pretty. There may be blood, sweat, tears, a lot of swearing and it can be messy. THIS IS MY MESSY.?

So here I am now sharing these pictures of myself (that I judged because of my rolled up belly!) Loudly saying I just showed up and completed Hyrox!?

As a reminder for you and me - this is what Hyrox is:

1km Run - 1000m skierg -1 km Run - ?50m sled push (75kg) - 1km Run - 50m sled pull (75kg) - 1km RUN - 80m burpee broad jumps - 1km Run - 1000m rowing - 1km Run - 200m farmer's carry - 1km Run - sandbag lunges - 1km Run - 75 wall ball throws!

As my dear pal said to me who also recently completed Hyrox in Australia?

Strong women can do strong things.?

If you are considering Hyrox or some other physical and mental challenge go for it! When you finish hard things you are literally re-wiring your brain and you are more likely to finish more hard things in the future.?

And if you do Hyrox remember these 8 things (you know I love the number 8!):

1. Decide - sign up and commit.
2. Prepare - set the training plan and get your coach.
3. Accountability - get your support crew together & connect regularly.
4. Practice - everyday & every week practice your technique & improve.
5. Zero expectations - let go of any expectations on yourself.
6. Stay in your own lane - let go of comparison, this is a physical & mental challenge with yourself.
7. Stay present in each moment - enjoy the process, it is always the best part.
8. Be grateful - for your mind & body and that you GET to do this physical challenge. (Share the ugly, messy pictures of you being STRONG AF!)

So Hyrox Madrid ANYONE? :)

Until next time, pal.?

A wee reminder…. only 5 tickets left….?

For my next Yoga Nidra event in Glasgow - Saturday 9th March at the Reiki Love Club. Yoga nidra means yogic "sleep" and it is a guided meditation that you do lying on the floor. Yoga Nidra is a practice that's especially effective at reducing stress and anxiety and can even help with insomnia. Sometimes, your body may get stuck in fight-or-flight mode. Practices like yoga nidra can help calm your sympathetic nervous system and allow the parasympathetic nervous system to take charge.

Join me for a loving, grounding, nurturing, peaceful &?beautiful Saturday afternoon - 90 mins full of all the things that will fill your cup!

We will start the afternoon off with with a grounding breathwork practice, with?gratitude journaling, a?card reading, a yoga nidra practice with sound bowl?& lastly, enjoying a warm?cup of herbal tea & a vegan treats from the incredible Cookstoyou! Grab your tickets below!?

I've got your back.