Competitors thrive at HyRox fitness challenge

There was plenty of exertion, strenuous activity and sweating it out at Gunnedah Health & Fitness Co (GHFC) last Sunday morning, as GHFC staged its inaugural HyRox Sim fitness challenge.

The 35 participants included GHFC staff, members and non-members, while there were also more than 50 spectators.

The list of challenges comprised ski erg, sled push, sled pull, burpee broad jumps, rower, farmer carries, sandbag lunges and wall balls, while competitors were also required to do a 1km run between each challenge.

GHFC founder and coach Maryanne Perkins said more of these events would be held in the future, while the purpose was to offer a fitness challenge and to give people a taste of what a HyRox event feels like.

“Ideally they will be held leading into each of the four Australian HyRox events each year,” she said.

“We have a crew of 20 athletes and lots of support crew heading to Brisbane HyRox in a few weeks, and look like having more than 50 sign up for the Sydney event in July.”

Maryanne said she was “incredibly proud of each and every one” of the participants for how they launched themselves into the challenge, while the large space and amount of equipment made the event flow very well.

Maryanne said “the cheering and support was the best”, while the standout aspect for her was “the camaraderie and support within the community to get everyone over the finish line”.

The GHFC founder said it was great to have the event on International Women’s Day, “showing how strong our female community is (mentally and physically) and how well supported they are by our male community”.

“If things were gender-equal we wouldn’t need or want a specific day to highlight women,” she said.

“Seeing people achieve something they never thought they would be able to is always my ‘why I do what I do’.”

Maryanne also acknowledged Reverence Café for opening on a Sunday “to provide delicious refuels” for all attendees.