Hyrox is a 60–120 minute effort that draws heavily on glycogen stores. What you eat in the 5–7 days before the race determines how full those stores are on race morning. Get this right and you'll feel noticeably stronger in the second half of the race.
Monday to Wednesday: Normal Eating, Slight Surplus
Eat your normal diet but add an extra portion of carbohydrates at each meal. This means an extra slice of toast at breakfast, a larger portion of rice or pasta at lunch, and a carb-rich snack in the afternoon. Don't overeat — just gently increase carbs by 20–30%.
Thursday to Friday: Carb Loading
This is where you actively load. Aim for 7–10g of carbohydrate per kilogram of bodyweight per day. For a 75kg athlete, that's 525–750g of carbs. Focus on low-fibre, easy-to-digest sources: white rice, pasta, bread, potatoes, bananas, sports drinks. Reduce fat and fibre to make room for carbs and avoid stomach issues.
Saturday (Race Eve)
Eat a familiar, carb-heavy dinner early (6–7pm). Pasta with a simple sauce, rice with chicken, or a jacket potato. Avoid anything spicy, high-fibre, or new. Drink water steadily through the day — aim for pale yellow urine by bedtime.
Race Morning
Eat 2–3 hours before your wave. A proven race-morning meal: porridge with banana and honey, or white toast with jam and a banana. Add a coffee if that's part of your routine. Sip 500ml of water with an electrolyte tab in the 2 hours before start.
During the Race
For efforts under 75 minutes, water at the station is usually enough. For 75+ minutes, consider a gel or energy chews between stations 4 and 5 — this is roughly the halfway point and where glycogen starts running low. Practice this in training first.
Mid-Race Fuelling Strategy
If your target finish time is 75 minutes or above, mid-race fuelling can make a real difference to your second half. Take one energy gel (25–30g carbs) during the run between stations 4 and 5. This is the halfway point and gives the gel 20–30 minutes to absorb before you need the energy for the final three stations. If you struggle with gels, energy chews or jelly sweets work just as well — the key is fast-absorbing carbohydrate.
For races over 90 minutes, consider a second gel between stations 6 and 7. Cramp prevention: add an electrolyte tab to your water if the venue allows you to carry a bottle, and ensure your race-week sodium intake hasn't been too low. The most common race-day cramps come from under-fuelling and dehydration, not from the exercise itself. Test your exact fuelling strategy — brand, quantity, and timing — in at least two training sessions before race day.