Do not call me a hybrid athlete. Ever

10x weighted pull ups is enough to kill a man.

Maybe it’s the image it conjures — some backwards hat-wearing, overly confident bro — but the term just grates on me.

No, I am a runner, through and through.

Sure, my second love is lifting weights — but always within the context of running.

I want to stay injury-free and I want to feel explosive. So I have consistently hit the gym 2-3x per week at least for the past decade.

Somewhere along the way, it also became my respite from running. A welcomed change: air conditioning, a working water fountain, and an accessible bathroom.

Ah, yes. These are the things I dream about while out training on the roads.

As my strength developed, my curiosity also grew.

What does proper form look like? How should I structure a given session?

I pieced together an efficient — and admittedly boring — routine.

But then, things started to change.

It wasn’t until I joined The Fort (Fortitude Strength Club) almost two years ago that the pieces all came together.

It combines semi-personal training, strategic programming, expert coaches, and an amazing community of athletes.

In short— The Fort is my happy place.

(This isn’t sponsored — I’m just genuinely obsessed.)

For the first time, the gym wasn’t just the box-to-check on the road to a marathon or a guilty pleasure when I should be running. I actually started building strength alongside my running. Something that was usually reserved for the low-mileage off-seasons.

After Big Sur and wrapping up my spring cycle two and a half weeks ago, I was excited to spend more time with dumbbells — no competition, just movement.

That’s when a friend lifting alongside me noted, “you know, someone is selling their Hyrox slot”.

Damn it. The second she said it, I knew I was in.

I understood what it was conceptually, but never looked into it.

I did know instinctively, however, that it was right up my alley.

I had a feeling that I would naturally find my way to it if my running schedule ever allowed it.

Lo and behold, it was set to take place on May 31st — five weeks post-marathon. Months before the start of my next training block.

For those of you who don’t know,

1 rep back squat max testing at The Fort.

Hyrox is a fitness competition combining running with functional workout stations.

Participants complete eight 1k runs, each followed by different exercises, aiming to finish in the fastest time. The exercises include:

• 1k ski erg

• 50m sled push

• 50m sled pull

• 80m burpee broad jumps

• 1k rowing

• 200m farmers carry

• 100m sandbag lunges

• 100x wall balls

You can sign up as a relay of four, doubles (men, women, mixed), or individual.

For the relay, the runs and exercises are divided evenly for all four team members.

For doubles, your team decides how to divvy up the exercises, but both must complete all the runs.

For individual, you must complete all the work on your own.

Want to guess which one I signed up for?

Well, I couldn’t possibly make it easy on myself. Of course I registered as an individual.

With barely enough time to prepare...

At a random gym in Los Angeles.

I’m embracing a “start before you’re ready” kind of naïveté. I’m hoping that will get me to the finish…before the final competitor, hopefully.

While my main objective is to “have fun and not die” (in that order), I have determined a more cerebral goal to chase.

You see, I’ve coached many athletes for their first marathon or half marathon. They come to me as a coach with the nerves and excitement of not knowing how in the world it would all turn out.

Somewhat ironically, their biggest asset tends to be their beginner’s mindset. They approach training with an openness, eagerness, and a lack of expectations that makes the process wondrous.

That’s what I’m going for here. I want to revisit what it’s like to try something new. Be the new kid at school. Explore without unhelpful preconceptions.

So while I still have a lot of research to do, I’m going to rely on my old triathlon mantra: train your weaknesses, race your strengths.

So while I may not be a hybrid athlete, I’m sure as hell a runner — and that’s what I’ll be relying on come race day.

For the next few weeks, though, I’m going to get acquainted with sandbag lunges, wall balls, and anything else I don’t do normally do.

And if you catch me wearing a backwards hat and speaking like a bro, send help.