HUNGRY AS A HUNTER

The breakout star of new fitness sport HYROX, Hunter McIntyre, talks staying versatile, going hard and Olympic ambitions

- Hunter McIntyre

Winner of the Obstacle Course Racing World Championships no less than six times, Hunter McIntyre entered the 2019 CrossFit Games as a wildcard – making it past the first cut and into the top 75. Though he didn’t test those at the sharp end of the Games, McIntyre can lay claim to a CrossFit world record: completing ‘Murph’ (one-mile run, 100 pull-ups, 200 press-ups, 300 air squats and another one-mile run – with a 20lb weighted vest) in just 34 minutes and 13 seconds.

It’s the upcoming fitness sport of HYROX, however, that McIntyre is currently dominating. With two World Championships to his name (2020 and 2022), he also holds the current world record, completing the 8km of running and eight exercise stations in a ridiculous 55:09.

Men’s Fitness: What’s needed to do well at HYROX?

Hunter McIntyre: It’s a 60:40 test of endurance and strength capacity. If you’re a talented runner, you’ll feel your strengths highlighted in this sport. The same goes if you’re a talented CrossFitter. But whereas in CrossFit you need to be able to snatch in the high two hundreds (200lbs = 90kg) and be able to do ring muscle-ups to compete, you don’t need that in HYROX.

MF: How long have you been in the relatively new world of fitness racing?

HM: Competitively, a decade. Now Spartan have their own version of HYROX, called DEKAFIT, and Tough Mudder has its TMX. But the HYROX people have really professionalised it. They’re taking it to the highest level in terms of the cash prizes, participants, international presence, big sponsors and the TV coverage on ESPN. They’ve honed it and made it a super high-level experience.