In a recent LinkedIn post, Ahana Banerjee shares her experience and key takeaways from completing her first HYROX race, revealing unexpected insights about pacing and self-awareness in endurance events.
Banerjee, who completed the demanding event in under 1 hour and 30 minutes, admitted to initial apprehension, particularly regarding the running segments. Despite a background in half marathons, she identified as more of a “lifter” and expressed concern about the eight kilometers of running interspersed with strenuous stations, especially without having practiced full race simulations.
“Despite having run (several) half marathons, I actually went in most afraid of the running. I’ve always considered myself more of a lifter than a runner.”
Rethinking Race Strategy: Embracing the ‘Listen to Your Body’ Approach
A significant turning point in Banerjee’s race, and a central theme of her post, was the unexpected failure of her smartwatch. This technological setback forced her to adopt a strategy she hadn’t intentionally trained for: running entirely by feel.
“Apparently, before smartwatches, people used to ‘listen to their bodies,'” Banerjee wrote, framing this traditional approach as a “deeply concerning concept” initially. However, this unplanned method proved surprisingly effective. By consciously holding back to avoid burnout and relying on internal cues, Banerjee found that the running segments, which she had feared the most, became her strongest performance aspect.
“So I ran entirely by feel, intentionally held back a bit so I didn’t burn out, and somehow, the running turned out to be my strongest part!”
Her performance metrics supported this, with Banerjee completing the 8km of running in 38 minutes and achieving her fastest split of 4:18 per kilometer on the second kilometer. She expressed her elation at this outcome, noting, “I was stoked!!”
Post-Race Reflections and Future Ambitions
While pleased with her debut performance, Banerjee acknowledged areas for improvement. She humorously pointed out that practicing the sled pull only once before the race was “maybe wasn’t the smartest idea” in hindsight. Nonetheless, she concluded her post with a sense of accomplishment and forward-looking enthusiasm.
“But, for a first-ever attempt, I’m very pleased. Already plotting for London in Dec 😉”
Banerjee’s account offers a compelling narrative for endurance athletes, highlighting the potential benefits of intuitive pacing and the importance of mental resilience when faced with unexpected challenges. Her experience underscores that even without perfect preparation or technology, listening to one’s body can lead to surprising success.
📝 About This Content
This article is based on insights shared by Ahana Banerjee on LinkedIn.
📅 Originally posted on August 7, 2026 | View original post on LinkedIn →