I almost set myself up for failure.

Last week, I shared my nerves about competing in my first solo HYROX knowing it would likely take me longer than the race I completed with a partner.

And I was right. I did finish slower, about 9 minutes behind my previous time.

Now, I could have let this get to me. But instead, I got ahead of the problem and approached the race with intentional mental preparation:

I redefined success. Instead of focusing on my time, I celebrated the process- the months of training, the grit it took to prepare, and the fact that I was taking on a new challenge.

I visualized myself working through the tough moments, when I’d want to slow down or give in, and prepared to keep pushing.

I narrowed my focus during the race. Focusing on one run, one station at a time kept me from getting overwhelmed by the big picture.

Without that mental preparation, the story could have been very different.

Instead, I crossed the finish line proud and strong. Both physically and mentally.

Now, I’m ready to recover, reflect, and aim for my next race!

💡 I’m curious- what strategies do you use to stay focused and keep pushing when things get tough?

A week from today, I'll be competing in my first solo HYROX, and I’ll be honest, I’m nervous.

I’ve caught myself focusing on my end-time. In my first race back in June, I competed with a partner. We finished in 1:47, which was slower than I hoped, but I reminded myself that the goal of the first race was simply to finish.

Now, heading into my second race, I thought: shouldn’t I be faster this time? But racing solo is a whole new challenge. Eight runs, eight stations, no breaks. It’s double the work and an entirely different category of achievement.

So instead of defining success only by the clock, here is how I’m reframing it:

1. Process over outcome. My time is just one data point. My effort, grit, and mindset are what define me as an athlete.

2. Redefining success. I’ve spent months training, running, lifting, and improving. Race day is the culmination of all that work. Success also looks like:

- Completion: finishing my first solo HYROX

- Consistency: sticking to training even when I didn’t feel like it

- Mindset: noticing negative self-talk and reframing it

- Enjoyment: having fun along the way

- Growth: seeing how I’ve evolved as an athlete

3. Acknowledging the new challenge. This isn’t about being “slower” than before- it’s a completely different test. And even though I’ll be racing solo, I will have friends and family there to support me and cheer me on. I may be competing alone, but I won’t be alone.

The finish line doesn’t define me. The work I’ve already put in does.

💡 I’d love to hear- how do you reframe success when the pressure is on?