Our son said ‘you can do this Mum, no one else has done it at your age,’” Sophia said, beaming with pride. Her husband, Bob, couldn’t help but smile at the words of encouragement from their son. Christian Toetzke and Moritz Fürste, the founders of Hyrox, had instilled in them a sense of confidence and determination that would carry them through the challenging event.

He’d been doing well at it and told us all about it and explained how it worked,” Bob added, highlighting the enthusiasm and interest his wife had shown in the sport. Hyrox, touted as “the sport for every body,” is a unique blend of functional fitness and endurance that caters to both professional athletes and everyday gym-goers.

1. It originated in Germany in 2017, with Christian Toetzke and Moritz Fürste wanting to create a mass-participation event that caters to professional athletes and everyday gym-goers.
2. The founders aimed to create an inclusive and engaging experience that would challenge participants while promoting physical fitness and well-being.

So, what makes Hyrox so unique? It involves eight 1km runs interspersed with eight functional workout stations, including a 1000m stint on the SkiErg, pushing 152kg in the 50m sled push, pulling 105kg in the sled pull, burpee broad jumps, and a 1000m row.

There are also 100m lunges with a sandbag on your back, the “farmer’s carry” with 48kg of kettlebells, and Bob’s favorite: the wall balls, which involve full squats and throwing a heavy medicine ball at a wall.

The Warrens, who are 70 and 71 years old, respectively, finished the event in two hours and one minute. While they may not be elite athletes, they have a strong foundation in endurance sports, having completed several Kerikeri half marathons and Bob having done a couple of full marathons over the years.

They began training with personal trainer Gary-John Hill, who trains them several times a week at his Kerikeri gym, The Fitness Lab. Hill, who is known as GJ, said the Warrens were “incredible” and did an amazing job.

“Just to get it done is an effort in itself,” GJ said. “It’s not just about winning or being the best; it’s about the journey, the process, and the progress you make along the way.”

For Sophia and Bob, the experience was not only about completing the event but also about building their strength and fitness. “It was a challenge,” Sophia said, “but when you’re older, it’s really important to build on your strength and fitness because it’s not just for Hyrox, it’s for life.”

The Warrens plan on having a well-deserved rest before getting back into training to compete in a competition at the Auckland Showgrounds in February.