The Hyrox roxzone: where your time hides

Everyone trains the runs and the stations. Almost nobody trains the bit in between.

That bit is the roxzone. It is the area you pass through between the run and each station. The clock does not stop there. Every second you spend in it counts towards your finish time, and there are 8 of these transitions in a race.

Why it adds up

Say you lose 15 seconds at each transition because you slow to a walk, look around, or fiddle with your gear. Eight transitions is two minutes. You did not run slower and you did not lift less. You just wasted time.

That example is made up to show the maths. Your real number will be different. The point is that small losses repeat 8 times.

The race time calculator has a roxzone allowance. It is the total time you spend moving between runs and stations. Change it and watch your finish time move. It is a quick way to see what the roxzone is worth to you.

What a good transition looks like

• You keep moving. Do not stop dead when the run ends. Slow smoothly into the station.
• You know where you are going. Walk the layout before the race if you can, or study the map. Hunting for your lane costs seconds.
• You know your first move. At the sled, the first move is grip and lean. At the rower, strap in and go. Decide it before you arrive.
• You leave quickly. When the station ends, start running at once. Do not stand and recover for 20 seconds you did not plan for.

How to practise transitions

You cannot practise this in a normal workout, because normal workouts have rest built in. Build it on purpose.

1. Run and station combos. Run 1 km, then go straight to a station, then straight back out. No rest between. Repeat 2 or 3 times.
2. Time the handover. Time how long it takes from the end of your run to the first rep. Then try to cut it.
3. Practise the setup. Strap into the rower, grip the SkiErg, set your feet at the wall. Do it ten times until it is automatic.
4. Practise leaving. Finish a station and run 100 m at once. Make leaving a habit.

Things to sort out before race day

• Wear shoes that stay tied and that you have already trained in.
• Decide how you will take water, if you plan to, so you do not stop to think about it.
• Know the order of the stations. It sounds obvious. Tired people forget.
• Read the official rules and event details. Layouts and rules can change between races.

Do not sprint through it

A transition is not a place to burn energy. You are not trying to run fast. You are trying not to waste time. Move briskly, stay calm and save your effort for the station.

A calm 3 seconds saved at every transition beats a panicked sprint that leaves you gasping at the sled.

Use your time well in training

If your station times are weak, work on those first. If your roxzone is sloppy, that is the cheapest time to gain. It needs no extra fitness, only practice. Put it in your week, and log your times in the PR tracker to see them drop.

Questions people ask

What is the roxzone?

It is the transition area you pass through between the run and each station. The time you spend in it counts on your clock.

How much time can I save in the roxzone?

It depends on you. Move the roxzone slider in the race time calculator to see what a few seconds per transition adds up to, then practise your transitions in training.

Should I walk through it to recover?

Stay calm and keep moving briskly. If you need a breather, take it on purpose rather than drifting into a walk.

Is the roxzone worth training?

Yes. It costs no extra fitness, only practice. Run and station combos with no rest between them are the best way to train it.