I wanted to give an upfront apology for any male readers as this is definitely written for girls.
Figuring out what to wear on race day is both my favourite part of the prep and the worst.
Like I’m sure a lot of you, I have a very specific get-ready routine before a race.
Shower, shave my legs, endless moisturiser, race day makeup, French braids, disco house in the background — it’s a laundry list and I follow it religiously.
I do believe that feeling good in what you wear adds an extra bit of confidence for your race. However, actually picking what to wear aside from wanting to look good is tougher than it seems — especially for Hyrox. You want shorts that are comfortable for running but also ones that won’t ride up when you’re doing burpees or wall balls.
After making quite a few mishaps on the day, these are a few ways I think about what to wear on race day — and some recommendations!
Sports Bras
The last thing you want to think about in the middle of a race is that your bra isn’t supportive enough or is slightly too small. This happened to me once, where I truly was worried I was flashing innocent bystanders on the burpees.
Despite training a lot in the Lululemon Align bras, when it comes to race day, I stick to the more supportive sports bras from On or Nike. Hyrox also gets pretty hot inside the stadium, so if you don’t want to wear a tank on top of a sports bra, there are some longer-line supportive bras like the ones from Strk Movement, Girlfriend Collective, or LDNR.
Shorts
When I run, I tend to wear more traditional loose running shorts. Let me tell you, that does not work for a Hyrox — a race where you’re doing multiple activities and those shorts could either ride up or stick to your legs. In this case, Lycra it is.
Lycra doesn’t have to be uber-short or clingy though. Whilst I’ve generally stuck to four brands — Oysho, Strk Movement, Nike, and On — there are so many options people have recommended for Hyrox, from the Puma Cloud Spun shorts to the Oner Seamless shorts, which are well known to reduce chafing. And let’s be real: no one wants the shorts chafe in a race.
Shoes
Brands are slowly building out their own Hyrox shoes, but as of now, it seems like a lot of us are wearing more traditional carbon plates — giving us speed and responsiveness. However, finding a shoe that still has solid grip while providing the marginal gains on the run has been pretty tough.
For races, I’ve been alternating between the On Cloud Booms and, more recently, the Nike Zoom Flys. The Nike has a little more cushioning than the On, but both feel bouncy on race day.
[wpcode id=”229888″]Accessories
I like jewellery a lot. When I used to race in running, I wouldn’t take off any of my day-to-day stuff — and trust me, it’s a lot. However, when it comes to Hyrox, that logic doesn’t apply anymore.
- Rings hurt a lot during a farmer’s carry and a ski erg.
- Necklaces get really annoying when they end up in your mouth during a burpee.
So on race day, I strip back pretty much everything. I take off all my rings. I keep on one necklace that isn’t super loose and one bangle that’s impossible to remove. Earrings I keep on — although avoid hoops at all costs. You do not want someone yanking on those!
