Most athletes obsess over their training in the final week before a HYROX race. Far fewer give the same thought to what they are putting on their plate. Yet the week before race day is exactly when nutrition starts to matter most, because it is no longer about building fitness, it is about arriving fuelled, hydrated and ready to perform. Get it wrong and you can undo months of good work in seven days.
This is the guide I wish every athlete had before their first race. It is not complicated, but the details make a real difference.
Seven days out: keep it normal
The biggest mistake in race week is suddenly changing everything. This is not the time to try a new diet, cut carbs, or experiment with supplements you have never used. Your body performs best on what it knows. Keep eating the balanced meals that have carried you through your training block, with a good mix of carbohydrates, protein and healthy fats.
Three days out: prioritise carbohydrates
HYROX is a glycogen-hungry event. In the final two to three days, gradually increase the proportion of carbohydrates in your meals: rice, oats, potatoes, pasta and fruit are all excellent choices. You are topping up your fuel stores, not stuffing yourself, so increase portions modestly rather than eating until you are uncomfortable.
Hydration starts early, not on race morning
This is the one that catches people out, and it is the mistake that once cost me a race. Proper hydration is a multi-day process, not something you fix with a big glass of water before the start. Drink consistently across the whole week, and add electrolytes, especially if you sweat heavily or are racing somewhere warm. Do not wait until you feel thirsty on the day.
The day before: familiar and simple
Stick to foods you know sit well with you. Avoid anything heavy, greasy, very high in fibre, or unusually spicy, all of which can upset your stomach on race morning. A simple carbohydrate-focused dinner the night before, eaten at a normal time, is far better than a large late meal.
Race morning: fuel you have practised
Eat your breakfast two to three hours before you race, and make it something you have eaten before training sessions. Oats, toast, a banana, or whatever has worked for you in practice. Race day is never the day to try something new.
Fuelling and hydration is the first of the errors we covered in 10 Mistakes New HYROX Athletes Make, and it is worth getting right long before you reach the start line. If you want a nutrition and race strategy built around you rather than generic advice, our HYROX coaching takes the guesswork out of race week entirely.
One last note on the everyday side of fuelling. The habits that show up on race day are the ones you build in the weeks before, and that includes how you cover your daily nutrition and recovery. The gummies I use around my own training are on my Shop Gummies page if you want to see exactly what I take, and my code LAURA10 saves you 10%.