Average HYROX station splits show that running eats the largest share of your race (roughly 40–45 minutes of running across the eight 1km legs) while the eight functional stations and the roxzone transitions absorb the rest. As of 2026, a typical 90-minute Open finisher spends around 42 minutes running, 35 minutes on stations and 6–8 minutes in transition.
- Running accounts for the single biggest time block in almost every finish, usually 45–50% of the total.
- The sled push and sled pull are the slowest stations for most amateurs, often 4–6 minutes each when heavy.
- In THETA's coaching data, roxzone transitions quietly cost 6–8 minutes across a full race.
Where does the time actually go in a HYROX?
HYROX is eight 1km runs alternated with eight stations, so your total is the sum of running, station work and the roxzone transitions between them. For a 90-minute Open athlete, running is typically the largest component at around 40–45 minutes, station work sits near 33–37 minutes, and transitions add another 6–8 minutes. The exact split shifts with your strengths: strong runners compress the running block, strong lifters compress the sleds. Understanding your personal distribution is the fastest route to a targeted training plan.
Which stations cost the most time?
For most amateurs the two sleds dominate, because the Open men's sled push loads 152kg total and the pull 103kg, while women push 102kg and pull 78kg. Under that load a push or pull leg can take 4–6 minutes when technique or leg strength is limiting. Wall balls (100 reps to a 3m target for men, 75 reps to 2.7m for women) are the next big cost, frequently 4–5 minutes and prone to no-reps. SkiErg and rowing are more predictable at roughly 3:30–4:30 each when paced sensibly.
| Segment | Typical Open time (90-min finisher) | Main variable |
|---|---|---|
| 8×1km runs | 40–45 min | Aerobic base, compromised running |
| SkiErg 1000m | 3:45–4:30 | Pacing, technique |
| Sled Push 50m | 4:00–6:00 | Leg drive, floor friction |
| Sled Pull 50m | 4:00–6:00 | Grip, rope method |
| Burpee Broad Jumps 80m | 4:00–5:30 | Efficiency, pacing |
| Rowing 1000m | 3:45–4:30 | Pacing, stroke rate |
| Farmers Carry 200m | 2:00–3:00 | Grip endurance |
| Sandbag Lunges 100m | 4:00–6:00 | Leg endurance |
| Wall Balls | 4:00–5:30 | No-reps, breaks |
| Roxzone transitions | 6–8 min total | Movement habits |
How do splits change as you get faster?
As athletes improve, the running block shrinks fastest because aerobic fitness responds strongly to consistent mileage. A sub-75 athlete may run the eight legs in 34–38 minutes and cross the roxzone in under 4 minutes total, whereas the stations compress more slowly because they are limited by strength and technique. This is why elite splits look proportionally more "station heavy". The running has been optimised down to near its floor. For beginners, the biggest available gains sit in running fitness, transition speed and clean reps.
"Most amateurs think they lose the race on the sleds, but when we time their transitions and their fade on the back-half runs, that is where the real minutes disappear," says the THETA coaching team.
How should you use your splits to train?
Record every split at your next race or simulation, then compare each against the typical bands above to find your two worst outliers. Train those specific limiters rather than your favourite stations: if your sleds are slow, prioritise heavy leg strength and sled-specific work; if your later runs collapse, build compromised-running volume. Retest with a full or part simulation every four to six weeks. This weakness-first approach consistently returns more time than adding generic conditioning.
How do elite and beginner splits compare side by side?
Comparing a sub-60 athlete with a 100-minute beginner shows exactly where the time separates, and it is rarely a single station. The elite athlete runs the eight legs in roughly 34–38 minutes versus 52–58 for the beginner, a gap of nearly 20 minutes built almost entirely from aerobic fitness and fade resistance. On the sleds the gap is smaller in absolute terms (perhaps two minutes per sled) because both athletes face the same fixed load. The roxzone difference is stark: elites lose under four minutes total while beginners routinely bleed eight to ten. This is why running and transitions, not the glamorous heavy stations, decide most amateur races.
| Segment | Sub-60 athlete | 90-min athlete | 100-min beginner |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8×1km runs | 34–38 min | 40–45 min | 52–58 min |
| Sled push + pull | 5–7 min | 8–12 min | 11–14 min |
| Wall balls | 2:30–3:15 | 4:00–5:30 | 5:30–7:00 |
| Roxzone total | Under 4 min | 6–8 min | 8–10 min |
Common questions
What percentage of a HYROX is running?
Running is roughly 45–50% of a typical HYROX finish time, spread across eight 1km legs. It is the single largest time component for most athletes, which is why aerobic fitness is the strongest predictor of your overall result.
What is the slowest HYROX station for beginners?
For most beginners the sled push and sled pull are the slowest stations, often taking 4–6 minutes each under the Open loads of 152kg push and 103kg pull for men. Poor leg drive, grip fatigue and floor friction all inflate these splits.
How much time does the roxzone add?
The roxzone transitions add roughly 6–8 minutes to a typical Open race, since the clock runs continuously between runs and stations. Moving with purpose the moment you finish a station is one of the cheapest ways to cut several minutes without any change in fitness.
What are good SkiErg and rowing splits?
For a 90-minute Open finisher, SkiErg and rowing each typically take 3:45–4:30 when paced sensibly. Going out too hard on either erg early in the race commonly causes a fade that costs more time on the later runs than it saves on the machine.
How do I find my own station splits?
Run a full or part HYROX simulation and time each run, station and transition separately. Comparing your splits to typical bands reveals your two weakest segments, which is where targeted training returns the most time.
Do wall balls really cost that much time?
Wall balls commonly take 4–5 minutes because there are 100 reps for men to a 3m target and 75 for women to 2.7m, and no-reps add up fast. Practising unbroken sets and knowing the exact standards prevents costly resets late in the race.
Should beginners train runs or stations more?
Beginners usually gain most from running fitness and transition speed, because those are the largest and most trainable time blocks early on. Station strength matters, but it improves more slowly and rarely dominates a first or second race the way running does.
How much time does a single no-rep cost?
A single wall-ball no-rep costs only a few seconds, but they cluster late in the set when fatigue is high, and ten of them can add 30–45 seconds plus the mental cost of breaking rhythm. Knowing the exact standard, 3m target for men, 2.7m for women: and practising to it prevents the repeated resets that inflate the split.
Why do the later runs slow down so much?
The later runs slow because you arrive at them with pre-fatigued legs from the sleds, lunges and carries, so compromised running pace drifts 30–90 seconds per kilometre off your fresh pace. In THETA's coaching data the gap between run one and run seven is one of the clearest markers of whether an athlete has trained strength endurance.
Is the farmers carry ever a limiting station?
The farmers carry is usually one of the faster stations at 2–3 minutes, but it becomes a limiter when grip fails, forcing drops that add 20–30 seconds each. Grip endurance also carries over to the sled pull, so athletes who fix it typically improve two splits at once.
Sources
- HYROX official race format and results (hyrox.com)
- THETA coaching data, 2024–2026
- Established principles of pacing, fatigue and aerobic conditioning
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