Butler woman wins HYROX competition
Placing second in the Doubles Mixed division at the HYROX New York City competition a year ago and qualifying for the World Championship in the United Kingdom last May was plenty for Rachel Legacy.
Legacy, 31, of Butler, had no desire to compete in Women’s Open singles at a HYROX event — until her friends and family talked her into it.
“They convinced me to give it a try,” Legacy said. “I had never competed in singles before. Sometimes, you have to step out of your comfort zone. That’s how you grow.”
HYROX bills itself the “World Series of Fitness Racing.” It consists of eight workout stations, each separated by a 1,000-meter run. Workout stations include a sled push and sled pull of 50 meters each, a Burpee broad jump covering 80 meters, fireman’s carry consisting of kettle bells, an exercise with a medicine ball, etc.
Legacy competed in her first HYROX race in 2021, but has always comperted in doubles. Her partner at the World Championships earlier this year was Nick Valadja, co-owner of Total Pursuit Athletics in Zelienople.
“The weights are a little heavier in doubles, but there’s two of you doing the load,” she explained. “In singles, it’s just you. I was very nervous leading up to this competition.”
She wound up being very successful.
Legacy topped the field of 237 competitors in winning the Women’s Open Division in Dallas. Her winning time was 64 minutes, 6 seconds.
“My friends, my husband, they motivated me,” Legacy said. “They gave me the confidence I could do well. I’ve done HYROX races before and I know how to train for them.
“I was ready to go. I can’t begin to describe the feeling when I won it. Total disbelief. I was so excited.”
Her victory in Texas qualifies Legacy for a return to the HYROX World Championships, this time in singles competition. That event is slated for June 8 in France.
She plans on competing in two HYROX events between now and then. One will be in mixed doubles with her husband, Nicholas, later this month. She plans to do another competition in March.
“The one with my husband is more for fun,” Legacy said. “We haven’t done a (HYROX) race together and we want to experience that.”
Nicholas and Rachel Legacy are both physical therapists. They’ve become traveling physical therapists this year, making their practice available all over the country.
“We’re gone quite a bit,” Legacy said. “That’s made consistent training a little difficult.”
HYROX racing is wide-ranging in terms of competitors’ ages. Legacy said she’s seen people in their middle 70’s competing.
“It’s a sport that anyubody can do, but it is physically taxing,” she said. “But when you do well, knowing you’ve gotten your body to that point ... It’s so rewarding.”
