Strength Changes Everything! No Running To Elite HYROX Athlete in One Year: Gabrielle Nikora-Baker (#15)

Gabrielle Nicora-Baker is an Elite 15 HYROX athlete who came into the sport from a pure strength and bodybuilding background, with almost no running experience before her first race in 2024. In less than a year, Gabrielle progressed from her first mixed doubles race to competing in elite fields. In this episode, Gabrielle breaks down how her strength base accelerated her rise in HYROX, how she trains and fuels for elite racing, and what she’s learned from racing frequently, hiring a coach, and chasing a Worlds-level performance.

Episode breakdown:

00:00 – Intro

01:48 – Strength background and rapid rise into elite competition

03:57 – Bodybuilding years: training splits, progressive overload, big lifts

06:09 – Early running volume (~20km/week)

08:11 – How strong do HYROX athletes really need to be?

11:11 – Current training structure: thresholds, speed, long runs (~15 hrs/week)

17:28 – Home gym setup: treadmill, ergs, bikes, and winter training

21:43 – Nutrition shift from bodybuilding to endurance fueling (carbs, prep)

26:39 – Race weaknesses: wall balls, burpees, fatigue management, mindset

32:42 – Learning the sport fast: podcasts, racing reps, hiring a coach

36:02 – Worlds relay experience + doubles vs solo racing

39:42 – 2026 goals, testing curiosity, Phoenix prep + where to find Gabrielle

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