Elite HYROX Athlete James Kelly: “My Ego Got in the Way” — What Went Wrong at Worlds and the Mindset That Will Help Him Bounce Back Stronger(#5)

Elite HYROX athlete James Kelly joins the show just two weeks after the HYROX World Championships to unpack what really happened on race day. We explore the highs and lows of his season, including his race-day strategy breakdown, the lessons learned from going out too hot, and the mental and physical rebuild that followed a challenging mid-season. James shares key insights from his training with coach Anthony Peressini, how he’s mastered the Wall Ball, and why building a strong support team has been pivotal to his growth. This is a deep dive into the mindset, methods, and resilience of a top-tier athlete.👇

Episode breakdown:

00:00 – Intro & James Kelly’s season overview

01:00 – Was James the favorite to win Worlds?

02:30 – Race day strategy and where it went wrong

06:00 – Going out too hot: ego, excitement, and consequences

10:30 – The sled push/pull challenge and falling behind

13:00 – Mental fallout during the race & regaining composure

15:00 – Climbing from 13th to 4th place: a gritty comeback

16:45 – Training breakthroughs: building volume, not speed

19:30 – Threshold vs VO2 max: the science behind the progress

22:45 – Wall Ball breakthrough: from weakness to weapon

26:20 – How James hit a 3:20 Wall Ball

28:45 – Overcoming an 8-week training slump

32:30 – Recovery, HRV, and how to listen to your body

35:30 – Off-season mindset: “There is no off-season”

38:00 – Training hours & intensity management

40:15 – Marathon training: chasing a sub-2:30

43:00 – Support system: coaching, family, and partner Georgie

48:45 – Mentality: joy, hunger, and living the dream

50:00 – What James is most curious about now

51:30 – Wrap-up and where to find more from James

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