

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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