Your HYROX Race Day, Minute by Minute
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Know your wave. Set your clock. Fuel to the plan.
Words: Chimpanzee Nutrition Team · AIA HYROX Singapore, Singapore EXPO, 26–29 November 2026
You've trained the SkiErg, the sleds and the wall balls. Now train the plan. Most athletes take 60–120 minutes to finish a HYROX, so you'll need some fuel on the course. The secret is having the right fuel at the right time, and knowing it already works for you.
Here is the simple, timed plan we'd follow, built around your start wave.
1. The plan at a glance (any wave)
| When | What | Chimpanzee fuel |
|---|---|---|
| 3–4 h before your start | A familiar, carb-based meal | Rice, noodles, oats or kaya toast, plus a Chimpanzee Energy Bar (Banana Chocolate or Apricot) |
| 2–4 h before | Drink steadily | Water, plus one Isotonic Drink sachet (27 g carbs, 183 mg sodium) |
| About 60 min before | Caffeine, only if you've trained with it | SUPER Bar Jelly Berry: about 100 mg of natural caffeine from guarana |
| 15–20 min before | Top up | 1 gel: Lemon (26.6 g carbs, caffeine-free) |
| Mid-race: a run lap around runs 4–5 | Keep the tank from emptying before the sandbag lunges and wall balls | 1 gel, Aronia or Mango (Mango has 30 mg caffeine), or Natural Energy Chews |
| Spare | Backup in case of a slow day or a dropped gel | 1 extra gel |
| Within an hour after | Protein, carbs, fluid | Recovery Drink Fruit Shake: 20 g protein and 12 g carbs per 45 g |
How to use Chimpanzee gels: Take one gel 15–20 minutes before you start exercise, then 1–2 gels per hour. Try it in training before you rely on it in a race.
Why so few? For efforts of 1–2.5 hours, sports nutrition guidelines suggest 30–60 g of carbohydrate per hour (ACSM/AND/DC, 2016). One gel before and one in the middle covers most Open and Doubles finishers. You don't have to use them all.
2. Morning wave
- The night before: a normal, carb-friendly dinner. Nothing new, nothing very spicy.
- Breakfast 2.5–3 hours before: if your start is very early, go smaller and simpler, e.g. a Banana Chocolate Energy Bar with water.
- Then follow the table from "60 min before".
3. Midday wave
- A proper breakfast at your usual time.
- Pre-race meal 3–4 hours before: chicken rice (go easy on the chilli), a noodle soup or a rice bowl.
- Between meals: an Isotonic Drink and water. Keep things simple.
4. Afternoon or evening wave
- Eat normal meals through the day. Make lunch your pre-race meal, 3–4 hours before.
- A light snack about 90 minutes before: half an Energy Bar.
- Caffeine: a late SUPER Bar can disrupt your sleep. Consider the caffeine-free Lemon or Aronia gels instead.
5. Doubles and Relay
- Doubles: you share the work, but you're on the course just as long. Each partner follows the full plan.
- Relay: your leg is short. Under about 45 minutes of work, extra carbohydrate during the race usually isn't needed. Eat well before and use one gel 15–20 minutes before your leg if you like.
6. What athletes tell us
Athletes tell us our gels taste great and sit well on the stomach, even when they're breathing hard. That's down to BIO agave syrup, "a clean, natural fuel that delivers smooth, stable energy without upsetting your stomach", and zero preservatives. Many have switched for good.
Did you know? Agave contains natural substances with anti-inflammatory properties that can positively affect your immune system.
Pro tip: take your gel on a run lap once your breathing settles, not in the middle of a station. Rehearse the whole plan in a simulation session, from breakfast to recovery shake, at least once before race week.
Bring your own. Pack your own fuel, tested in training, rather than relying on anything at the venue.
See you at Singapore EXPO.
#EatWellGoFar
What you need for race day
- 2–3 × Chimpanzee Natural Vegan Energy Gels (Lemon, Aronia, Mango)
- 1 × SUPER BAR Jelly Berry (only if you use caffeine)
- 1 × Chimpanzee Energy Bar Banana Chocolate
- 1 × Isotonic Drink
- 1 × Recovery Drink Fruit Shake
Small print
- Mango and Chocolate gels contain 30 mg caffeine; SUPER Bars contain about 100 mg. These are not suitable for children or for pregnant or breastfeeding women.
- SUPER Bars contain cashews and peanuts.
- The Recovery Drink contains milk.
- This is general information, not medical advice.
Chimpanzee is not affiliated with or endorsed by HYROX or AIA HYROX Singapore. Check hyrox.com and your HYROX athlete guide for wave times and rules.
Sources
- Thomas DT, Erdman KA, Burke LM. Med Sci Sports Exerc 2016;48(3):543–568 (ACSM/AND/DC).
- Guest NS et al. ISSN caffeine position stand. JISSN 2021;18:1.
- Sawka MN et al. ACSM fluid replacement. MSSE 2007;39(2):377–390.
- Jeukendrup AE. Training the gut for athletes. Sports Med 2017;47(S1):101–110.
- HYROX Rulebook 26/27; AIA HYROX Singapore event page, hyrox.com. RoxUpdates finish-time data.
- Product facts: chimpanzeebar.com, read 27 Oct 2026.