A hybrid world champion, grandmother, and badass
Cheryl Snow didn't start competing in hybrid races until she was almost 50. Now a grandmother, she has won world championships in her age group in multiple Deka events and finished second in her age group at the 2024 Hyrox World Championships in Nice. She routinely posts times that most women two and three decades younger cannot match.
The Hybrid Letter talked with Cheryl about what motivated her to start hybrid racing, why she does not believe in "slowing down with age," and how she settles her nerves in the start tunnel.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity
The Hybrid Letter: How did you get into hybrid racing?
Cheryl Snow: My background isn’t really athletic — not even as an adult or a kid. I didn’t start pursuing fitness seriously until I got older and had more freedom in my schedule. I saw it as a way to support healthy aging. For me, that meant I couldn’t just focus on running. Running is great, and cardiovascular fitness is essential, but muscle mass and body control are just as important. I wanted to do things that would keep me sturdy and capable. I was almost 50 when I ran my first Tough Mudder with friends. I had no idea what I was getting into, but I had the time of my life. Something about getting dirty, jumping, climbing — it felt right. After that, I started training for obstacle course races. I wanted something that would challenge me. I connected with a coach, who helped me develop my running. Before long, I started winning races.
My coach was the Deka Fit world record holder at the time, so I tried my first Deka Mile. It seemed like exactly what I was looking for — something that would push me to be strong while also requiring cardiovascular fitness. I won my age group in that first race, which was exciting, and I ended up second on the global leaderboard for my age group. That was motivating. I loved the fixed course setup, where you could track your progress and compete on a larger scale. That year, I attended the Deka World Championships, competed in all three events, and placed first in my age group in each. It was amazing to accomplish that and to show my kids and grandson what’s possible.
I tried my first Hyrox in Las Vegas right after the Deka World Championships. I ran in the open division, and it went well—I was able to use my Deka fitness base. The lunges definitely got my attention, though. That 22-pound sandbag on my legs—I wasn’t ready for it. I realized I could improve, which I loved. I liked that some people found the sandbag lunges easy while I struggled. There was room to grow.
I went to the North American Championships, did another open race, and improved my time. That race in Chicago helped me qualify for the World Championships in Manchester. I knew I’d have to run pro, so I did my first pro race in Anaheim just before Worlds. It was a whole new experience. I remember telling my coach, “I want to be that strong.” I was inspired by watching women my age lifting a 44-pound sandbag for 100 lunges. Within a year, I managed to get second place at Worlds in Manchester, which was an incredible feeling.
THL: How have you handled the demands of a pro race as an older athlete?
CS: I’m only doing pro now. I’ll do the North American Championship in the open division, but the pro weight is the real challenge. To get faster on the sleds and all the stations—it’s something I never thought I’d be able to keep improving on. People often ask me to speak to women’s groups about aging and fitness, and they expect me to talk about slowing down with age. That hasn’t been my experience. I keep improving, and having something like this on my calendar helps drive that progress.
There’s a definite shift. In pro, it feels more serious, like everyone knows what’s coming. Open races have a more relaxed, fun vibe, with people looking to have a good time. In the pro start tunnel, we’re still friendly, but there’s an intense focus. We’re all a bit nervous but ready to get down to work.
My quads definitely feel it! In the open race, the sled feels heavy but manageable—it’ll make you winded, but you can recover. With pro, the sled can feel like a mental game. You have to tell yourself, “Just push—it’ll be okay.” And with the lunges, it’s all about having the leg strength for that full range of motion. Then there are the wall balls—always a challenge. My goal [this weekend] in Chicago is to feel in control of them. Whether it’s slow or not, I want the mental toughness to stick to a plan and not let my body tell me I can’t do it.
I'm getting used to coming off a station and finding my running pace again. That’s a mental game, too. I have to remind myself, “You’re not that tired; pick it up.” Running-wise, I’m usually the fastest in my age group, able to keep a steady pace from start to finish. Especially after lunges, I tell myself to keep pushing. In open, I can recover faster, but in pro, it takes more effort to get back to speed after each station.
THL: How has your training evolved since starting Hyrox races?
CS: My workouts are longer and tougher. I recently did a 10-mile training run, which has become pretty routine. I’m doing more threshold intervals and mixing in longer tempo runs. These sessions often last 1.5 to 2 hours, so I treat them like race days, bringing fuel and preparing mentally to match race conditions.
THL: How do you handle nerves on race day?
CS: I have my rituals—what I eat, when I eat. I even have a Google document on my phone with a pre-race checklist that I follow three hours before. It gives me structure and focus, especially if the race conditions are challenging, like the heat in Nice. I hate the start tunnel, though—it’s dark, crowded, and nerve-wracking. What helps is looking around and encouraging others. In Nice, I looked at the other women my age, and we all started clapping and cheering. That sense of camaraderie and gratitude is grounding.
THL: How do you track progress from race to race?
CS: The courses are so varied now that I think we need to be careful and not too hard on ourselves. I’m not really focused on a specific time. I know some people will say, "I’m going to run a 1:14," but how do you plan that? How do you know how it’s going to go? So I tend to set goals that I have more control over. Some people aim for a certain time, but I’ve never been able to or wanted to focus on it. I have my goals for Chicago—things I’m aiming for going in. And if I hit those goals, things usually go pretty well.
THL: What would you tell an older athlete hesitant who is hesitant to enter a pro race?
CS: What’s the worst that can happen? You’ll finish. Every race teaches you something about yourself. Don’t worry about failure—there’s no bad grade, no loss of friends. Just go for it and see what you can do.
You can follow Cheryl on Instagram.
The CrossFit GOAT takes on Hyrox
Australian Tia-Clair Toomey-Orr, the seven-time winner of the CrossFit Games, has announced that she will participate in an upcoming Hyrox race. She will reportedly team up with another Australian, James Newberry, who finished 5th at the 2019 CrossFit Games, for the mixed doubles race in Hyrox Melbourne on December 15.
Other high-level CrossFit athletes, including Emma Lawson, Jack Farlow, Mal O'Brien, Chandler Smith, and Ricky Garard, have competed in Hyrox races over the last year with mixed success. But Tia, widely regarded as the best female CrossFit athlete in history, is on another level. Her participation could significantly increase awareness of the sport.
If Tia ran a solo Hyrox Pro race, what would be her finishing time? Let us know what you think in the comments.
Watch: Lucy Davis sets the Hyrox Women's Open World Record
28-year-old Lucy Davis, a former competitive swimmer from the UK, set a world record in the Women's Open division during the recent Hyrox race in Manchester, finishing in 59:08. It was her first solo race.
You can watch a video documenting her performance on YouTube:
Davis shared her time-saving tips, including "how to train and eat during taper week, what to do on the morning of the race, her race strategy, and her top pointers for every exercise station," with Women's Health.
Hybrid Athlete of the Week: Kendall Robowski
Name: Kendall Robowski
Age: 37
Hometown: Cupertino, California
Why did you start hybrid racing? I’m a Covid athlete. I was stuck inside, teaching elementary school online, with a one and three-year-old while my husband was gone all day. I realized when he got home, I could put dinner down and just run — literally running away for some personal space and silence. Over time, I figured out that the longer I ran, the longer I could enjoy that freedom.
Favorite race to date? Anaheim 2024, for sure! A whole group from our gym tried Hyrox for the first time. It was amazing watching everyone pour their hearts out, and then being on the track myself with friends there cheering. I finished with the biggest smile, just a second behind one of my close friends. I remember feeling so proud of her and everyone in our group. I wanted that moment to last forever.
Do you have a race goal? My current goal is to always finish with a smile, enjoy the movement, and appreciate that we get to wake up and move like this. I’ve had races where I hated almost every moment. So now my goal is to never feel that way again. Just breathe, enjoy, and support others on the track. I especially love seeing women doing hard things, and bonus points when I spot a mom stepping into her power.
Favorite stations? Burpee broad jumps. I love the change of pace after the sled stations. It’s one that can really tax people, and I like to think of myself as the tortoise in the age-old story of “The Tortoise and the Hare.”
Least favorite station? The rower. If I’m going to row, I want to be on a beautiful body of water with the sun shining down—not on a concrete floor staring at a monitor, going nowhere. Just kidding (sort of). Honestly, I’m just not great at rowing.
Things you wish you knew when you started racing? You don’t have to grind through every station in training — ski, sled push, sled pull, burpees, row, farmers, lunges, wall balls — to get better. Fitness is a lifelong marathon, so focus on what makes you happy and keeps your mind stronger than your body. Also, it’s always better with a pack. Find a strong one, because the wolf is only as strong as its pack—and the pack is only as strong as the wolf.