Harry Thompson is all-in
Harry Thompson is one of the top Hyrox racers in the UK and qualified for the recent Hyrox major in Las Vegas, finishing in 1:00:48. With a background in competitive rugby, Harry has used Hyrox to rekindle his love of fitness and competition. Harry is a corporate lawyer but has recently taken a break to go all-in on Hyrox racing and coaching.
The Hybrid Letter spoke with Harry about losing his athletic identity, picking Hyrox over CrossFit, and getting serious about sleep.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
The Hybrid Letter: Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?
Harry Thompson: I live in Manchester now, but I was born here and have lived all around the UK. I grew up in Manchester until I was 18, then went to university in Durham. After that, I worked in London and Manchester as a corporate lawyer. In June last year, I took a career break and am now on a sabbatical from work. I’m currently not working at all, focusing entirely on competing and some coaching. The past six months have been all about Hyrox.
THL: Were you always into sports growing up?
HT: I was involved in athletics in high school, but rugby was my main sport. It took over my life in a good way—I loved it. The rugby season runs from September to March, but if you play at a high level, you also compete in sevens during the summer. That’s the Olympic version, played with fewer people on the pitch but involving much more running. I was better at that style. As I got better, I was picked up by bigger teams, played in bigger matches, and competed in bigger stadiums.
THL: How did you manage your fitness after leaving competitive sports and entering the workforce?
HT: It was really difficult. Rugby is similar to American football in that once you leave education, it’s hard to keep playing unless you’re a professional. There are local clubs, but balancing that with a demanding job is nearly impossible. When I finished university, I wanted to go pro but didn’t get a contract offer. I played semi-pro while studying for my law exams, but the workload was overwhelming. Law firms expect you to be in the office from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m., including weekends. Team sports require training with the team, so I just couldn’t balance it.
I pushed through for about 12 months, but it drained me. I wasn’t performing well at work or on the pitch, and I started dealing with recurring injuries—hamstring tears, groin strains, general wear and tear. When I finally stopped, I felt lost. Rugby had been my identity since I was nine. I threw myself entirely into work until a front squat injury made me realize I needed to take control of my fitness. I couldn’t just ignore past injuries—I needed to rebuild.
THL: How did you integrate fitness into your routine without rugby?
HT: It happened gradually. When COVID hit in late 2019, I moved back in with my parents and built a home gym in the garage. Without a commute, I had two extra hours each day, which I put into training. I could see my fitness improving—my weight stayed the same, but my body composition changed. That led me to focus on nutrition, then mobility and recovery. It was a step-by-step process.
After COVID, returning to office work made training more challenging, but it became a non-negotiable for me. It’s such an important part of my day, even if I weren’t racing. Training makes me feel good—I’m sharper, more focused, and generally a better person. It gives me energy to put into other areas of life, including work.
THL: What was your first Hyrox experience?
HT: My first race was in Manchester in January 2022. I’d always been good at longer CrossFit events, and someone sent me a link to Hyrox. The entry fee was only around £60, so I thought, Why not? At the time, I was already competing in CrossFit events around the UK with some success. I was consistent across the board, with no glaring weaknesses, so I typically placed well.
In my first Hyrox race, I finished sixth or seventh overall but won my age group, which qualified me for the World Championships in Las Vegas. I had never run more than a 5K in one go before that race. I even ran it in tennis shoes because I didn’t own proper running shoes. But the atmosphere was incredible. I remember calling my parents—who were on holiday—after the race and saying, I won my age group, and I’m going to Vegas! They thought it was crazy.
THL: What took your racing from winning an age group to competing in the Elite 15?
HT: The biggest change was specialization—focusing solely on Hyrox rather than juggling CrossFit and Hyrox. I initially had ambitions of competing in the CrossFit Games, but after a disappointing race in Manchester last year, I realized I needed to pick a direction. CrossFit required time to refine complex skills like muscle-ups and Olympic lifts, whereas Hyrox allowed me to capitalize on my strengths.
I also had to rethink my running approach. Rugby trained me for explosive bursts—40 yards, wrestle, 20 yards, wrestle. A kilometer was considered long-distance in that sport. So I shifted my focus to endurance, aiming to build overall fitness rather than just eliminating weaknesses.
Beyond training, I optimized my recovery—prioritizing sleep, nutrition, and injury prevention. When I worked as a lawyer, I’d pull 24-hour shifts without considering how sleep deprivation affected my body. Now, I focus on sleep hygiene, minimizing blue light exposure, and structuring my schedule to maximize recovery.
THL: What are your plans for the rest of the season?
HT: I’m dealing with a lingering knee injury from rugby, so I’m waiting to see how it responds before deciding on my next race. I’m supposed to compete in Bilbao but need clearance from my specialist. Beyond that, I have Barcelona, Pro Doubles in Paris with Jordan Bryant (we won Open Doubles in London last year), and possibly Glasgow. If I get a good time in Bilbao, I might qualify for Glasgow. If not, I’ll focus on sharpening for the final push of the season.
You can follow Harry on Instagram.
Video of the Week: Dylan Scott's path to glory
Friend of the newsletter Dylan Scott breaks down his victory over Hunter Mcintyre and the rest of the field at the Las Vegas Major. Dylan discusses why it’s important, at times, to be "delusional" because "that's the only way you are ever going to compete at the top."
Hybrid Athlete of the Week: Max Lalwani
Max Lalwani
Age: 31
Hometown: Harrisburg, PA
When did you start hybrid racing? I’ve been training in a hybrid style for about ten years. I ran as a collegiate sprinter for a few years, and after that, I kept a mix of running and strength training in my routine. In early 2020, my friend Trenton introduced me to Hyrox after competing in Spartan races. He told me about the event, and the idea of combining stamina, speed, and strength sounded like the perfect challenge. We signed up for a doubles race, but due to the pandemic, many races were postponed until 2021. When we finally competed in Chicago in June 2021, we placed second in our age group, which qualified us for the 2022 World Championships in Vegas. That’s when I realized this was my sport. Hybrid racing became my passion, and now I’m probably the “weird Hyrox guy” to anyone who knows me. Whether competing or just training for fun, I love the combination of running and strength, and the community is amazing. Seeing people of all backgrounds push themselves and cheer each other on is unlike anything else.
Favorite race to date and why? Washington, D.C. 2023 is special to me. Every race before that seemed to have something holding me back—tornado warnings, fevers, severe muscle cramps—but in D.C., everything finally clicked. I wasn’t in the best shape of my life, but I finished in a time that made me feel like I truly belonged in Hyrox. Plus, it was my first race without crazy travel logistics, which made a huge difference. Being able to drive down and race locally felt great.
Do you have a race goal? I’d love to qualify for the World Championships again. Until then, I’m focused on being competitive in my age group, gaining more experience, and having fun. Also, lowkey trying to run a 5:10 mile—pray for me!
Favorite station? Lunges. It’s simple and straightforward, but still a race. That leg burn is brutal, though. Maybe one day it won’t hurt as bad.
Least favorite station? Sled pull, no question. The rope always seems to get in my way, and starting out just feels ridiculously heavy.
Something you wish you knew when you started racing? Pacing—both in workouts and in overall training. Early on, I thought I could just go full throttle every day and grind my way to better fitness. That mentality only led to inconsistent efforts and put too much strain on my body, which led to injuries. Now, I focus on staying smooth and consistent, pacing my rounds and reps, and adjusting effort levels to stay mentally and physically strong over time.