How Kris came back

Kris Rugloski, the 2022 Hyrox World Champion, suffered a torn meniscus last year, a major injury that left her unable to even walk for weeks. This year, she battled to rejoin the Elite 15, traveling the globe to secure a qualifying time. Things finally came together for Kris at the Last Chance Qualifier in Barcelona, where she secured a spot in the Elite 15 for the Hyrox World Championships in Chicago last week.

Although her solo race in Chicago did not go according to plan — Kris was unable to finish — her journey to the start line is a case study in grit and perseverance.

The Hybrid Letter spoke with Kris about her Barcelona breakthrough, what it means to race without expectations, and why, in her words, “what you say to yourself matters.”

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

The Hybrid Letter: Was the Barcelona Last Chance Qualifier always on your mind to race?

Kris Rugloski: I wanted to race a major this year. Coming back from injury, I didn’t want to have any expectations. But based on my times last year, I qualified for the Amsterdam Major—the first one this year. By the time they announced it, I already had work scheduled, so I couldn’t make that one. For Hong Kong, I was 22nd on the roll-down list. I even bought a fully refundable ticket, thinking if someone dropped, I could be there in two days. But I didn’t qualify.

Then I raced in Germany and hit a new PR, hoping it would get me into Vegas. It’s kind of my hometown race, and I’ve had good luck there. But my time wasn’t fast enough to make the Elite 15, so Glasgow was out too. I had already scheduled Barcelona but hadn’t fully committed.

A month out, after qualifying for Elite Doubles in Houston with Kayti—and going sub-60 with my little brother—I told myself, Okay, you're fit. We’re going to Barcelona. By then, I was all in.

THL: How did you feel lining up at the start line in Barcelona, with so much on the line?

KR: Honestly, I had zero expectations. I didn’t even take time off work—I worked four days, got off Thursday, flew to Barcelona, and landed Friday night for a Saturday evening race. I try not to overthink travel. People stress about planes—getting sick, jet lag—but I see it as 10 hours of relaxation I don’t get in my daily life. I read, nap, drink a lot of water. I eat all the airplane food. When I land, I switch to the local time zone immediately.

A lot of us on that start line had been chasing Elite 15 and missed out—whether due to injury, illness, or timing. So while I was intimidated, I asked myself, Why don’t I deserve to be here too? Someone was going to get that spot. Why not me? There were a lot of new faces—you never really know what to expect.

THL: What was your mentality once the race started?

KR: I started a little farther back, telling myself: You have what you have. Just run your race. I felt fit, but not invincible. I had confidence in myself, but not necessarily against the field. I had no clue how I stacked up.

I came into the ski far back, kept my pace, and didn’t really start passing people until the sled push. That and the sled pull used to be big weaknesses, but now I know I can race those. I had no idea where I stood until the burpees, when I passed Camilla—I knew she’d been near the front. It wasn’t until the row that I realized I was in fourth.

I traded spots during the middle stations, got passed on lunges, but entered the wall balls in third. Even then, I didn’t feel strong. I was tired, taking lots of breaks. Around rep 40 or 50, I saw the girl behind me was going unbroken. Her counter showed she was at 80 and I was at 70. I thought, There goes my spot. But later I glanced again—she was still in the 80s when I hit 90. That’s when I really believed I had it. I would’ve been happy with a top five, especially knowing roll-down spots were in play.

THL: Your third-place position was taken by someone in a later heat. Do you remember how that unfolded?

KR: I didn’t even realize what had happened at first. Emilie and Sinead, who finished first and second, were so sweet and excited. They asked if it was my first time. We were pulled aside for interviews—which they never aired. Then we got sent to drug testing.

I came out 30 minutes later to watch Austin [Azar] race, and someone told me, I’m so sorry. I said, For what? That’s when I found out I’d been bumped to fourth.

Honestly, it didn’t hurt as much as I thought it would. I just felt frustrated we didn’t get to race head-to-head. I looked at her splits—she passed me on lunges, but I had faster wall balls. It would’ve been a great race.

When I got home, I changed my Chicago flight to Thursday and told my boss I needed an extra day. Even though I was technically out, I was in. I ended up being the first roll-down.

THL: When people said, “Sorry you didn’t get in,” you replied, “Who says I’m not in?” Where does that confidence come from in such a rollercoaster year?

KR: I’m laid back—I’m not cocky—but I’m also realistic about where I stand. Still, I believe what you say to yourself matters. You speak what you want to be true. There’s definitely some “fake it till you make it” in this sport.

I’m not the fittest, fastest, or strongest. But I’ll always give my best effort. And who’s to say my best effort isn’t the best effort? When I speak it, my chances go up. I don’t ignore reality, but I still choose to believe in myself.

That mindset really helped during my injury. I couldn’t walk or run for weeks. I had no idea what I’d come back as. But I looked at what I could do. I wanted to sleep better, eat better, rebuild. That was the opportunity.

Someone once told me: there’s the pessimist, the optimist, and the realist. But above that is the warrior mindset. That says: both the good and bad are real—but I’m choosing to move forward. That’s the mindset I choose. I speak to myself and about myself with kindness and care. My mind and body are a team.

THL: You seem to race your own race in high-pressure situations. How do you stay so present?

KR: I approach it differently from most. People say to tune everything out and stay laser-focused on splits. But I do the opposite. After racing for years, I know how my body should feel. I like tuning into the energy of the venue. It fuels me.

I drop into my body and zoom out at the same time. That softens the pressure. I love seeing familiar faces in the crowd. I’ll smile back. That energy lifts me up. People say if you can hear a song, you’re not really racing—but I was singing along to Pink’s “So What.” And it was great.

This might not work for everyone, but for me, racing isn’t just what’s happening right now. It’s everything I’ve built over years of training.

THL: What are you most excited about being back in the Elite 15?

KR: Two summers ago, Hunter [McIntyre] told me: You can’t do an Ultra and be good at Hyrox. I thought, Okay… but maybe I can.

Last year I was completely out, which made me want to get back even more. There was this narrative that I won that one year by fluke. And I totally agree—I won because Lauren was pregnant. But I still won. As an amateur.

In some ways, I’m still an amateur. But now I’ve had six consistent months of training—building speed, strength, focus. This is a sport I can be really good at. I want to prove that. I want to prove I belong here.

I do other things. But I also do Hyrox. And I want to be back in a more competitive field.

You can follow Kris on Instagram.

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Watch: Hyrox Worlds 2025

The winners of the men's and women's Elite 15 races at the Hyrox World Championships last week were somewhat unexpected, but not surprising. In the women's race, Linda Meier, a regular on Elite podiums, broke through with a 58:56. Meier struggled with injuries early in the year but rounded into form at the right time. She was followed by rising star Joanna Wietrzyk (59:17) and three-time World Champion Lauren Weeks (59:43).

On the men's side, the race was won by Tim Wenisch in 53:53. Wenisch has long been one of the fastest and most talented athletes in the sport, but had missed the previous two Hyrox World Championships due to injuries. He was closely followed by three-time champion Hunter McIntyre (53:58), and Dylan Scott (54:58), who cemented his position at the top of the sport.

If you missed the action, you can watch both races here:

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Hybrid Athlete of the Week: Jana Schlemm

Name: Jana Schlemm
Age: 26
Hometown: Hamburg, Germany

When did you start hybrid racing? About 4 years ago, I loved it straight away. I love how you train for it, and to be part of the Hyrox community.

Favorite race to date? Hyrox Malmö in September 2023. I came first, and it was special for me. I worked so hard.

Do you have a race goal? In July, I'm racing at Hyrox Cape Town. I am going for a PB there.

Favorite station? Burpees. I just love burpees.

Least favorite station? Farmers Carry. I hate it so much.

Things you wish you knew when you started training/racing? Enjoy the journey!