The 25-year-old conscience of Hyrox

Jake Williamson is just starting his career as an elite Hyrox athlete and has already established himself as a fierce competitor and one of the top runners in the sport. Based in the UK, Jake is also a prominent advocate for LGBTQ rights and founded Better the Next Day (BTND), a space for people to connect and encourage each other through movement. 

The Hybrid Letter talked with Jake about his personal journey in athletics, his motivation to compete, and why he thinks it is so important that Hyrox establish itself now as an inclusive sport.

This interview was edited for length and clarity. 

The Hybrid Letter: How did you get involved in athletics?

Jake Williamson: I’m very high energy. I’ve always been called the class or clown at school and always had that energy that needed to be pushed out, as the teachers said. From a young age, I was pushed into sport. In the UK, that means soccer. If you’re a boy who plays any form of sport, you’re going to be pushed into soccer.

I loved it, and running was the key to my success in soccer. By being very fit, I was able to counteract a lack of skill. I played all the way up to university, D1 level. I had trials right before Covid for a few different professional teams in the UK. I was going to go to Chicago and do trials for the Chicago Fire and a few other MLS and USL teams, but then Covid happened. That was the end of my professional football and sports career. 

Covid just meant I had to get a regular job. I was working in sales. I used to sell medical indemnity, which is protection from legal prosecution, for doctors. Then I sold lights for about six months. I also worked as a personal trainer, but just on the side. 

THL: What made you leave sales and go full-time into fitness and Hyrox? 

JW: I actually got made redundant, but I also wanted to quit. I flew out to Chicago for a month where my friend owns a gym. I trained there and did some research on gym spaces. It’s always been my dream to set up my own gym. When I came back to the UK, I started working in a gym. When you’re back in the gym scene in the UK, it’s almost impossible not to hear about Hyrox. 

I was focused on running because I had just moved in with my boyfriend up in Birmingham. I didn’t really have any friends. So, I joined the local running club. Then I realized that I wasn't actually that good compared to these elite runners. Running became a social outlet for me. But these guys were also so good. My competition kicked in. I ran with them constantly. I got my 5K down from around 17 minutes to 15 minutes. And Because I worked in the gym, I naturally just picked up the weights. So, I had a combination of endurance and strength. I thought I could be quite good at Hyrox.

THL: What keeps you motivated to train and compete at a high level in Hyrox? 

JW: If you look at the Elite 15, except for Hunter McIntyre and Ryan Kent, most do not have a big social media presence. Hyrox doesn’t bring in a lot of money, currently. For me, it's about proving people wrong, especially as a gay man. That’s a massive driving factor for me as to why I do a lot of things in life. When people know you are an elite, it is a nice feeling. I never became a pro in any other sport. I see I have this chance in Hyrox, and I’m clinging to it. 

I’m aware that the standard is already ridiculously high, and I’m sure people who haven’t touched the sport yet are going to come in and raise the ceiling even higher. But I think I can go quite far.

THL: What have you had to work on to keep improving in Hyrox? 

JW: I don’t know yet. I'm already a good runner. On pure running, there are not many people better than me, all the way up to a marathon distance. But when you add in the compromised element, your mechanics and breathing are completely different. It’s almost not running anymore. 

For someone who is used to being so competent running, it’s almost a panic element that comes in. So, I need to be able to push harder under fatigue. I don’t think it is necessarily a mental thing. I think it’s more about physically getting used to it. 

THL: How do you approach the mental side of the race?

JW: When it’s that long of a race, when it’s an hour, you have to disconnect at some point. If you’re connected to that pain the whole way through, your brain won’t win. It is important to be in tune with where you’re at, but also be able to float. I know if I put one foot in front of the other and I keep going around, I’m going to put down a decent time. That’s the thing I cling to and what I say to myself. Yes, you’re hurting, but you’re still running a decent time. The reason it is hurting is because you are doing well. You’re pushing your body to the limits. 

THL: What do you feel Hyrox is doing right, in terms of growing as a sport? What could it do to improve?

JW: There was such a gap in the market. They have figured out a way to get people competing who were previously just training. Especially within the UK, there’s a massive pickup in terms of running and getting people active. I think Covid played a massive part in it. The biggest thing was tapping into that market, which Crossfit couldn’t quite accommodate. It was too difficult for some people. Crossfit is very inclusive from the inside, but from the outside, it was quite daunting. Making it inclusive for all is probably the biggest thing.

I don't think they do a good enough job promoting their top athletes. Look at any sport; I can’t think of a single sport without top athletes. In terms of the health of the sport, if you look at the guys Elite 15, none of them have a big enough social media profile. Without that social media profile, in the world we live in, you're not going to get sponsorships. So these are elite athletes without any backing or support, funding everything themselves. Some of them may be fortunate enough that they are able to afford to travel around the world. But Hyrox has a responsibility to support them. I paid two grand to fly out to Washington DC [for the North American Championship in March] without any help or hotel accommodation or anything. 

From a mass participation element, I think they need to look at accessibility in terms of disabled athletes. They said they were going to roll it out in 2024, but I don’t think they’ve done that yet. I think it should be a priority. I’m doing mixed doubles in Birmingham with my friend Charlotte, who is in a wheelchair. I need to get practicing. We are both going to do it in a wheelchair. 

THL: You've been very outspoken about making Hyrox and sports in general more inclusive. What motivates you to take that on?

JW: I just do it because it is morally what’s right. And it goes back to my own experiences. Soccer in the UK is notorious, not necessarily homophobic, but for having a culture of toxic masculinity. There are only a handful of people in that world who are out and talk about it. I don’t want Hyrox to be like that. It’s a new sport, so we can set the foundation of what’s right. I wouldn’t say Hyrox is against anyone in a wheelchair. But we have to set the precedent. So, for Charlotte, she is able to compete, but she should have a category so she can compete for a spot on a podium. She shouldn't be discriminated against. She should be celebrated.

I don’t necessarily want to be this guy that is like a preacher. But it’s amazing how little people are willing to do. I think when things affect you directly, it makes it a lot easier to address and talk about. But it doesn’t hurt to open some doors for other people and let them shine as well. 

THL: Do you see yourself continuing to prioritize Hyrox? 

JW: For the next two years, for sure. I’ll be competing and enjoying it. After that, it's going to depend on how they structure seasons and how they accommodate people trying to be competitive in the sport. At the end of the day, it should be developed as a pro sport because it is essentially the ultimate test of a human’s performance. If they don't do that, then I’m not going to be Hyrox-focused. There will be other opportunities for growth elsewhere.

THL: How are you closing out this season? 

JW: I actually fly to Hunter McIntyre's house [in California] on Saturday. We’ve got three weeks of training camp for Hyrox Anaheim. I will compete and then spend three days in New York for fun. Then it’s prep for the World Championships in Nice. 

You can follow Jake and the BTND community on Instagram.

Workout of the Week: "Big Steppa"

Each edition of The Hybrid Letter features a workout from Dylan Scott, the Hyrox North American Champion, and Markus Frison, the original Hyrox VCF champion and head coach of The Frision Method. 

If you are interested in training with The Frision Method, you can find out more information here. If you have any questions about this workout, let us know in the comments. 

Science Corner: Supplement buyer beware

Hybrid training and racing are hard work, and many competitors look to supplements to gain an edge. Research shows that several supplements, including creatine and beta-alanine, can meaningfully improve athletic performance. But, according to a study by Pieter A. Cohen, a researcher at Cambridge Health Alliance and Harvard Medical School, many supplement companies sell products that don't match the label. 

Cohen purchased one supplement from 57 different manufacturers. The study found that 40% "did not contain a detectable amount of the labeled ingredient." Of those that did contain a detectable level, "the actual quantity ranged from 0.02% to 334% of the labeled quantity." And "12% of products contained FDA-prohibited ingredients."

The takeaway is that, when looking to purchase supplements, don't just fire up Amazon and select the cheapest option. Seek out a reputable company and research what steps they take to ensure the reliability and purity of their products. 

Athletes of The Week: Shawn Stokes and Rebecca Haehnle

Names: Shawn Stokes and Rebecca Haehnle 

Ages: 55 (Shawn) and 51 (Rebecca)

Hometown: Woodbridge, New Jersey (Shawn) and Washington, DC (Rebecca) 

Why did you start hybrid racing?  Our focus on Hybrid training started before this the DC Hyrox in March. We have been training for years and were familiar with the stations. But we were not accustomed to the continuous nature of Hyrox. We started incorporating more Hyrox-style workouts and track sessions. 

Favorite race to date and why:  (Shawn) Hyrox DC is my favorite race to date. First, I just really enjoy training and racing with Rebecca, and double events are just so fun! I enjoy the camaraderie as well as the team aspect.  A week before the race, Rebecca was really ill, and we could have easily backed out. I asked her, "What is our plan B?"  Rebecca looked at me and said, Shawn, "We are Plan B."  Together we set a goal time and wanted to make the podium. We pushed through a few obstacles and fears, and achieved our goals.

Do you have a race goal?  (Rebecca) We would like to shave 5 to 10 minutes off our DC race time in Nice, France for the World Championships. It would be amazing to make the podium again. Setting clear goals has been key to our success. It motivates us to work harder.

Favorite station?: (Shawn) I like the lunge station. It’s an equal combination of strength and endurance. (Rebecca) My go to station is the sled pull thanks to my strength and weight training background. 

Least favorite station?: (Shawn) The sled pull. It’s a challenge for me to manage the rope properly. (Rebecca) I dread the burpee broad jumps because it’s demanding cardiovascularly, especially transitioning from running to burpee broad jumps and back. My legs are short, so I never feel like I am getting anywhere!

Something you wish you knew when you started racing?  (Shawn) To incorporate more rest days. We put ourselves through a lot with hybrid/strength training and conditioning. I would have incorporated two taper weeks before the DC Hyrox, instead of just one. (Rebecca) Long runs and shorter sprint days are crucial to training. I don’t have a runner’s background so learning how to run efficiently and effectively has been crucial. 

You can follow Shawn and Rebecca on their fitness journey — to Nice and beyond — on their Instagram account, Plan A Wellness.