The Engine and the Edge: Dan Churchill on cooking, competing, and the power of fuel

You might know Dan Churchill as The Healthy Chef on TikTok or from MasterChef Australia Season 5 — but his journey started long before his time in the spotlight. With a Master’s in Exercise Science, Dan began his career helping athletes optimize their performance through movement and nutrition. That hands-on experience—combined with his love of cooking, which started at age 11—eventually led him to self-publish his first cookbook and swap the gym floor for the kitchen line.

Now, Dan works with athletes on how to fuel smarter for better workouts and stronger results. He writes Legendary, a newsletter sharing science-backed, actionable insights on nutrition, performance, and recovery, and he's currently chasing his own elite goal: a sub-60 Hyrox.

The Hybrid Letter sat down with Dan to talk about his journey from rugby to hybrid, the surprising gaps in how athletes understand nutrition, the power of timing your meals, and what it really takes to balance performance, recovery, and life.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

The Hybrid Letter: Why did you start cooking and finding a love for being in the kitchen?

Dan Churchill: After high school, I did my master’s in Exercise Science and became a strength and conditioning coach. As part of that work, I got exposed to applied nutrition.

I was working in Australia with rugby players and Australian Rules Football athletes. One of my responsibilities was to help them improve ground force reaction time by about 5%—crucial for speed. Because of my degree, I’d also sit in on the nutrition consultations between players and the team nutritionist.

THL: What did you notice with these athletes that got you even more interested in the fuel-to-perform piece?

DC: Back then—about 12 years ago—the athletes didn’t really understand what the nutritionists were telling them. I’d been cooking at home since I was 11 and always loved the delicious side of food, maybe even more than the nutritional side. But through my degree, I learned how to bridge the gap between home cooking and applied nutrition for the average person.

I’d watch this nutritionist talk in numbers, and the players were just lost. I understood what she was trying to say, so I created recipes that met her guidelines and printed them out for the athletes. That way, they could follow something simple and still hit all their nutritional targets.

The team ended up outperforming expectations. That experience led me to self-publish a cookbook, and eventually, I wanted to go deeper into the food world. I started in the dish pit, worked my way up from line cook to sous chef, then head chef, and finally executive chef. During the day, I was coaching; at night, I was in the kitchen.

THL: How did you get into hybrid training?

DC: Hybrid’s been around way longer than people realize. It’s just training across multiple fitness modalities. The decathlon and triathlon are historical examples.

I grew up playing rugby, and our training was intense—weights, sprints, long efforts, skills. I loved it. Honestly, I loved the training even more than the game. It gave me a solid foundation in programming, which became part of my role as a strength and conditioning coach. I took that philosophy and applied it to the way I now train for Hyrox. It’s the same methodology, just refined.

THL: Now you write a newsletter called Legendary that shares scientifically-backed, actionable insights on nutrition and training. What inspired that?

DC: I’m not into entertainment-for-entertainment’s-sake content. I wanted to create something that adds real value. It’s hard to explore deeper ideas on platforms like TikTok or Instagram. But newsletters and YouTube? That’s where you can go deep.

So the idea was to take everything I’ve learned—and continue to learn—and make it digestible. No pun intended. I want people to apply it to their own lives. The newsletter isn’t about building a big list; it’s for people who genuinely want to learn. I share recipes, programs, and tools that help them do just that.

THL: Can you share a bit about your philosophy when it comes to training this way and nutrition?

DC: Hyrox is amazing because it motivates people to get off the couch and train for something. It’s inspiring to see all levels of fitness out there competing.

The first step is knowing where you are. If you’re at the elite level, you’re chasing that extra 1%. But if you’re newer, the priority is building a strong foundation through proper fueling. Most of my audience is either elite or slightly above average and looking to get better, so I focus a lot on meal timing and overall intake.

One of the biggest challenges is that many people simply aren’t eating enough to support the demands of hybrid training. You're doing more volume—running, strength work, or both—often four to twelve sessions a week. To recover properly, your body needs sufficient fuel, and nutrition is a major part of that equation.

First principle: make sure you're meeting your energy needs. Second: understand how to structure your meals around your workouts—what macros to emphasize and when. It can be tough to shift that mindset, but you're not training just for one event. You're training to be healthy over the long term. That includes supporting your immune system, which takes a hit during periods of intense physical activity.

And it’s not just macros. Micronutrients are what I call the fifth macronutrient. They matter just as much.

THL: In a recent newsletter, you touched on how sleep plays into all this. Can you talk more about that?

DC: Everyone knows sleep is important—but there’s a big difference between time in bed and actual sleep. And then there’s restorative sleep.

Sleep plays a huge role. Studies show how it impacts hormones, brain neurotransmitters, and cognitive function. I try to get people to focus on REM and deep sleep—the two restorative stages. REM happens at the back end of the cycle, deep sleep at the front.

Working with Whoop, I’ve seen how bad sleep affects performance. My Zone 2 heart rate goes up. When I had three months of poor sleep, my hormones were all over the place. You feel it. If you’re not sleeping well after tough workouts, you’re not recovering. You’re missing the hormonal benefits of training.

Sleep, nutrition, and hydration—those are my big three.

THL: Is there anything in your nutrition that helps with sleep?
DC: Timing is everything. Eating too close to bed affects sleep. Red meat, for example, takes a long time to digest. So if you eat something fatty right before bed, your body is still working even if your eyes are shut.

Try to finish eating at least two hours before sleep. If you’re on a high-protein diet—as most of us are—make sure it’s spaced out. Dense protein and high-fat meals too close to bedtime can delay deep sleep.

Carbs can help with sleep, but not all carbs. Complex carbs are good; sweet, insulin-spiking ones aren’t. It’s about finding balance.

THL: You have a YouTube series called Sub 60. Where did that goal come from?

DC: I’ve never seen myself as an elite athlete. I wasn’t born with top-end speed, but I’ve got a great engine—my heart rate and recovery are excellent.

Speed, though? Not my strength. This journey is as much for me as it is for anyone watching. I want people to see that an average guy, who wasn’t a state champion or naturally gifted, can still chase down a goal if he works hard enough.

I want that sub-60. Just to see that “59.” Not many people hit that time, but I believe I can. I started at 1:11, got to 1:08, and I think I’m on track for 1:05 in New York. It might take another year or two, but I’m all in.

Leadville last year taught me the value of preparation. It’s about putting in the reps and improving 1% every day. Work can be hectic—this is my personal challenge, and I love it, even if I’m not naturally fast.

THL: Any challenges along the way that surprised you?

DC: I remember watching my first Elite 15 race. Before I did my first Hyrox, I knew it wouldn’t be easy—but I was the fit guy. I could row, wall ball, do almost everything else and usually finish near the top.

But I underestimated the running. It’s 70% of the event, and I didn’t fully factor in how much it would affect fatigue. Going from a run into burpee broad jumps is a different beast. Even though I’m solid at burpees, that transition was brutal.

It’s all about learning to ride out Zone 4 and get back into rhythm.

THL: Have you changed your nutrition to help hit your Sub 60 goal?

DC: Definitely. First, I had to increase my intake—just doing too much not to. I started taking fish oil regularly for omega-3s. Used to be I’d just eat a banana before training—maybe 30 grams of carbs—but I didn’t account for how much I was burning, even in Zone 2.

Now I’ve added more carbs, like Complex G1 from BPN. I also upped my Vitamin D—specifically D3, which is key. I get it through AG1. I started thinking about deficiencies, reducing fat around workouts for quicker energy, and dialing in how I recover and fuel.

You can follow Dan on Instagram and YouTube or subscribe to his newsletter, Legendary.

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New turf to debut at Hyrox World Championships

One of the most variable components in a Hyrox race is the sled push and pull. At some races, the sleds seem to glide over the carpet. At others, the sleds feel like they are glued down.

Hyrox has taken a major step to try to standardize the experience by announcing "HYROX Perform Turf." According to Hyrox, it "delivers consistent, durable, and optimized sled push and pull conditions—matching the resistance of our previous setup while leveling up performance." Gyms will also be able to purchase the turf so that athletes can train under race conditions.

While conventional wisdom says that it is easier to push a sled over turf than a carpet, Hyrox claims the experience is unchanged. But since the resistance on the carpets varied, that promise does not provide much insight for athletes. Hyrox used turf for its outdoor event in New York City in 2024, and it resulted in extremely slow sled push times and extremely fast sled pull times.

What will the impact of the new turf be? We'll find out in June in Chicago.

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Athlete of the Week: Jaci Caceres

Name: Jaci Caceres
Age: 45
Hometown: Fort Worth, TX

When did you start hybrid training? I started hybrid training because I’ve never been the type to settle into just one style of fitness. I’ve been an athlete my whole life—played collegiate soccer, competed in bodybuilding, and always chased performance at the highest level across different arenas. But I wanted more. I wanted to be strong, fast, powerful, and conditioned all at once. I didn’t want to sacrifice endurance for strength or vice versa.

Hybrid training forces me to be adaptable. It makes me embrace discomfort and show up ready for anything. It’s the ultimate test—not just of physical ability but of mindset and discipline. It’s about proving that you don’t have to fit into one box. You can lift heavy, move fast, endure pain, and come out stronger on the other side. I want to thrive in my arena!

Favorite race to date? Hyrox Dallas 2024. I’ve done a lot of races, but that one stands out. I ran mixed doubles with the amazing coach and Hyrox vet Talon Smith. We’d only practiced together once, but we set a goal, went after it, and crushed it. We qualified for World’s 2025, which made it even sweeter.

Do you have a race goal? I do! One of my main goals is to go sub-70 in Women’s Pro by Chicago 2025—or hit sub-60 in Mixed Doubles in Chicago.

Favorite station? The sled station. It brings together strength, power, and mental grit. I love the challenge of pushing heavy weight, but even more, I love the moment when my legs are burning and doubt creeps in—that’s when I dig deep and keep moving. It’s a mental battle. And once I finish the sleds, it’s time to settle into the rhythm of the race.

Least favorite station? Wall balls. They’re the final test of endurance and mental toughness, and they always hit when I’m completely gassed. Being on the shorter side makes them even tougher—I have to fight for every rep while my legs and shoulders are screaming. It’s the point in the race that either makes or breaks me.

Things you wish you knew when you started racing? I wish I’d known how time-consuming Hyrox training really is—especially when it comes to running and recovery. It’s not just about being strong; you’ve got to log serious mileage to build the endurance to hold pace between stations. Balancing strength, conditioning, and recovery takes a lot of intention.

I’ve also learned how important pacing, mobility work, and structured training are. And maybe the biggest personal lesson has been about sleep. It’s something I’ve struggled with while juggling family life and work, but I’ve come to understand how directly it impacts my recovery, performance, and energy on race day.