An enduring memory

It was 57-year-old Christian Toetzke, the CEO and co-founder of Hyrox, who was participating in the men's singles.

The Shanghai event attracted 3,200 registered participants from 52 countries and regions — nearly double the number of competitors at the Beijing leg in November, which was Hyrox's first event on the Chinese mainland.

"This is what we have seen so far in every other country in the world — that, basically, we double the number of participants at every event," Toetzke told me after completing his race.

Recognizing China's national fitness campaign, he sees tremendous potential for Hyrox in the market.

In his view, fitness in China is still in its early stages. While gym memberships are booming, most members train without clear objectives. Hyrox changes that by offering structured goals, while maintaining inclusivity in regard to fitness levels.

"Hyrox is about getting better and faster in a real competition. If we can change people's mindset, China will be our biggest market in the world for sure," he said. "We want to help people change their lifestyle — becoming more physically fit, which leads to greater longevity and happier living," he added.

Jonathan Hopkins, 45, is a keen Hyroxer who traveled all the way from Dublin in Ireland, to participate in Shanghai. Having competed in Hyrox events in France, Spain and Qatar, he completed the men's singles challenge in one hour and 18 minutes in Shanghai — a personal best.

"I feel super proud of myself," he said, explaining that, before discovering Hyrox, he had been a regular, but aimless gym-goer. Now, seeing his Hyrox finish times improve brings him increasing joy.

As an experienced Hyrox athlete, he generously shared some tips with us, and, armed with his advice, we nervously took our positions at the starting point, where hundreds of pairs of women buzzed with excitement. Together we counted down loudly before charging forward.

Each station was marked by carnival-style yellow inflatable arches — after each one kilometer run, we'd pass through an arch to tackle the next challenge.

Once we started, my anxiety melted away. The event felt like a fitness playground, where stations were amusement rides and runs were the queue lines.

The women's doubles division had a surprisingly non-competitive atmosphere. Along the course, we exchanged cheers and high-fives with many other teams, including a Spanish-Ukrainian duo, who told us they were first-timers too.

Soon, the men's pro division launched in staggered heats. As we ran our laps, groups of those aforementioned Adonises came zooming past us. It felt surreal; two casual gym-goers, with zero athletic pretensions, sharing the arena with human racecars. Their energy was contagious, though. After sprinting to the finish line, striking the gong and getting our medals, the MC hurried over, cheering: "You did it!"

That moment was electric. It wasn't about our time or rank. It was about proving something bigger: showing up and pushing through together, and discovering strength we never knew we had.