Getting to the Start Line

Hey Team!

I’m just getting back from an electrifying 24 hours in NYC.

Yes, I flew across the continent for a single reason: to compete in the HYROX Men’s Pro Division. One hour, give or take. Eight 1 km runs. Eight workouts. My gut told me it’d be worth it. And it was.

HYROX is hard to define. Picture the energy of a CrossFit Games, the transitions of a triathlon, and the approachability of a fun run. It’s designed for everyone—from your sister to your grandfather. Categories range from individual to mixed doubles, and it attracts athletes from all walks of life. You grind through 1 km run intervals between functional workouts like sled pushes, sandbag lunges, and burpee broad jumps.

I landed in New York and had minutes—literally—to get to the start line. No time to think. Just execute.

This was my third HYROX. I set a new personal best: 1:11 in the Pro Division.

The hardest part?
Getting to the start line.
Everything after that was pure fulfillment.

This Week’s Shift

People love to say someone got lucky. But I don’t believe in luck—not like that.

Luck doesn’t land on your lap. It shows up when you do.

More often than not, what looks like luck is someone putting themselves in position—again and again—until something finally breaks. They leaned in when it was easier to back off. They answered the call when it would’ve been easier to say no.

This is what it means to be start line ready.

You don’t know when the moment’s coming. But when it does, you’re already prepped—mentally, physically, emotionally—to say yes. You’re not scrambling. You’re ready.

That’s what Saturday night was for me.
Last-minute flight. Late arrival. Fast transition.
And a choice I could make because I’d done the work. I was ready.

I competed. I met incredible people. I left inspired.

Luck doesn’t just show up. You do.
And I’ll keep betting on these moments—because I know if I stay in the mix long enough, one of them will look like luck.

Tested This Week

With no pre-race meal in sight and time slipping fast, I turned to an old classic: the red-labeled, sugar-loaded Coca-Cola.

Simple carbs are essential before endurance events. Fast to absorb, easy to burn, and a non-negotiable if you want your body to perform at its peak and go the distance. You wouldn’t start a road trip on empty—and your body’s no different.

During high-output efforts like HYROX, your body can burn well over 100 grams of carbohydrates per hour. But here’s the catch: it can only absorb about 60 grams per hour from a glucose-only source. Sports drinks and gels often mix glucose with fructose to push absorption closer to 90–120 grams per hour.

Coke isn’t perfect, but in a pinch, it works. It’s loaded with fast-acting glucose and hits the bloodstream almost instantly.

I’ve relied on Coke before—six of them (plus eight Fantas) during my 125 km ultra last year. Hal Higdon did the same back in the ’70s. Three-time 100 km world champ Konstantin Santalov swears by it. Some athletes crack the can to let the fizz out. Others drink it right away. Either way, it delivers.

Was Coke the reason for my PB? Definitely not.
But going in depleted would’ve taken me out of the game.

If you’re training or racing over 60 minutes, fuel up.
The goal isn’t just to start strong. It’s to stay in the race.

From The Field

These past few weeks, I’ve witnessed some incredible performances.

I also saw a few heartbreaks—DNFs, sprains, broken bones. Athletes who trained hard, who showed up… and didn’t get the outcome they wanted.

But that’s not what this is about.

It’s not about the medal. Or the time. Or the crowd.

The real win isn’t in the finish line—it’s in the courage to stand on the start line in the first place. That’s what matters.

Quick Reminders Before You Start:

Here’s a reel of my NYC travel day (cutting it close was an understatement).

A lot of people are buzzing about these new nasal strips that just hit the market. Curious to see if they give me the second wind I’m looking for.

Grateful to have you here—on the start line. Let’s keep showing up, especially when it’s hard. One of these moments will break wide open.

Catch you on the start line,
— Matty