Saturday 9/26: Two new conditioning baselines — home loop run and rowing machine debut
September 26, 2026 HYROX diary from Eldorado (Santa Fe), New Mexico: Conditioning only day setting two new baselines — 1.63 km home loop run (8:48) and first session on the new rowing machine (1000m in 4:52).
Conditioning Only: Home Loop Run + 1000m Row Baseline
Garmin, Concept2 / Rowing Machine
AM: 1 Lap Home Loop (1.63 km) / PM: 1000m Row Benchmark
AM: 1.63 km in 8:48 (5:23/km) / PM: 1000m in 4:52 (2:26/500m)
Saturday, September 26, 2026. Training out of Eldorado (Santa Fe), New Mexico.
Saturday was conditioning only, with no strength session. This came right after Friday's Strength B session (incline 185 for 5, 5, 5, 4, 4; deadlift 285×5 tying my best from Sep 15), which was my first day back after Tuesday's (9/22) hard fall that hurt my left thumb and foot.
The headline for today was establishing two brand-new baselines to build on. No PRs today, since both efforts were first-time logged benchmarks.
AM Session: Home Loop Run
The morning started at 7:25 AM with one lap of my 1.63 km home loop. The terrain has some character: the first half is mostly downhill and the last ~500 m is uphill.
Total time came out to 8:48 (moving time 8:44) with an average pace of 5:23/km (8:40/mi) and a best pace of 4:30/km. Average heart rate was 149 bpm with a max of 172 bpm, cadence at 163, and elevation change was +30 m / -32 m.
Most importantly, the left glute is holding up, the calf cramp from September 25 didn't come back, and my legs felt good. Since this is the first logged lap of this home loop, it stands as an honest baseline rather than a PR chase.
- Protocol: Home Loop Outdoor Run (7:25 AM)
- Distance: 1.63 km (1 lap)
- Time: 8:48 total (8:44 moving)
- Pace: 5:23/km avg (8:40/mi), 4:30/km best
- Metrics: Avg HR 149, Max HR 172, Cadence 163
- Elevation: +30 m / -32 m
- Course Profile: First half mostly downhill, last ~500 m uphill
- Athlete Note: *"Legs felt good."*
- Outcome: First logged baseline
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Later Session: Rowing Machine Debut & 1000m Baseline
Later in the day, I jumped on a new rowing machine I just got for its very first session.
With HYROX Phoenix featuring a mandatory 1000 m row station, setting an initial benchmark here was top priority. I completed 1000 m in 4:52, which works out to a 2:26/500 m split pace.
It's my first rowing baseline on the machine and a benchmark to chip away at as the conditioning cycle progresses.
- Protocol: 1000 m Row Baseline
- Distance: 1000 m
- Time: 4:52
- Pace: 2:26 / 500 m
- Outcome: First rowing baseline and HYROX station benchmark
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Road to HYROX Phoenix
No PRs today—just two new benchmarks to beat as the engine develops.
Everything is tracked in Gird on the way to a sub-1:20 at HYROX Phoenix in February.
I track all my interval paces, kettlebell loads, and HYROX prep sessions inside Gird. If you want structured programming with adaptive macro balancing: