HYROX Diary: Two-a-Day — Heavy Farmers AMRAP & Strength B at 7,000 Ft
September 15, 2026 two-a-day training diary: AM Heavy Farmers & SkiErg AMRAP 10, PM Week 1 Strength B (Deadlift, OHP, Pull-ups), full meal-by-meal nutrition tracking, and altitude adaptation at 7,000 ft for HYROX Phoenix.
Two-a-Day: AM Conditioning + PM Strength
SkiErg, 90 lb Farmers, Barbell, Pull-Up Bar
AM: 4+ Rounds AMRAP 10 / PM: Strength B Progression
AM: 4 Rounds Even (RPE 8) / PM: DL 285 + OHP 135 (RPE 7)
Tuesday, September 15, 2026. A two-a-day build day at ~7,000 ft in Eldorado (Santa Fe), New Mexico.
When you're training in your 50s for HYROX Phoenix (Men's Open 50–54), programming two distinct sessions in a single calendar day isn't about crushing yourself—it's about stimulus separation. Morning is dedicated to high-threshold functional capacity, grip endurance under cardiovascular fatigue, and oxygen kinetics in thin air. Evening is dedicated to raw compound strength: posterior chain hinge work, strict vertical pressing, and bodyweight pulling.
The glue that holds a two-a-day together is intentional nutrition. You cannot under-fuel a high-volume day at altitude and expect your central nervous system to fire at 6:40 PM.
Here is the complete log of both sessions, video breakdowns, and full macro accounting for the day.
AM Session: Heavy Farmers — Ski Carry Burpee 10
The morning protocol was designed around compound lactate tolerance: pairing upper-body pulling on the SkiErg with a heavy farmer carry and chest-to-floor burpees inside a tight 10-minute cap.
- Time of Day: ~9:34–10:24 AM (America/Denver)
- Format: 10-Minute AMRAP (As Many Rounds As Possible)
- Score: 4 rounds even
- RPE: 8 / 10
- Log Note: *"4+ rounds. Felt good."*
Round Protocol
Each round consisted of:
- SkiErg: 12 calories
- Farmer Carry: 20 meters @ 90 lb per hand (180 lb total load)
- Burpees: 8 chest-to-floor burpees
AM Long-Form Breakdown (~10:06)
AM Session Highlight Short (~40s)
AM Tactical Takeaways
- Grip Tax vs. Heart Rate: At 90 lb per hand, the farmer carry isn't just a grip test—it's a heavy thoracic brace that restricts diaphragmatic breathing right as you step off the SkiErg.
- Transition Friction: Moving from the handles of the farmers straight down into burpees demands immediate autonomic control. Finishing 4 complete rounds right on the 10-minute buzzer confirmed the pacing was dialed without redlining into muscular failure.
- Altitude Factor: At ~7,000 feet, recovery intervals between stations disappear. You have to breathe through the carry rather than holding your breath through the turnarounds.
---
PM Session: W1 Strength B — Deadlift Press Pull
After refueling and an eight-hour recovery window, session two shifted entirely to heavy barbell mechanics and vertical pulling.
- Time of Day: ~6:40–7:23 PM (America/Denver)
- RPE: 7 / 10
- Log Note: *"Felt good. Heavier deadlift moved well; last pull-up reps were a grind."*
Strength Protocol
- Deadlift: 5 reps @ 275 lb, followed by 5 reps @ 285 lb
- Overhead Press (OHP): 5 sets × 5 reps @ 135 lb
- Pull-ups: 3 sets × 7 reps (bodyweight)
PM Long-Form Breakdown (~4:56)
PM Session Highlight Short (~40s)
PM Tactical Takeaways
- Deadlift Speed: The second working set at 285 lb felt crisp off the floor despite the morning's farmer carries. Bracing was solid and bar speed remained uniform through lockout.
- Strict Press Volume: 5×5 at 135 lb demands honest shoulder stability. No leg drive, no excessive lumbar arching.
- Pull-Up Fatigue: By set 3 of 7 reps, the cumulative lat and forearm fatigue from the morning's SkiErg and carries showed up. Reps 6 and 7 were an absolute grind, but completed with full chin-over-bar clearance.
---
Nutrition Log: Fueling a Two-a-Day
Fueling two demanding sessions at altitude requires precise energy intake. At 7,000 ft, glycogen turnover is elevated, and failing to replenish carbs between 10:30 AM and 6:30 PM leaves you empty on the platform.
Targets vs. Actuals
| Metric | Target | Actual | Delta |
|---|---|---|---|
| Calories | 3,250 kcal | 3,343 kcal | +93 kcal |
| Protein | 240 g | 262 g | +22 g |
| Carbohydrates | 395 g | 352 g | −43 g |
| Fat | 80 g | 102 g | +22 g |
Meal Breakdown
| Meal / Timing | Calories | Protein (g) | Carbs (g) | Fat (g) | Logged Foods |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Breakfast / Pre-AM | 564 | 41 | 70 | 15 | 2 slices bread, whole eggs, 2 tbsp pure maple syrup, 1 scoop bone broth protein |
| Post-AM Refuel | 1,072 | 61 | 113 | 42 | Firehouse medium double pastrami sub + medium Coke |
| Pre-PM Fuel | 518 | 47 | 76 | 7 | Core Power Elite (42g protein), 1 cup Honey Nut Cheerios, 166 g banana |
| Dinner / Post-PM | 1,189 | 113 | 93 | 38 | 340 g chicken breast, 2 slices bread, 12 oz Squirt, 2 tbsp butter, 4 tsp cinnamon sugar |
| Before Bed | — | — | — | — | *Not logged* |
| Day Total | 3,343 | 262 | 352 | 102 | *4 logged meals across both training windows* |
Macro & Hydration Notes
- Protein Surplus (+22g): Finished at 262g, providing ample amino acid availability for overnight muscle repair across both sessions.
- Carbohydrate Deficit (−43g): 352g is solid, but 43g short of the 395g target. Honey Nut Cheerios + banana pre-PM provided the rapid glycogen surge needed for 285 lb deadlifts.
- Fat Surplus (+22g): Driven largely by the post-AM Firehouse double pastrami and dinner butter. For high-volume double days, the extra caloric buffer supports hormonal recovery and satiety.
---
Road to HYROX Phoenix 2027
Progression in endurance racing after 50 is built on consistency, recovery tracking, and honest logging.
Recording both raw metrics and subjective RPE in Gird removes the guesswork. Tomorrow shifts to low-intensity aerobic recovery and mobility before the next high-cadence threshold test.
I track all my interval paces, kettlebell loads, and HYROX prep sessions inside Gird. If you want structured programming with adaptive macro balancing: