Lawyers are discovering that Hyrox can improve both their health and their legal practice
In 2024, Rich Godshall, the managing partner of Ostroff Godshall Injury and Accident Lawyers near Philadelphia, traveled to Dallas to compete in his first Hyrox race.
As a CrossFit athlete, Godshall was accustomed to putting himself in uncomfortable positions. As someone who had never been a runner, he thought Hyrox, which combines functional strength exercises with a considerable amount of running, seemed like even more of a challenge.
In every Hyrox race, competitors run 1 kilometer and then tackle a functional workout, such as sled pushes, sandbag lunges and rowing. They repeat this sequence for a total of 8 kilometers of running and 8 different workout stations.
“There’s a huge difference between just going out and running and then running when you’re fatigued,” Godshall says. “And I do enjoy that. I enjoy pushing myself, and I enjoy the discomfort of it.”
Other athletes obviously agree, as Hyrox has become one of the fastest growing fitness sports in the world. Since launching in Germany in 2017, more than 1.5 million people in 30 countries have competed in at least one race, according to the New York Times. Billed as “the first fitness competition for everybody,” participants range in age from 16 to 85 and can take part in a solo race or as part of a doubles or relay team.
Shannon Straughan, who started as in-house counsel with Hyrox in November, was previously a competitive powerlifter and bodybuilder. She was drawn to Hyrox because “the goal of the whole sport is to get more people involved,” she says.
Straughan, who competed in her first Hyrox race in Houston in March, also understands why it appeals to lawyers. By nature, “we’re all a little type A,” she says. While they once might have brought their competitive drive to marathons or triathlons, Hyrox offers another accessible and achievable option.
Hyrox races combine functional strength exercises with running. “You can train moderately throughout the week and still maintain your job and deal with your kids,” Straughan says. “It’s also very objective and measurable, and I know lawyers love things like that. You can track your progress very easily, because the races never change.”
Caitlin Byczko, a partner of Barnes & Thornburg in Indianapolis, started doing CrossFit when she was in law school at Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law. She met her now-husband, Jared, who owned the gym she went to. In 2024, she went to Chicago with her husband as he competed in his first Hyrox race.
“We came home, and were immediately like, from a business perspective, this is it,” says Byczko, who co-owns Myriad Fitness + Yoga with her husband in Indianapolis. “This is the future of where this is going. So, we started adopting specific Hyrox programming at our gym.”
Their gym also offers Hyrox simulation events, which mimic the official races to allow potential or already-registered competitors to test their fitness in a local environment, Byczko says. These events also offer an alternative to athletes who can’t get a Hyrox spot.
“They sell out in minutes,” says Byczko, who has completed Hyrox simulation events through her gym and plans to compete in an official race in the future. “The exclusivity is part of it, too, right? That’s another thing that draws people to it.”
There is a lot of demand, but there are also a lot of races, adds Straughan. The Hyrox website currently lists 121 races that will be held worldwide through June.
“The community is really fascinating to me on a personal level, because of how involved people are and how many people are willing to travel,” Straughan says. “There is a lot of opportunity.”
Self Care
Lawyers who train for and compete in Hyrox also tout its positive effect on their stress levels.
Since a lot of lawyers are high-achieving individuals, it makes sense that their options for stress relief might include strength training and endurance running, Straughan says.
“I know that might sound counterintuitive to a lot of people,” she admits.
Daisy Ramirez, an associate in the Austin, Texas, office of Ogletree Deakins, is training for Hyrox races in Boston and Dallas this fall. She works out in the morning, so she is mentally and physically prepared for the day ahead.
“That’s what I do for self-care,” Ramirez says. “So, when I come to work, I’m ready to go. I’ve been up and moved my body, so it makes sitting at my desk, reading case law or draft motions all day not as overwhelming or cumbersome.”
In preparing for her first Hyrox race, which she completed in Houston in March, Ramirez changed other aspects of her lifestyle, including limiting her alcohol intake and getting more sleep.
“If you want to do Hyrox, you have to be healthier, and that’s just helpful around,” Ramirez says. “I just feel like I’m a better attorney because of it.”
Godshall has completed several Hyrox races since he started in 2024, and plans to compete in upcoming races in Boston and Dallas. He finds that the energy he puts into training enhances how he handles himself as both a lawyer and business owner.
“Showing up is important,” Godshall says. “A big part of the battle is showing up in shape and fit, and having the stamina to work hard and present yourself well.”
Byczko and Ramirez, who both have 7-year-old daughters, also like the example that practicing as lawyers but finding time to devote to Hyrox sets for their kids
“There is this aspect of seeing your parents do something that is outside of their jobs and be whole people that in our family is very important,” says Byczko, who also has a 3-year-old son.
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