Earlier this year, one of our Activo members, Georgina Wood, set TWO new world records at the HYROX Manchester event. We managed to sit down with Georgina at Pendle Leisure Centre to find out how she has been so successful in the Hyrox World and beyond all while staying grounded and living a balanced, everyday life.

“Because my job is quite stressful and challenging, I found fitness to be my release. I’m responsible at work for setting goals, and I very much carry that into my personal life and training. So I did some research and came across Hyrox (before it was such a big thing!) and started to really train for that in August 2022. Before this, I’d never run and couldn’t run a mile! As part of my running training, I got into trail running and ended up coming in the top 3 in one of the trail races I completed in Yorkshire – never in a million years did I think that would be possible!

Even if I’m feeling terrible or tired, I’ll always train no matter what. I might not want to do it, but I have to do it. Having fitness and having goals works really well for my personality, but exercise also helps to prolong my energy levels.

When I did my first ever Hyrox, I competed against a lady who was ace and really well-known in the circle. After the race, I went up to her and said, ‘I want to partner up with you one day’ (knowing I wasn’t yet good enough). But in London last year, I beat her! She then approached me before the Manchester Hyrox and asked me to be part of the Mixed Relay and Doubles with her, where we then achieved the two World Records! My biggest achievement isn’t actually the result, but the recognition from the team I was asked to join, that means more than anything to me.

My advice to women wanting to get into fitness or attempt a new challenge would be to ‘Be kind to yourself and be consistent’.”