Do I eat less because I am only doing part of the station work?

You still run every 1 km leg. How much station work you do depends on how you split it. Base your portion on your own tested plan, not on a fraction of a solo plan.

Should partners eat the same thing?

Not necessarily. Each athlete should eat what they have rehearsed, in their own portion. Matching meals is a social choice.

Our heat is late in the day. How do we handle that?

Each partner plans an extra meal and puts their main pre-race meal at their own tested gap before the heat.

Is fuelling during a doubles race practical?

Some pairs find a sip easier while a partner works a station. Check the current rulebook for your event, and only use something you tested in a doubles simulation.

Does doubles change recovery needs?

Use the same principles as solo: a normal mixed meal once appetite returns and adequate protein across the next day, sized for each athlete.

HYROX Doubles Nutrition

This page is for two athletes racing HYROX Doubles together: what changes, what doesn't, and how to coordinate food on the day without sharing one plan.

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Does HYROX doubles change how I should eat? Less than people expect. Under the official Doubles rulebook both partners run every 1 km leg, and only the station work is shared. So each athlete still needs their own tested pre-race meal and portion. The real difference is logistics: agreeing arrival, warm-up and meal timing for two people.

Plan both athletes' meals at order.smashmeals.com

What actually changes in doubles

HYROX publishes one fixed format: eight 1 km runs alternating with eight workout stations, so every athlete covers 8 km of running plus 8 stations. The HYROX Doubles rulebook (2025/26) has both partners run each 1000 m leg together, while the station work is shared between them. Each athlete covers the full running distance.

How long the race takes, how hard each station feels and how your stomach copes depend on the pair, how you split the work and personal tolerance. We have no evidence that doubles is consistently shorter, harder or worse for the gut than solo racing, so this page does not claim it. What is certain is that two people must coordinate, and that their food needs are not the same.

Both partners run every 1 km leg
Station work is shared, and the split is a team decision
Each athlete needs their own portion and timing
Arrival, warm-up and meals need coordinating for two

What the evidence says

We found no study of paired HYROX racing, so general principles apply. The 2016 joint position statement on nutrition and athletic performance recommends individualised plans based on body size, sport and circumstances. That is the basis for each partner having their own portions rather than a shared target.

The 2026 consensus discussion supports adequate carbohydrate availability for high-intensity work. The contemporary review warns against copying one intake figure across different demands. For the training block, the ISSN position stand describes about 1.4–2.0 g/kg/day of protein as sufficient for most exercising people.

How strong is this evidence? The format details come from HYROX's own rulebook, which is organisation material, not research. The nutrition principles come from general sports-nutrition evidence, not from doubles athletes.

Separate prepared meals make it easier for two athletes to follow their own plans on the same day. at order.smashmeals.com

A practical framework

Partner logistics checklist

Confirm your heat time and agree one arrival time
Each partner names their own tested pre-race meal, portion and gap; don't average them
Pack food separately and label it by name, especially if one partner eats gluten-free
Agree warm-up start so both main meals land at each person's tested gap
Decide in advance whether either of you will take anything during the race, and test it in a doubles simulation

Before the heat

Each athlete eats their own rehearsed carbohydrate-containing meal
If the heat is late, plan an extra meal rather than stretching breakfast
Fluid to thirst across the wait rather than a large volume just before

After

A normal mixed meal once appetite returns, sized for each person

Real SmashMeals examples

Carbohydrate-containing examples from our September 24, 2026 menu snapshot, shown with the values saved then. Each partner picks and portions their own; the fruit cup is a small add-on, not a meal. Check current labels and availability.

Saved catalog examples; recipes and nutrition may change before a meal is offered again.

Honey Sriracha Salmon served with Rice and vegetable — 398 cal, 32g protein, 39g carbs, 12g fat — Jasmine Rice Cauliflower Rice
Teriyaki Beef & Broccoli with Rice choice — 355 cal, 28g protein, 30g carbs, 11g fat — Teriyaki Beef & Broccoli with Rice Thin-sliced beef stir-fried in a light teriyaki glaze, paired with tender broccoli and rice choice. Jasmine Rice Version (4 oz steak, 4 oz rice, 3 oz broccoli) Cauliflower Rice Version (4 oz steak, 4 oz cauliflower rice, 3 oz broccoli) Calories: ~265 Protein: ~28g Carbs: ~10g Fat: ~11g Fiber: ~5g
Greek Yogurt, Granola, Fresh Mixed Berries — 380 cal, 27g protein, 61g carbs, 5g fat — Creamy Greek yogurt topped with gluten free granola and fresh mixed berries for a simple, protein rich breakfast that is light, refreshing, and easy to enjoy on the go.
Mixed Fruit Cup — 70 cal, 1g protein, 18g carbs, 0g fat — Fresh seasonal mixed fruit, cut and portioned for an easy gluten free breakfast, snack, or side. Light, refreshing, naturally sweet, and ready to grab when you need something simple and clean.

These examples are not a live inventory or price list. Check the ordering menu for current availability and prices before deciding. Explore the menu guide.

View live menu and prices at order.smashmeals.com

An example doubles day with a 14:00 heat (not a prescription)

Morning

Each partner eats their own normal breakfast

About 3 hours before (each person's tested gap)

Partner A: a rice bowl at their tested portion
Partner B: a yogurt and granola cup plus fruit at their tested portion

Last hour

Fluid to thirst; warm-up started together at the agreed time

After

A mixed meal each, once appetite returns

One worked example. The point is two separate plans on one shared timeline, not the specific foods.

Where gluten-free actually fits

Our kitchen is 100% dedicated gluten-free because some people need it to be — coeliac disease, diagnosed gluten sensitivity, or a household that simply eats gluten-free. Removing gluten is not a performance strategy in itself, and there is no good evidence it improves output, recovery or inflammation in athletes without a medical reason. In doubles there is one extra practical point: if one partner is coeliac, pack and label their food separately so a shared venue meal never becomes the only option.

Frequently asked questions

Do I eat less because I am only doing part of the station work?: You still run every 1 km leg. How much station work you do depends on how you split it. Base your portion on your own tested plan, not on a fraction of a solo plan.
Should partners eat the same thing?: Not necessarily. Each athlete should eat what they have rehearsed, in their own portion. Matching meals is a social choice.
Our heat is late in the day. How do we handle that?: Each partner plans an extra meal and puts their main pre-race meal at their own tested gap before the heat.
Is fuelling during a doubles race practical?: Some pairs find a sip easier while a partner works a station. Check the current rulebook for your event, and only use something you tested in a doubles simulation.
Does doubles change recovery needs?: Use the same principles as solo: a normal mixed meal once appetite returns and adequate protein across the next day, sized for each athlete.

References

Independent research

2026 consensus discussion on carbohydrate availability in endurance sport — PubMed. Adequate carbohydrate availability remains the consensus approach for supporting endurance and high-intensity performance.
Contemporary review of carbohydrate for endurance performance — PubMed. Carbohydrate needs scale with the duration and intensity of endurance work rather than applying one intake to every athlete.
ISSN position stand: protein and exercise (Jäger et al., 2017) — PubMed / JISSN. This professional position stand describes roughly 1.4–2.0 g of protein per kg of body weight per day as sufficient for most healthy exercising adults; it is not an individual prescription.

Organisation's own material

Nutrition and Athletic Performance — joint position statement (2016) — Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics / Dietitians of Canada / ACSM. Athletes benefit from individualized nutrition plans that account for health, sport, goals, environment and practical circumstances; adequate total energy and macronutrients remain foundational.
HYROX Doubles Rulebook 2025/26 — HYROX. HYROX's own Doubles rules: both partners run each 1000 m leg together, and station work is shared between them.
HYROX official race format and rulebook — HYROX. HYROX's own description of the race: 8 x 1 km runs alternating with 8 workout stations — 8 km of running plus 8 stations in total.

Sort the food, race the race at order.smashmeals.com

Nutrition needs vary with body size, training volume, goals, health conditions and competition demands. For individualised performance or medical nutrition, work with a qualified sports dietitian or clinician.

Editorially reviewed by SmashMeals for source accuracy in September 2026. Written from published research and each organisation's own current format documentation. It is not medical or individualised sports-nutrition advice, and no clinician reviewed it.

SmashMeals is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by HYROX or its organisers. Race-format details are summarised from HYROX's own published rules; always check the current official rulebook for your event.

Last reviewed October 2026.

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