S06E195 Conquering Hyrox: Two Working Moms Team Up: Ashley Syvertsen and Keren McKinney
What does it take for two busy working moms to conquer one of the fastest-growing fitness challenges in the world? With host coach David Syvertsen @davesy85, Keren McKinney @kerenmckinney and Ashley Syvertsen @ashleyann522 pull back the curtain on their recent High Rocks race experience in New York City, revealing the reality behind the Instagram-worthy finish line photos.
The conversation dives deep into what truly matters when preparing for such a physically demanding event. Keren, a former college soccer player and nurse with four children, paired with Ashley, who readily admits "I don't run, I don't like to run" to tackle what they describe as a race that's "90 percent running." Their candid discussion about training strategies uncovers a crucial insight: success came from adding specialized Sunday sessions focused specifically on transitioning between running and workout stations—the exact format they'd face on race day.
Most compelling is their approach to teamwork. Rather than simply splitting the work evenly, they strategically played to each other's strengths. "I would come in and do the station and then be able to rest before the run was huge for us," Ashley explains, while Keren acknowledges, "I need to train harder next year because I was so gassed after a couple of the stations, being the one having to run again." This honest assessment of their partnership demonstrates the thoughtful planning required for team success.
Beyond physical preparation, they share the logistical challenges rarely discussed—from not knowing their heat time until three days before the race to walking "5,000 steps looking for water" at the venue. Their running splits reveal remarkable consistency throughout the race, maintaining nearly identical lap times from start to finish despite fatigue.
The most powerful moment? Crossing the finish line hand-in-hand after pushing each other past their perceived limits. "There were times in the race when I wanted to walk because I was so tired, but I'm not going to walk because Ashley's not going to walk," Keren reflects. They're already planning next year's race, with improved strategies and faster targets.
Ready to take on your own fitness challenge? Listen now, then subscribe and share your thoughts on how you balance life's demands while pursuing your fitness goals.
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S06E195 Conquering Hyrox: Two Working Moms Team Up: Ashley Syvertsen and Keren McKinney
TRANSCRIPT
David SyvertsenHost
00:05
Hey everybody, welcome to the Herd Fit Podcast with Dr Sam Rhee and myself, coach David Syverson. This podcast is aimed at helping anyone and everyone looking to enhance their healthy lifestyle through fitness, nutrition and, most importantly, mindset. All right, welcome back to the Herd Fit Podcast. I am Coach David Syverson. I'm here with my two beautiful guests on either side of me Ashley Syverson to my right, karen McKinney to my left, and we are going to talk about the High Rocks race that took part last week in New York City. Really excited to talk to these two about it. But before I introduce them and have them start diving in, I want to talk about these two athletes next to me as people.
00:52
All right, karen and Ashley are both working individuals, working moms, very good athletes, and watching them do the high rocks last week was a lot of fun for me because I know the story that goes into it. I know the work that they put into it, all the work that a lot of other people don't know about, and I'm really excited to share that with you guys from their perspective. So, karen, how are you? This is your debut on the Herd Fit podcast. Welcome and congratulations. Thank you very much and, Ashley Toglinson, this is not your first rodeo with me on a podcast and we're still together after all these years. Do you remember when we first did our first episode together, what it was about and what podcast it was?
Ashley SyvertsenGuest
01:38
on. Yes, we did a podcast on Botox and burpees. It was about pregnancy or working out after pregnancy. I told Karen earlier that I'm surprised you asked me back, because you told me I didn't do a very good job.
David SyvertsenHost
01:55
I mean, it's no different than coaching you guys in CrossFit. So I really want to dive into why did you guys decide to do a high rock? So the high rocks race is starting to take off worldwide. The numbers on this are massive in terms of growth. But I want to ask you guys what was the point of you signing up for a high rocks race? Karen, I want you to start because you are getting more and more into competitive nature with CrossFit training. How hard you're, working goals right, even though you have so much going on. You're wired. You're a college athlete. You played soccer at Wheaton College and sometimes I've seen that in here. That never quite leaves you. You still always have that fire that burns inside of you. What was your reasoning behind signing up for High Rocks Race?
Keren McKinneyGuest
02:44
Well, I started hearing about it last year Probably I feel like it was around like January, february and then I saw that they were coming to New York City and I tried to sign up but I got waitlisted. So then you did one in November and then it was kind of always in the back of my radar. And then it was kind of always in the back of my radar. I just I love any type of challenge. And then Brittany Lancelotti kind of bullied me into doing it and then immediately I was like Ashley's doing it with me. She didn't have a choice.
David SyvertsenHost
03:15
So, ashley, you got. So that's your story. You got bullied into doing the High Rocks race. But beyond being bullied, why did you sign up for something like this? Because you've been in and out of CrossFit sport, competing, having fun. You've made quarterfinals before in the age group. You've signed up for local competitions. But, knowing you as well as I know you, you don't love to compete, but you do like to challenge yourself and you like doing hard things.
Ashley SyvertsenGuest
03:45
What was the reason? By Ehanhan you signing up for High Rocks, I guess, more so that it was a group activity. Obviously, doing it with Karen was the main driver behind that. As she said, I didn't really have a choice to do it or not, especially with all the running. But again, I like to be in that mode of competition. I don't love the feeling of it, but once I'm done I'm always like this was a great idea. Um, so once she told me that I was doing it, I didn't really have a choice and knew that training had to start immediately.
David SyvertsenHost
04:17
Karen, was there ever a thought of doing this individual like at the start of it?
Keren McKinneyGuest
04:22
Well, last year when I tried to sign up I just wouldn't do it individual. But then this year I think it just sounded a lot more fun to do partner and I don't know if I would ever do an individual. I really like doing the partner, but I mean, we'll see.
David SyvertsenHost
04:38
Yeah, on next week's episode we're actually going to have an athlete from Bison that did it as an individual, so it'll be fun to kind of blend the two experiences together and then maybe at the end of this episode, if we have some time, we'll talk about what's next for you and would you ever do one individual? Because there is a significant difference between competing with someone else but also doing something by yourself when you train for something like this. I am biased in thinking that cross is probably the best baseline program to prepare you for something like this, because there's so many different things you have to train in addition to being very aerobically driven, like you need to be able to sustain effort for well over an hour. Uh, did you guys change anything about your training in particular?
Ashley SyvertsenGuest
05:22
Ash, we did. We actually focused a lot on our running, especially for me. I don't run, I don't like to run, but I knew that's a huge part of this. It's like I feel like 90 percent of the race is running. So we decided that we were going to run more and then we started throwing in. On Sunday mornings I would come in early with the group and we would do kind of the stations Because, yes, we do a lot of the movements, but learning how to transition from running to the movement and then back out to the run was a huge part. So we did weeks upon weeks of transitions, coming in from a run, doing a station, going back out.
David SyvertsenHost
06:04
So yeah, how much did that help you, knowing what it feels like to run post lunge, verse, post burpee, draw, jump, like? Did it actually just help you mentally or was it actually a physical training that you think you enhance as well?
Ashley SyvertsenGuest
06:18
I think both. I think from a physical standpoint one knowing that I have to run you know, not a 200 or 400 and then come in and work. I think Karen and I worked really well together. She's a stronger runner, so for her I would come in and do the station and then be able to rest before the run was huge for us. Figuring out you know how to do the race and then mentally just knowing that, ok, this is what we're actually going to do, and this is a lot harder and longer than I thought it was going to be.
David SyvertsenHost
06:48
Now, karen, you're a runner a soccer background B. I'm driving to the gym this morning at 1015. You're just happening to be running down Greenwood Ave, so running to you is not the challenge that it is to a lot of people, including CrossFitters, because I know a lot of CrossFitters that do not want to run. They don't think it's a part of the program, even though it's. The 5K. Run is the most programmed workout in CrossFitcom history. It's a huge part across the training, but a lot of them don't like to run. You do. Did that make it easier for you to transition to this kind of training? Did you actually have to add any running? Or hey, it was already part of your routine?
Keren McKinneyGuest
07:25
did you actually have to add any running or hey, it was already part of your routine? Yeah, I, I like to run um. After soccer was over, that's kind of what I transitioned into because I didn't know what else to do um, so I ran a couple of half marathons I haven't done a full, I don't know if I ever will um and then since then I've really only done like 10 Ks, so the running part wasn't hard for me. I think we'll probably get to this If we do one next year. I need to run more, but I think we just added in Sundays because we needed to get like the full aerobic base of working for over an hour, not just running, but doing other movements as well. What was the main question again?
David SyvertsenHost
08:07
Yeah, no. Would you have trained that? You just said you would have run more If you train more. Let's ask a specific question Both of you After doing this now, in regard to running, because you never run For more than a thousand meters at a time In high rocks, and so you can essentially say it's interval-based running, but instead of resting, you're doing these workout stations. Do you think and this is an opinion, you don't have to come up with the answer, because I do think this is different for everyone Is it better to run these 800, 1,000 meter, 1,200 meter intervals to get used to that back and forth feel, or would you go and run for 30, 40, 50 minutes occasionally just to build up? That is a better way to build up the aerobic base. What are your thoughts on that?
Keren McKinneyGuest
08:49
I've been thinking a lot about this, actually for training for next year. I think for me, having a running background, I need to work on dropping my mileage pace so I feel like I fall back to like a nine-minute mile pace that's where I'm comfortable, and I feel like I fall back to like a nine minute mile pace. That's where I'm comfortable. And I feel like I need to drop that. Um, because the intervals you kind of fall back to your comfortability. Um, when you're running the intervals, because you're tired.
David SyvertsenHost
09:18
Yeah, ashley, I mean you again, not the same running background, but you worked your butt off and you're not a bad runner at all. I know you like to, you are, but you're not you. You actually, I think, are a much better runner than you think. Would you change anything about just the running portion of the training? Because, karen is right, you have to get used to working out for 45 to 75 minutes straight. That is part of macro level high rocks training and but do you feel that you would benefit more from running more so that those runs the predominant movement of high rocks, like you said, 90 of it's running. It's probably closer to 80, but it's predominant running. Where do you feel it's more about speed in these intervals or building the aerobic base that you don't actually slow down?
Ashley SyvertsenGuest
10:00
um, I think it's probably more building that aerobic base, um, because again, once you come out from the station for me because I was resting, um, I felt better, um, but again, going from the run into the station I was gassed.
David SyvertsenHost
10:17
So I think for me, doing longer runs for longer periods of time and just keeping my base at that, I guess aerobic level is better for me yeah, so I have ashley, and what's one really cool thing about high rocks is they give you the splits of every single run because they're time chipped and every single station. So if karen and ashley were, or anyone, you're going to go repeat this. You have numbers and thresholds you can try and go beat for next year. Here are their runs. I I'm going to run through them. There's eight of them.
10:45
Okay, you have 549, 537, 534, 544, 547, 546, 543, and then the last lap that made you run an extra I think it was at 200 meters, so it was 719, but that does not mean they slowed down that much. If anything, they were consistent from start to finish. So, bias aside, because I love both you guys, the that's incredible that your runs were that close from start to finish. You were essentially within 10 to 15 seconds from start to finish. So that, to me, is you ran to an aerobic level again, repeatable level over and over and over again for over an hour. So that, to me, says all right, you have that spot down. You can repeat yourself. That's part of being fit is being able to repeat efforts over and over, not crash and burn. So the next step for you guys, or anyone that was able to do that is to simply make those runs faster. So Karen's just saying, hey, we ran about a nine-minute. Did you wear a watch and were you looking at the pace throughout the race?
Keren McKinneyGuest
11:48
I wasn't looking at the pace, but that's just kind of what I always fall back to.
David SyvertsenHost
11:53
Okay, and now it's about making those numbers faster. Because if these two girls wanted to do this next year and beat their times and get competitive with it, their stations could be a little faster, but they probably won't improve that much. And the lowest hanging fruit to improve in High Rocks is running, because if they can shave off 30 seconds per run which is not out of this world, I think they could probably even shave more off that You're looking at 5 to 10 minutes faster than last year and that would be a big jump. That's something to improve on. And if you also improve at the stations and have a little more grit, a little bit more desire to actually go fast, now you're talking, you know, sub hour 10, maybe even low one hour peers, and that's a really good time for this kind of race.
12:35
So I think anyone that has done high rocks and you're thinking about doing this again, the splits have to be part of your training for next year. And if you're not a math person, you don't like running to numbers, you don't like performance type stuff. I don't know if trying to improve in this is for you. So that's a really cool part of high rocks that I believe that you guys could could have a lot of fun with all these metrics. I'm big on metrics.
Ashley SyvertsenGuest
13:02
Oh yeah, Karen's already the day after already was like I know where we can improve.
David SyvertsenHost
13:08
Now, I think both of you touched on this already. You guys are different athletes and this goes for anyone out there that if you find someone you're going to do this with, there's a good shot. You guys are not very similar athletes, right? Karen is really strong and powerful and, you know, does a lot of rx type workouts here at the gym. She's very competitive here. Ashley's more of a gymnast, right? Experience kind of jack of all trades, master of none at the gym. Um, how did? How do you guys approach this? And I want to talk about humility in that. Hey, you guys have no problem saying you know what, karen, you're better at this than me. And karen has no problem, hey, ash, you're better than me at this.
Ashley SyvertsenGuest
13:50
How much part of that ash is is working together to create your plan and through training, but also the race um, I think that's huge, especially just communication through race day as well, being like hey, I, hey, I need to slow down here, hey, I can do a little bit more here, because I know that you're a little bit more gassed.
14:09
Karen's obviously lower body stronger than me, so for her things were a lot easier and I think it was great that there wasn't a point during the race especially that we were like, okay, you have to do more of this. It was kind of like we could read each other and was like, okay, you have to do more of this. It was kind of like we could read each other and was like, okay, I got this, I should do a little bit more here. But I think definitely, especially in training, that was one of our biggest things was learning like, okay, who can do the station and then run, who can come in and do this, who can take a little bit more here? So figuring that out during training was huge.
David SyvertsenHost
14:44
Karen, did you guys come up with a plan, leading up to the race, of saying like, hey, let me finish the station so that you get rest, or vice versa, because that's a big part of strategizing for team?
Keren McKinneyGuest
14:56
Yeah, absolutely, and I think just how often we trained on Sundays helped us to read each other really well on race day. But we did train for Ashley to come in from the run and start the station, and then I would so like for the, for the ski 250, then I would do 250, then Ashley 250, then I would finish it. So I was finishing every station because I'm the stronger runner, um, and then we would go back out for the run, which it worked really well. But I told Ashley I need to train harder next year because I was so gassed after a couple of the stations, being the one having to run again, I felt like my first lap. I was always trying to recover and then the second lap, I finally felt better, but then you're going right back into a station.
David SyvertsenHost
15:44
Good note, feather in the cap for the coaches that preach this stuff active recovery. It is possible for everybody to recover while you move. So every now and then, when we throw these workouts out at you where it's like a recovery rock, a recovery walk or recovery row, or we just talk about, hey, don't sit on the ground or lay down on interval workouts, go walk around, move your body, because your body can recover while it's uh, in between these intense interval pieces. And I think that's something that Karen does a lot on her own without even realizing it, and it helps you in a race like this, like, yes, it is very hard to run fast after skiing a hard two 50 or running a hard two 50 or farmer carries.
16:25
But, part of a race like this is being able to prove to yourself that you can move while you get your energy back. It's not lay on the ground and wait till everything's back. It's very common. I do it sometimes, you know, during these interval workouts you just want to lay on the ground and get your breath back and it works eventually. But it's a wasted opportunity to enhance your aerobic capacity, because a big part of fitness in general is the ability to recover. We know a lot of athletes that crash and burn after the first couple minutes of workout because they're terrible at recovering and that means their fitness has a huge hole that would really get exposed in something like this.
16:58
Ashley works a very typical I call it eight to four, 38 to five, nine to five HR job and Karen is a nurse with like crazy hours of like a couple of days on, a couple of days off, but long, stressful shifts. I want to talk touch on this, because most people that are going to do a high rocks have something like this either job and or kids, where you don't, you're not free all day, every day, to train. I mean, wouldn't that be nice, nice, right? How did you guys manage the stress of managing career, family and training. Um, in regard to how much it did take, this took a lot of dedication for you guys, a lot of discipline.
17:38
You know ash, I mean, is not a morning person and she was waking up at seven on a sunday to go. I'm like who am I married to right now? Ash, can you touch on just advice? If you had a few people sitting in front of you right now saying like, hey, how did you do this with how busy you are, like what is like your baseline piece of advice for that? Because I know it can go layers and layers deep, but what should someone do that has so much going on but also wants to take something on like this?
Ashley SyvertsenGuest
18:03
I think the biggest part of this was being on a team. I think if I was on a solo it may not have been a priority, but because we were on a team, it was like, okay, we both have very busy schedules and Karen's got four kids and a job and you know her husband, mike, is a pastor. So Sundays are hard. We're obviously here most Saturdays for the gym, so we made it a priority. It wasn't really a question, it was every Sunday, whether I like to work out in the morning or not, it was a priority.
18:36
And I think that's what everybody needs to focus on. Is that if this is really what you want and you want to go in with a good plan and you know not excuse me for saying shit the bed the day of you know you want to go in with a good plan and you know not excuse me for saying shit the bed the day of you know you kind of have to plan and and make it a priority. And that's what we did made it a priority every sunday yeah, karen, when you sign up for this.
David SyvertsenHost
18:54
You got way listed. Then you got in with ashley. Um and this is very common and I have a feeling you didn't do this but a lot of people will sign up for something and be like, oh cool, I can't wait to be done. I'm like, well, hold on, hold on. When you sign up for something, you're signing up for a week's month of training and stress. Did you sign up knowing, hey, this is going to be tough to schedule but I'm going to make it work? Or did some things catch you off guard?
Keren McKinneyGuest
19:19
Not really. I love training. I love training for things I do. I love the process. I think, like you guys make a good team, Mike and I make a good team where we both support each other in athletic endeavors because we know it's important to us, it's important to both of us. It just creates like a good balance in our life for health's sake, for our kids' sake, for our kids to see us doing things like this it's important to us. So I think I ran it by Mike, but I can't remember actually, but I knew he would be. I kind of was like, well, he was going to do Asbury, so I want to do this. We've always kind of been like that. We've always supported each other in those areas. It's always a matter of all right, when are you going to work out? And then I'm going to go work out here. We always do that for each other because we know how important it is individually and then for both of us and for our family.
David SyvertsenHost
20:14
Yeah, the support system is huge, and support system is not always just who shows up on game day and claps their hands and takes videos of you and the really cool photos of the skier with the hair up in the air. That's not a support system, it's part of it. But the support system is who's there for the process. It's not a support system, it's part of it. But the support system is who's there for the process. And because I do think, as much as team oriented as this was with you and the group that you guys are doing it with, it's a very independent thing to have to yourself like you are, like a better person. When you get to work out, you are.
20:44
Sometimes I feel like I'm a smarter, harder worker, hard worker, um, when I have something to train for, because it's kind of like this all-encompassing lifestyle. Like you eat better, you don't drink as much, you try to get to bed, you try to focus on recovery, simply because of the high rocks race. But you add all these things together and I'm glad karen brought this up. As you know, you have kids that are looking at you and watching you do stuff and and that inspires me all the time. Not that I think Brock is actually as a five-year-old, watching us and be like, ooh, I want to be like that someday. But they see it's a part of your life. They see there's a process behind the race.
21:21
It's not just the race, and I do feel when a lot of people sign up for something, they're only thinking about the race, the Instagram pictures, all this stuff. But only thinking about the race, the Instagram pictures, all this stuff. But the weeks and months leading up to, I think, are where the gains are made and that's why I love that. You love the process, ash, you know. You know how, what Brock is to us. He's everything to us, do you? How often do you think about him and being a mother to him and being an example for him while you're doing all this hard stuff?
Ashley SyvertsenGuest
21:49
All the time. I mean, I think the best example and show was that you guys came and he was leaning over giving us high fives as we were going cheering us on. I think you even said he he no reps his strength.
22:04
He was saying that we were in first place, even though, clearly, if you guys have ever seen a high rocks race, there's no way to know who is in first or second. And he was upset when somebody beat us off the wall balls. And so he sees it, he sees us working hard and he you know, he's in the other room over there, as you guys probably hear in the background screaming and playing. But he sees the hard work that we do and he wants to come here and work out. So it's, it's a constant to show him that, hey, mom and dad love to do this and so can you yeah, it's awesome.
David SyvertsenHost
22:35
I love, like the, the holistic approach to these things, like there's so much more to it than just just the race itself. Um, so, time management, you guys, support system, everything here's something that we can't always anticipate either, but I want you to touch on it because I know ash was dealing with a couple things. Um, I don't know if she told you, karen, but pain management, right, just just. I don't want to call it being injured, but when you train hard for something, whether it's the open, the qualifiers or just crossfit in general, or actually something that you sign up for a race like this, it at some point you're probably going to deal with some some, some aches and pains. Karen, did you deal with any things? I know we can touch on some of the Ashley stuff, but did you have any kind of aches and pains that were unexpected during training for high rocks?
Keren McKinneyGuest
23:19
Um, I had in college. I had Achilles tendonitis um for two years and I hadn't dealt with it since. But, um, we did a 10 in november and I ran a very slow mile with my eight-year-old and since then it flared up um because I was running so slow.
23:37
Yeah, you weren't running like you normally do yeah, um, and so that I kind of had to manage that a little bit. Um, we actually I feel like we really didn't run that much for high rocks. Um, we did the MRF training and then we did like on Sundays, but I think that actually helped not running so much because I feel like my, like my Achilles would not have been able to take it and I know with, like your knee.
David SyvertsenHost
24:01
Yeah, ash's knee the couple of weeks before I started to really act up and you know she was actually pretty stressed about it two, three days before, and I can't tell you how common that is before any competition. Right, I have Asbury next week and I'm like, oh, this is starting to hurt, that's starting to hurt. But really you just get in your own head about some things and every little thing you kind of blow it up a little bit. But, Ash, you dealt with some of these stuff. What did you do to cope with some of the physical pain that you were experiencing leading up to the race?
Ashley SyvertsenGuest
24:28
Um, I cut back on the running, um, a couple of weeks going up into it, just because, after talking with you know, kayla, and my chiropractor, um, you know a lot of for me that was a lot of running that we were doing. Um, my knee just wasn't used to it. Um, so just cutting back on that doing extra. You know mobility stuff before, uh, you know we would work out and at the same time it wasn't something that was debilitating enough to be like Karen, I don't think we're going to do this. It was more of okay. We're just going to see how the day goes.
David SyvertsenHost
25:00
Did you have any pain during the race? Okay, so were you kind of limping around a little bit. Were you able to suck it up? Suck it up, okayuck it up. Cupcake Good, good, that's right, eric, that's right.
Keren McKinneyGuest
25:09
Eric, great answer.
David SyvertsenHost
25:11
So, yeah, let's continue talking about the race, because these are things I think people need to know the logistics of, like the travel, the people, the heat times, all this stuff Like it's an extra stressor that you don't want to have to experience. The day of you guys all drove in together it was on a Friday, which could have been a disaster, like with traffic going to the city. You guys got in super early. Maybe just touch on a little bit of what was the day like leading up to in terms of just what you brought in with you, what was annoying, what did you not bring that you wish you did bring for future reference for others?
Keren McKinneyGuest
25:51
Karen, do you want to touch on the water situation? Ashley? No, I thought it was super easy getting into the city I don't like driving into the city, like all of those like race day things so it was nice because I just hopped in the car and everybody else took care of it. So that was super easy. We got in really fast. We probably were there too early. Yes, like, but also we the girls we are with there, brittany and Katie their race time was a little earlier so we had to get in early, but even they were very early. So it was a lot of standing around, walking around, sitting, which I didn't like, and I like to work out in the morning too.
David SyvertsenHost
26:24
You actually came and worked out the morning of, didn't you?
Keren McKinneyGuest
26:29
No, just like mobilization to start jsf.
David SyvertsenHost
26:30
Yeah, you were, I wanted to yeah, you guys went let's touch on this, uh, because I think this impacts what we're talking about right now. Ash, when you guys signed up, did you sign up for a day, a heat time, a division and when did you find out when you were actually going? Like, I actually kind of forget. Did you guys sign up for friday or you signed up for a division and then they told you what time you were going?
Ashley SyvertsenGuest
26:52
no, we purposely signed up for friday, friday race um, but then they don't give you your heat time until three days before, right, so I?
David SyvertsenHost
27:01
think that's really important for a lot of people to know. My brother and I we kind of got screwed there in dallas, um, where we were. We signed up for a certain division and we found a day and we found out that we were racing at like 7 45 PM at night and that just was not going to work for us because of other plans down there. So that's something that I think everyone needs to do some research on. That. If you go are in a certain division on a certain day, you probably have an approximate like pm or am time of day where you're gonna go. Um, so I that the girls open division, you guys, what were, what were your heat times? Karen? What? What time did you start?
Keren McKinneyGuest
27:39
we were right at five so 5 pm?
David SyvertsenHost
27:41
yeah, all right. So that that's. That's, if you're not used to working out at night, you might have to work out at night, and that that's something that I think a lot of people need to pay attention to, because everyone I've talked to that's on a high rocks race. They it's almost they don't know that going in, that you're not getting your heat time until a few days before and you need to pretty much keep the entire day open yeah, I think when we actually signed up it actually gave like a 7 30 start time for us.
Keren McKinneyGuest
28:07
But then when we actually got our, then we got like we were gonna go somewhere between 3 30 and 5 30 and then three days before we got the 5 pm what was the water situation there, karen?
28:16
there was no water, we walked. I think we walked um like 5 000 steps looking for water, because I had my watch on, so we ended up walking the whole venue and then we had to go back out of the venue and go to a street cart to buy water yeah, something to pay attention to, like that game day nutrition.
David SyvertsenHost
28:36
You know I'm all big on hydration, uh, for a lot of reasons, and I feel like if you're thirsty day of it's a little too late. Hydration starts 48 to 72 hours before at at least, if not more. It's got to be a part of your, your recovery routine. I hate when people say I'm thirsty, I'm dehydrated, I should start drinking water. You're too late at that point, especially if it's game day. Um, so the hydration part of it is something that everyone people need to think about day of with, like what you're eating and drinking in the days of the up to, but bring extra fluids with you, no matter what. I think any comp or race you sign up for, that's got to be something that's in front and center, because those things that have mass events I mean there's 20,000 people racing up these things on the spectators. Even if they did have water, assume it's going to run out. Ashton, what was the bathroom situation like?
Ashley SyvertsenGuest
29:23
uh, bathrooms were fine. They had um bathrooms I guess in the front of the venue bathrooms, orrooms or or porta-potties.
David SyvertsenHost
29:31
Porta-potties? Okay, porta-potties, just important to know.
Ashley SyvertsenGuest
29:34
Another perk of going on day one, I felt like they were cleaner. That's weird, yeah. But the one downfall of that was I think I even said to Karen I was like I have to go to the bathroom before we race and you have to go outside of like the internal area where there's like the athlete corral and where all the spectators are um and that can take you to the transition, because you're going over the race course. Um can take you, you know, 10-15 minutes to do so. You kind of have to plan accordingly. So it would have been nice for them to have even just an athlete bathroom area inside I agree, yeah, there there's.
David SyvertsenHost
30:10
Uh without talking too much into this because it's not as relevant for people that's signing up but all the bath there there's inside the track and outside the track. If you're an athlete, you have to be inside the track probably at least my guess is 20 30 minutes before your race just to get a good warm-up in and and be ready to rock on time. If you got to go to the bathroom at some of these races, you have to leave that track and to leave and come back in the track. It can actually take 20 minutes because and I don't want to explain the science and the reasoning behind it, but just assume that if you're one of those nervous peers before the workout a wear a diaper or assume that you're going to have to go out there out and leave the floor and give yourself 20 to 30 minutes, not five. You know, at a normal gym or crossFit competition, give yourself a couple minutes to go to the bathroom and come back. It's not going to happen at something like this. So that wasn't like that in Dallas. But just be mindful that getting in and out of these things is not a quick open the door, walkthrough type thing. Especially it's just getting bigger and bigger. Speaking of that, just the logistics Are you guys impressed with, like High Rocks, the logistics?
31:12
I mean, everything was pretty, I would say, very on time. How impressed by the operation were you, karen, of being an athlete and you need some sort of reliability once you get the schedule lined up from them that things are going to be on time. The warm-up area Were you impressed by everything? Was there anything you wish you had more of other than the water bathroom situation?
Keren McKinneyGuest
31:33
Yeah, I thought it was awesome. It was such a cool venue. I thought they did such a good job. I mean, they had heats going every 10 minutes. It was crazy. The one thing and we could touch on this is I wish they had a walking lane for the people who are walking, because it was really hard dodging and weaving people the whole time and especially because when you're in doubles there's I was talking to Alondra about this there's double the amount of people. Yep, you do.
David SyvertsenHost
32:00
Ash, I mean, did you not that you would not, that I would ever assume that you would get in like a road rage fight or anything like that? Were there any? Was there any hostility with other teams? Because, again, we raced too and we had a couple guys that were getting pretty upset about. When you walk, you should not be on the inside, just like when you're driving on a highway, on a two-lane highway, you should not be driving slow in the left lane Just out of respect for others. But there's also people that are really competing, they're actually racing, and it's annoying when you have people walking. When you had people walking, laughs and hey, if you gotta walk, you gotta walk, but get to the freaking outside. Did what? Was there any sort of hostility? Was it a community feel? Was it a competitive feel? What was it like there?
Ashley SyvertsenGuest
32:36
I think it was definitely community feel. I think the only time that it was. I mean it was annoying to try and weave in and out, especially as a doubles, because you're like, okay, you go and then I'll follow you and catch up. But there was a time during the race was I probably halfway through our race the guys started going individual Pro men yeah, and Karen had yelled because at one point I almost got trucked by some guy, but they were yelling, the guys doing the pro. They were like move on your right, like get out of the way. But I feel like for the rest of us, the female doubles, it was fine. I feel like there needed to be a little bit more knowledge within the team to be like, hey, we may be doing this for fun, but we should probably move.
David SyvertsenHost
33:22
Yeah, I would love for them to maybe just put signs throughout the track and just say hey, if you're walking, move to the left. Just say hey, if you're walking, move to the left. Because I was there, obviously watching with Brock and the level of intensity in the entire area it changed when the pro men went off, because those guys are actually racing for competitive aspirations. It's almost like putting the CrossFit Games heat in the middle of a CrossFit Open heat. You don't want to criticize these guys for yelling because the inside position does matter for them and they're fast. They run these things in 3.30, 4 minutes and some of them are big boys too. Yeah, and they will Like.
34:01
I was laughing telling some people about it that they were running through girls' shoulders that were walking on the inside and I was laughing. I, I'm like, but if one of them did that to you guys, I probably would have hopped over and begin being like. So it is funny and I do think that it's tough to blend and we experience this here at the gym. Community with sport, community with performance, everyone is allowed to approach it the way they want to, but they can rub each other the wrong way and I think that if you clearly set parameters for like, hey, if you're walking, you're obviously not here for competitive reasons. Get all as far out to the outside as possible, and I think that's a very reasonable ask, but it can come across as offensive.
Ashley SyvertsenGuest
34:40
So I wonder if there's a way that they could do since again this was a three-day thing that they could do a pro day yeah where all the pro heats go in one day, so that they're all there for the same reason and the people that are doing this more for fun and fitness can go on other days. So it doesn't hinder, you know, anybody's experience or times.
David SyvertsenHost
35:02
I'm sure they've talked about that. All right, so let's talk about this. What was your, karen? What was your biggest fear? Heading into High Locks and what happened to that fear Like? What was there biggest fear heading into High Locks and what happened to that fear Like? Was there anything you were most worried about? It could be performance. It could be, you know, hitting traffic on the way in what was like the the pier sinking. All right, and the pier didn't sink. Was there anything about the rate? Or it could be movement. Like what movement were you most concerned by? Like what? What ended up happening there? Because I'm really curious to hear what athletes like you know you're a very high level athlete and I want others to know like you have your little fears and anxieties too. What was what happened to the fear and what was it? You weren't afraid of everything, huh.
Keren McKinneyGuest
35:50
Well, can I? Actually? I'll probably go a different way with this question, that's OK. This was so nice for me because I wasn't nervous and like I kept telling Ashley like I don't care what happens. I really didn't care what happened because, as you call me, I'm a I'm a stressed out crossfitter.
David SyvertsenHost
36:07
I don't like I wish she's never gonna let me forget no, because I am.
Keren McKinneyGuest
36:11
Uh, it was really nice to just be calm and excited before the race and not feel like I was gonna puke that's awesome.
David SyvertsenHost
36:18
Um, okay, so let me build on it. Then can you apply that to your crossfit training, or do? Or? Do you think it's not possible? And be honest, it's okay.
Keren McKinneyGuest
36:25
I don't know. Okay, because CrossFit is more individual, yeah, but with the team you're I don't know. It just like felt like we could work off of each other, and that was the other thing. Where I really liked doing it with the team was that there were times in the race when we were I wanted to walk because I was so tired, but you're not going to. I was like I'm not going to walk because Ashley's not going to walk and I knew you weren't going to walk, so I can't walk Right.
David SyvertsenHost
36:48
Ashley? What was your biggest fear, Conan? So I think you had a list of.
Keren McKinneyGuest
36:53
Sorry.
Ashley SyvertsenGuest
36:55
Maybe that's why Karen had no fear, because they were all mine. You took it all yourself.
David SyvertsenHost
36:59
They were all mine, obviously, I think my biggest thing was having a panic attack and just feeling overwhelmed. I do that to myself.
Ashley SyvertsenGuest
37:24
You were a little nervous morning of too, everyone just get in the car. So I think that was probably my first. But I think working with Karen I think you know that was one of the things she said leading up to the whole week was don't worry, if you decide two minutes before that you don't want to do this, then we don't do this and we just have a great day at the pier. That, I think, was my first biggest fear and then after that it was that my knee was going to really hinder my running and Karen was probably going to be running or walking next to me as I was trying to trudge through. But other than that I felt very comfortable and I think that's why I didn't have total fear the day of was because Karen was so understanding and was like, hey, we're just having fun, we're just going to do fun, we're just going to work out. So it kind of took the fears away. I think I would have been a hot mess if I was individual, having those thoughts in my head.
David SyvertsenHost
38:12
Yeah, who you do it with. It means everything, obviously, and I think that's pretty well understood. We get that here on a Saturday at Bison, like who am I partnered with? It's going to make or break my Saturday. It's going to make or break my Saturday. It's going to make or break my workout and it gets you know you overreact to that kind of stuff a little bit.
38:29
But I would say if you are on a team, you can think deeper than just who is your partner. I think you can think about what you can do good or bad for the person that's partnered with you. So let's say you're a faster runner God forbid than the person that you're with. You have an opportunity there to really make or break someone's experience. And I'll tell you what. There's some people that should not compete on teams because they're just not good at thinking of having empathy for someone else right, like really understanding what someone else is going through, what they're thinking. They're just so focused on competing and performance and, honestly, you are a really good person set up to compete individually.
39:13
I think that's a lot of people want to do these things with a partner because it's more fun. But if you're with the wrong partner, it can make it a terrible experience, and I think anytime you sign up as a team or partner, you have to take it on as a responsibility that it's no longer about you and it's no longer just about your time. You really have to make it a positive experience for someone else. What was something that you were really proud about Because, karen, you're proud about the mindset going in, staying relaxed, staying calm Was there something that came from doing hot rocks that you look back on like man I'm? I'm proud of that, and I either overcame that or I learned this about myself you want to go first, ash?
39:56
I'm trying to think and don't be afraid, like you guys both have pride and it's okay to talk like about you're about because I want again. There's people listening to this that are on the fence of wanting to do this next year. Was there something that you just like you did and like wow, like that was really a really cool part that I'm proud that I got got this done. I was able to do it.
Ashley SyvertsenGuest
40:16
I'm proud that I was able to run the entire thing yeah. You thought thing yeah, you thought you were gonna be walking for a lot. I would slow, karen down a lot, which I may have. She didn't make me feel that way, which is great, thanks, um. But yeah, I think running and training I'm really proud of the work that I put in there to hang on that's awesome okay yeah, I think I'm um, probably just proud of the the race like I thought it was like we had so much fun together.
Keren McKinneyGuest
40:40
You guys are small the whole time. Yeah, you didn't walk. There are definitely things. I I'm probably just proud of the race Like I thought it was like we had so much fun together.
David SyvertsenHost
40:44
You guys were small the whole time.
Keren McKinneyGuest
40:45
Yeah, you didn't walk. There are definitely things I wish I had done better and we can work on that for next year.
David SyvertsenHost
40:53
Trading has begun? Yes, and any other experiences or stories from the day? You know we'll wrap this up in a couple minutes, but are there any stories, experiences from the day that you just like it kind of just stands out in your mind that I haven't asked about um again. We'll start off with ash, like karen, think a little bit over there, but was there anything that just man, like when you look back on this months from now, like I have a few things with my brother, that I'm looking from dallas and even what I just did did with Rams and that it just a really cool component to it? Was there anything about the day that you were like, wow, that was that was sick, that was a really cool experience.
Ashley SyvertsenGuest
41:30
I mean I think the race in general was just at the end. When we got to the wall balls I was like, oh my gosh, we're here, like we're done. We're almost there, we can do it. Karen told me right before she's like I'm not going for the 100 wall balls, which was unfortunate, make it anything. That yeah, I kept telling her weeks leading up. I was like you know, you get the yellow flag and a badge if you do 100. And then, as we were running to the wall, she's like I'm not doing 100 wall because I died on the burpee. Broad jumps, that's why okay?
41:59
but I was know fine with doing ball balls. At that point, I think the just the thing that sticks out in my mind just makes me chuckle is at the very, very end, when you're done and you're like, ok, we're running to the finish line, or anyone who knows us knows that that's true. I literally reached over and I grabbed her hand and I was like you are holding my hand as we run through this and it was awesome to run through and like, yes, we did this. That was an awesome feeling at the end.
David SyvertsenHost
42:35
Karen, is there a standout experience from you? Is it just the end being done? You know, smile on your face. What was the standout experience for you?
Keren McKinneyGuest
42:45
Yeah, I mean mean the end was, the end was awesome. You like feel terrible and then all of a sudden you feel incredible. It's just like such a cool low and then high, I think probably the like what I said the the burpee broad jumps run, or the row run burpee broad jumps run, that was a low and I think getting through that, um, and then realizing I think we only had two runs left, like that was, yeah, you could like keep going.
David SyvertsenHost
43:09
It's a great feeling and you know you're like in the home stretch yeah, we are counting down the laps right, um, wrap this up. What's next for you guys? You know, ashley, I already know where karen's head's at.
Ashley SyvertsenGuest
43:22
Uh I'm apparently doing this again next year.
David SyvertsenHost
43:26
Yeah, Karen, I'll save you for last on this because there's a couple of directions you're going in here. But, Ash, what's next for you? Is this something you'll do again? Do you do it individual? Do you guys go to the pro division Like where's your head at with this, or is it like, hey, let's next for you in regard to High Rocks?
Ashley SyvertsenGuest
43:44
Well, as I said earlier, Karen, day one after the race had already been like here's, look at this cute outfit we could do so she knows how to bait me into doing this. So I told her I was like I will not be offended if you choose another partner and she was like nope, we're going. So, whether we travel, we said it would be fun to do, maybe like a girl's trip to travel somewhere, but I think logistically for us, family-wise and with the kids, I think it is easier to do in New York City.
David SyvertsenHost
44:13
Yeah, you don't trust your husband's own with the kids.
Ashley SyvertsenGuest
44:16
Which you want to be home with, let's get us. But I think, you know, I think most likely I'll be doing it again next year.
David SyvertsenHost
44:24
All right, it's on tape. Karen and Ash are going to be doing this again. Maybe New York City after, but without pro.
Ashley SyvertsenGuest
44:30
Oh boy, I'll just let Karen sign us up, I think.
Keren McKinneyGuest
44:33
I don't realize the differences. To be honest, I'm still figuring this out. Yeah, because we thought we were doing pro weights.
David SyvertsenHost
44:40
Okay, it's essentially heavier um. The running's the same for everyone, but you're because we train pro weights, I think yeah did?
Ashley SyvertsenGuest
44:46
we definitely the lunges yeah yeah, the lunges we did because we didn't have a lighter bag I think you guys would be fine with the it's.
David SyvertsenHost
44:55
It comes down to the sled, I think the split sharrons, that's up.
Ashley SyvertsenGuest
44:57
Well, that's another thing. The sled. The sled was our hardest thing because it was so wet, people, that it rained, that the sled was not moving at all at all all right.
David SyvertsenHost
45:09
So, karen, you know there's usually one of two mindsets that people have when they're done with the race or competition. Some people are like screw this, I'm out for a month, like don't talk to me, and then others are like the next day they're writing down splits, trying to figure out how to beat it next time. You are definitely the latter, but in addition to that, um, do you, are you still thinking? Crossfit sport, crossfit, competing legends qualifiers are coming up in a month. Um, how do you shift gears between training for high rocks and training for cross, because they are different training regimens well, I think, um, think, um.
Keren McKinneyGuest
45:42
I think the running aspect. I think the running aspect of CrossFit only helps or, I'm sorry, of high rocks only helps me in CrossFit. So I feel like for the next whatever six months I'll just keep doing my running. I try to run like once a week because I do feel like it gives me such a boost in my CrossFit workouts.
David SyvertsenHost
46:01
It's the best way to improve your conditioning. Yeah, do you feel weaker? Do you feel less skilled because you had so much focus on it? Because it's not like you stopped CrossFitting. You were still CrossFitting four or five days a week, doing a lot of some extra work. But do you feel like you need to kind of hone in on some skills? Do you feel you lost some strength or not really?
Keren McKinneyGuest
46:26
I mean my need help, but like I was laughing with Maritza because I missed my front, squat PR by five pounds and she was like, oh too much running Nice, yeah, so we were joking about that a lot.
46:33
But no, I mean I I am all in on CrossFit, like I really like Tyrax, because it was a break mentally for me and I just had fun with it. Um, and, like I said before, I just love, I love challenging myself and it was a good challenge. Um, so to do it again next year and know that it's just like a fun thing that we can do together. I love that, um, and for it to only enhance, like the crossfit workouts.
David SyvertsenHost
46:58
it's yeah, and this is a cool, fun, uh, a fun thing to have in your scope, kind of like makes you go for that extra run, makes you focus on lunges differently, or your lower body strength for the sled pushes, or your upper body strength for the sled pulls. I just I love having something in the scope to make you a little bit more concentrated during workouts, especially when you get into a grind of just going back and forth all day between work, kids, family, all that stuff. All right. So, guys, I'm going to wrap it up. Thank you so much, aaron.
47:27
Sorry, karen and Ashley for coming on Heard Fit to talk about High Rocks Partner. Next week we're going to have an episode with an athlete that did it individually, so kind of the same church, different pew kind of thing. Really looking forward to watching you guys do this next year. I'd be shocked if you guys don't shatter your time, because now that you have something to beat and know what the day is like, the race is like, I think you're just going to be going at a much higher speed and I'm really looking forward to it.
Keren McKinneyGuest
47:51
Awesome Thanks.
David SyvertsenHost
47:52
All right, thank you girls. See you next week, guys. Thank you everybody for taking the time out of your day to listen to the Herd Fit Podcast. Be on the lookout for next week's episode.
