At RoxOpt, we love data. But as much as we rely on it to unlock insights and improve performance, data must be interpreted wisely. Misreading metrics can lead athletes to train the wrong things, celebrate the wrong milestones, or chase numbers that don’t actually matter.

Here are three of the most common HYROX data analysis mistakes we see and how to avoid them.

1. Evaluating Run Performance Without the Roxzone

Many athletes assess their run performance using total run time alone. At RoxOpt, we always evaluate run plus roxzone time together. While the data is broken out in our reports, these segments are inseparable when it comes to performance.

Let’s say two athletes have a 35-minute total run time. At first glance, they look evenly matched. But one athlete had a 3-minute roxzone while the other took 5.5 minutes. That’s a huge difference.

The longer roxzone may reveal slower transitions, a drop in running intensity between stations, or an inefficient recovery. One of the most important mindset shifts in HYROX is this:

The roxzone is not a rest. It’s part of the run.

Also, the run plus roxzone is 8.7 km and makes it much easier to compare course to course. Not all course runs are exactly 8 km and not all roxzones are exactly 0.7 km but all run + roxzones are 8.7 km.

2. Assuming Station Time = Training Importance

It might seem intuitive to estimate a station’s importance by dividing the time spent on it by your total race time but this can be misleading when deciding how to prioritize training.

Time does not equal intensity.

For example, 4.5 minutes on the rower is not the same as 4.5 minutes on wall balls. The physiological demands are completely different. An untrained athlete may lose only 20 seconds on the rower but could give up 3 to 4 minutes if they’re unprepared for wall balls.

Data is helpful for identifying high-impact areas, but context is everything.

3. Chasing Station Personal Bests at All Costs

It’s exciting to hit a station PR during a race — but not if it wrecks your overall time.

For example, setting a 30 second personal best on burpee broad jumps isn’t worth it if it leads to a 1-minute crash on the next run. A gain at one station isn’t smart racing if it comes at the cost of a full-race blowup.

Yes, personal bests often accompany an overall HYROX PR. But if they don’t and your total time is slower, it could be a sign of poor pacing rather than real progress.

Win the race, not the split.