At just 24 years old, Charlie Botterill has become one of the hottest names in HYROX. After clocking a 54-minute Pro time and establishing himself in both the Elite singles and doubles fields, he’s gone all-in – quitting his job to focus fully on the sport and prove what he can do when everything is built around performance.
Full-time Commitment
After the 2025 World Championships in Chicago, Charlie made the decision to go full time in the sport. He’d saved enough to give himself six months to make it work – and it has. Since then, he’s trained with clearer structure, recovered more intentionally, and learned the value of switching fully off when he’s not training. As he puts it: “When I’m training, it’s on. When I need to recover, it’s off.”
Smarter Training
Botterill trains more like an athlete now. His weeks average around 23 hours of training, with the majority spent in low-intensity zones on the bike, StairMaster and elliptical to build volume without impact. The strength work is functional and explosive – think cross-body kettlebell swings, band-loaded presses, and trap-bar deadlifts – movements that carry effectively into HYROX performance. Every exercise has a purpose.
He’s also refined how he builds toward races. Rather than pushing hard every week, he uses what he calls the “pulling the carrot” approach – a concept borrowed from the Ingebrigtsens. Go all-in too often and you burn out; time it right and you get the best growth from each peak. For Hamburg and the races that followed, he peaked once, then rode that fitness through a three-week block of races without ever tipping over the edge.
Numbers Behind the Engine
Botterill’s engine comes from years of cycling – he once raced professionally in France – and it shows. His latest FTP test on the Concept2 bike averaged 411 watts for 20 minutes, a personal best even compared to his cycling days. Running sessions are built around controlled threshold work: sets like 10×4 minutes at 3:20 pace with short walk recoveries, mainly on the Assault Runner to reduce impact.
Mindset and Resilience
For Charlie, HYROX has become more than competition – it’s a way to stay mentally and physically balanced. After earlier battles with eating disorders and depression, he now values routine, community, and perspective. When a race hurts, he reminds himself: “I get to do this. Being able to choose my discomfort is a privilege.”
Even when faced with penalties or criticism, he stays measured – seeing each experience as part of a young sport finding its way. That composure has become part of his identity on the HYROX floor.
To check out the full interview, watch below or listen on the Rox Lyfe Podcast.
