Elli Stenfors is a HYROX Elite 15 athlete, physiotherapist, and coach who has climbed rapidly towards the top of the sport despite limited race experience and no traditional running background. With just a handful of races under her belt, she has, at the time of writing, already posted a 61-minute PB in the Pro division and finished 7th in her Elite 15 debut in Melbourne.
In this episode of the Rox Lyfe podcast, Elli shares how she has built elite-level HYROX performance through smart training decisions, strong self-awareness, and a willingness to trust feel over data…
From Swimming and CrossFit to HYROX
Elli’s sporting background began in competitive swimming, where she developed a deep aerobic base and strong work ethic from a young age. After years in the pool, she transitioned into CrossFit, competing at a high level in Finland before eventually shifting her focus away from the sport.
While CrossFit gave her strength, skills, and resilience, HYROX proved to be a better long-term fit. It allowed her to combine endurance with strength without the heavy technical lifting demands that she says never quite suited her.
Racing Without a Traditional Running Background
One of the most striking parts of Elli’s story is her lack of formal running history. She has never raced a standalone 5km or 10km and completed her first marathon as part of an Ironman. Even now, she does not train or race using a GPS watch, pace targets, or heart rate data.
Instead, Elli races entirely by feel. She pushes until the effort feels uncomfortable, eases when needed, and trusts her understanding of her body to guide decisions. This approach has allowed her to perform consistently at a high level without becoming overly dependent on numbers.
Training Structure and Weekly Focus
Elli typically trains twice per day while working full time, keeping sessions efficient and purposeful. Her running volume generally sits between 50 and 80 kilometres per week, with most of that work done at an easy, aerobic intensity to stay injury-free.
High-intensity work comes primarily from ergs such as the SkiErg, rower, and bike, rather than fast running intervals. This allows her to build fitness without aggravating a previous knee injury that limits how much speed work she can tolerate.
Strength training is still a major part of her routine. Elli continues to lift heavy with low rep ranges, alongside some hypertrophy work, to maintain confidence and capability across the HYROX stations.
Wall Balls, Mindset, and Mental Tricks
Wall balls are one of Elli’s strongest stations, and her approach is almost entirely mental. Rather than thinking about the full set, she focuses on small targets, telling herself she can stop after just one more rep. More often than not, those one-more-rep decisions add up to long unbroken sets.
She also emphasises the importance of staying calm when things go wrong. In Melbourne, unexpected no-reps forced her to adapt mid-race, reset mentally, and keep moving forward without panic.
Why She Trains and Competes
For Elli, racing is secondary to the process. Training is what truly drives her. She enjoys the daily routine, the challenge of improving, and the satisfaction of doing hard things well.
Races serve as checkpoints rather than the sole objective. They confirm whether the work is paying off and provide opportunities to test herself under pressure. That mindset has helped her progress quickly while avoiding burnout.
To check out the full interview, watch below or listen on the Rox Lyfe podcast.
