Gabriella Moriarty has moved fast through HYROX. The Elite 15 Doubles qualifier and mixed doubles age group world champion sat down with us for a detailed conversation about running, resilience and the training that has reshaped her career. Her journey runs from steeplechase and marathon racing to one of the most dramatic Elite 15 doubles races of the 25/26 season.
Running Roots and Early Development
Gabby grew up in athletics. Coaches pushed her toward middle distance from a young age, and she thrived in events like the 1500m and eventually the steeplechase, reaching British and Midland championships. She carried that through university, where she trained alongside top athletes and even worked as a body double for Jessica Ennis during a Santander commercial shoot.
She later shifted to road racing, running a 3:23 debut marathon before improving to 2:56 with structured coaching. Eventually, the motivation faded but HYROX reignited that spark by offering challenge, novelty and strength work she hadn’t experienced in years.
Injuries, Strength Work and Rebuilding Durability
Gabby dealt with a long list of injuries across her twenties including stress fractures, ligament damage, and Achilles issues. A shift toward strength, plyometrics and hybrid training stabilised her body and allowed her to train consistently again. That durability has formed the base of her HYROX progression.
Breakthrough in HYROX Doubles
Her partnership with Zara Piergianni goes back to their university days. They reconnected through Strive and later committed to doubles racing. Their Elite 15 debut in Hamburg turned into one of the wildest races of the year: a 60 second penalty haul, a frantic late surge, and a tense wait before securing third place. Gabby described staying calm under pressure, relying on instinct, and trusting their chemistry as a pair.
That chemistry goes beyond communication. She says the key is removing ego, knowing each other’s strengths, and working as a true unit.
Training Philosophy and High-End Sessions
Gabby trains under coach Lauren Calvert, whose programming mixes running quality with varied plyometrics, strength and high-intensity station work. Her weekly running sits around 50 to 55 km, with threshold work in the 3:40 to 3:50 per km range and faster track pieces around 3:20 pace.
Doubles prep involves sharper, shorter, more explosive work. She gave examples like 500 m at 3:25-3:30 pace straight into sled push lengths with short rest, repeated for multiple sets.
Her burpee development has been extreme too. She now completes weekly blocks that can total around 400 reps, mixing multiple variations to maintain technique and avoid overuse injuries. It has turned a weakness into a genuine strength.
Mindset Under Pressure
Gabby’s pre-race routine is intense. She shuts out noise, avoids conversation entirely, and locks into silence. She attributes this to discipline learned in childhood and says it helps her control nerves and focus on the discomfort to come. On course, she relies heavily on positive self-talk and years of experience “putting herself in the trenches”.
Coaching Others and Staying Grounded
As a coach, she prioritises running fundamentals before layered compromise work. She often tells clients that random high-intensity sessions won’t produce results. The sport rewards repetition of the basics, not novelty. She adapts training around each athlete’s background, time available and performance history.
Hero, Hardship, Highlight
Gabby closed by sharing her Hero, Hardship and Highlight:
- Hero: Her Nonna, who survived childhood trauma in rural Italy, migrated to England with no English, and built a life through resilience and courage.
- Hardship: Supporting someone close to her living with incurable ovarian cancer, which reshaped Gabby’s perspective on gratitude and competing while healthy.
- Highlight: Winning the Mixed Doubles World Championships in Chicago alongside her partner David, with her parents watching on in tears.
To check out the full interview, watch below or listen on the Rox Lyfe podcast…
