From muscles to marathons: how Jake Dearden is shattering expectations
Dearden and Dean, a HYROX machine
© Baptiste Fauchille/Red Bull Content Pool
Hey Jake. How did you first get into fitness before you discovered HYROX?
HYROX is taking the fitness community by storm. How did you first hear about it?
I think it was January 2022, when a couple of the other personal trainers said ‘Oh, we're gonna go give this event a go.’ They came back absolutely buzzing about it. They said it was amazing. Shortly afterwards, a few more lads from the gym went to an event in London which was even bigger and they said I should have a go.
I ended up going to an event in October 2022 at Birmingham NEC arena. I came first in my age group and I saw the potential. I knew it was going to take off because it’s so well run and as a spectator you can watch it from start to finish. It isn’t like a marathon where you go to see someone and maybe just spot them a few times; in HYROX you can watch it all.
The conveyor belt system for the athletes is so good. You can sign up, be there on time and then go about your day within two and a half hours, total. It isn’t like CrossFit where you’re there all day.
Best of all, there’s a very low entry level, so 99 percent of people can train for it in 12 weeks and be able to complete a HYROX .
Jake Dearden hopes to hit the 2h 30m mark at the Berlin Marathon
© Baptiste Fauchille/Red Bull Content Pool
Why do you think hybrid training is so important?
Hybrid workouts take training away from just training for aesthetics. I think people can get into that rut of training to look good, but doing something performance-based like HYROX can take that pressure off. Look at bodybuilders working out and dieting to extremes for just one day. HYROX doesn’t have that. In hybrid training, aesthetics is a by-product and the focus is improving strength and fitness in a perfect balance. Basically, hard work wins at the end of the day.
It’s a very communal experience, too. What does that mean to you?
Community is why a lot of people come into the fitness industry in the first place, and why they stay. HYROX is just super positive compared to other industries. Everyone wants the best for each other. It's good for your mental health, it's good for your physical health, to have that competition and to be able to go into a gym with friends. Or to travel abroad to competitions with new friends you’ve met along the way. It just pushes you a little bit more when you’re around like-minded people.
Do you usually train alone, or do you train with Marc Dean, your HYROX Doubles partner?
I do train with Marc quite a lot. We try and get in a session at least once a week together. But obviously the schedule is different to mine. I’d recommend it for anyone getting started, just so you can get to know each other’s strengths and weaknesses and work on that together, instead of finding out you’re a bit of a mismatch in a competition.
Apart from that, I do work with a CrossFit coach. HYROX hasn’t been around that long, but my coach has 14 years’ worth of experience and is able to help me work on all the basics to help me get better at HYROX. Until about 12 months ago, I had a program for myself and did all my own training, but now having a coach gives me a little bit more guidance.
As for running, I love to run with a group of people so I’ve joined my local athletics club to do middle distance running with them.
Michael 'Sandy' Sandbach, the WC silver medallist, recently joined your 24/7 squad. What dynamics has Sandy brought to the team?
It’s going to be a really positive experience. He's 39 so he’s older than me and I can learn a lot from him. I can look up to him and he's a super nice guy as well.
The 24/7 community is a massive factor for me, in terms of motivation. No one is bothered, but I put pressure on myself when I’m working out with other people. It pushes me and when I'm training hard then I'm helping other people, and inspiring other people. So having that community with Sandy and others is really good.
HYROX competitions pull in athletes of all ability levels
© Baptiste Fauchille/Red Bull Content Pool
You’ve had an incredible career to date. How do you explain that determination to succeed at these very difficult challenges?
I do love a challenge. I think it comes down to analysing absolutely everything. A lot of people think HYROX is pretty simple, that it’s just eight different exercises with some running, but each one of them is a sport on its own. You can study each one, plus things like your recovery methods. I love the science behind it, and how to be the best athlete I can. And I think I do that quite well.
My main drive is to inspire other people. When I’m in a dark place in competition, I think about all the people watching, all the people that have made the journey to come to support me. You can’t let them down. I know some people have deeper motivations, but if I can inspire someone to think, ‘Well, he can do all of these exercises, maybe I can do one’ then that’s great.
You’re aiming to run this year’s Berlin marathon in 2h 30m. You’ve had pushback because you’re so muscular and don’t have a typical runner’s build. What’d been your response?
I’m doing this because I analysed my weaknesses in HYROX and realised some other athletes are better at running. The marathon was extreme enough for me to have a specific goal, rather than just generally working on my running.
If I can do it, I'll be up there with the best in the world, but I am doing it for HYROX , and HYROX is my priority.
People have told me I can’t do it, that they’ve spent their whole lives training for that time. Some are even insulted that I said I’m going to do it, but it’s all just fuel for the fire.
Lastly, where do you hope to see HYROX go in the future?
I want to see it taught in schools as part of the PE [Physical Education] curriculum as well, because it promotes training and hard work. Most school sports like cross country are solo sports, so it would be good to focus on team sports too. HYROX is its own education: it can help prepare you for any sport. I'm a massive advocate. I really, really, really want to see it in the Olympics, too.