If you spend much time around the East Cobb, Roswell or Alpharetta fitness communities, there is a good chance you have heard the name Ryne Sullivan.
If you are into CrossFit, you may know him as a high-level coach who has worked with serious athletes in one of the most competitive corners of the sport. If you are a runner, you may know him as someone who went from “pretty good runner by CrossFit standards” to Boston Marathon qualifier. If you are HYROX-curious, which increasingly seems to describe half the fitness world, you may know him as one of the local voices who can explain the sport without making it sound like a secret society with sleds.
And if you do not know Ryne yet, you will have a great chance to fix that on July 18 at 12:00pm at Big Peach Running Co. East Cobb, when he leads our upcoming event: How to HYROX.
From Baseball to Coaching
Ryne’s story starts with baseball, which makes sense once you learn he was named after Ryne Sandberg. Baseball was not just a childhood sport for him. It was a lens for understanding effort, failure, repetition and resilience.
As Ryne put it, baseball is a game of failure. Even the best players in history were unsuccessful most of the time. That reality teaches a useful lesson: if you want to get better, you have to do a lot of mundane things well, stay steady when the results do not come immediately and keep showing up anyway.
That mindset eventually followed him into coaching.
Ryne played baseball at Sewanee, The University of the South, where he was an outfielder and pitcher before injury shifted his role. During college, he earned his CrossFit Level 1 certification and began shadowing coaches at CrossFit NOLA in New Orleans. Soon, he was writing training programs for teammates who needed more structure. Unknown to him, this was the beginning of an unanticipated journey.
After graduating in 2012, Ryne planned to become a teacher. He was in graduate school at the University of New Orleans when CrossFit NOLA offered him a management and head coaching role. Teaching’s loss became functional fitness’s gain.
The CrossFit NOLA Years
CrossFit NOLA was not a tiny garage gym with a pull-up rig and a dream. At the time, it had three locations, roughly 600 members and a deep coaching staff. It was one of the biggest CrossFit gyms on the Gulf Coast.
That environment gave Ryne something every developing coach needs: repetition. Lots of athletes, classes and personalities. And lots of problems to solve.
His breakthrough came partly through opportunity and partly through what he did with it. CrossFit NOLA was located near major medical centers and universities, which brought in a steady stream of talented, driven athletes. Ryne worked with former professional athletes, athletes with Division I backgrounds and serious competitors. Eventually, he helped coach a team aiming for high-level CrossFit competition, which built his reputation and opened the door to more performance-focused coaching.
But Ryne is quick to point out that coaching is not just programming.
A program is sets, reps, paces and percentages. Coaching is the relationship. It is knowing when to push, when to back off and when the spreadsheet is technically correct but completely wrong for the human standing in front of you.
Ryne’s coaching philosophy starts with something refreshingly simple: he cares. That may sound soft until you realize it is actually the hard part. Writing workouts is easy compared to paying attention.
Running Arrived Late, Then Moved Fast
Running did not become a central part of Ryne’s athletic life until later. He had always been a good runner by CrossFit standards, but it was not his primary identity. That changed after a back injury in 2019, when he ran the Peachtree Road Race as a way to have something to train for while stepping away from heavier CrossFit competition.
That Peachtree happened to be the 50th anniversary year, which meant enormous crowds, late start waves and classic Atlanta summer humidity. A gentle little welcome basket from the running gods.
From there, Ryne moved to the half marathon, then set his sights on qualifying for Boston. With help from a running coach, he worked his way toward the marathon and qualified at Houston in early 2022. He ran Boston in 2023.
That blend of strength, running and coaching experience now makes him especially valuable in the world of HYROX training.
Why HYROX Fits Ryne So Well
HYROX sits at a fascinating intersection. It is part running race, part functional fitness test and part logistical puzzle. The format is simple enough to explain and hard enough to respect: run 1K, complete a functional fitness station, then repeat that pattern eight times. Over the course of the race, athletes move through the SkiErg, Sled Push, Sled Pull, Burpee Broad Jumps, Row, Farmer’s Carry, Sandbag Lunges and Wall Balls. Add it all up and you get 8K of running wrapped around a full-body strength and endurance test.
Ryne sees HYROX attracting two main types of athletes: runners with enough strength to handle the stations, and CrossFit athletes who are strong enough but especially good at the running side. For a lot of people, the appeal is that it feels measurable, challenging and accessible. You do not need to be an elite CrossFitter to participate. If you are already comfortable running several miles and willing to build some strength, completing a HYROX is very realistic. That does not mean it will be comfortable. Humble pie is apparently included in the registration fee.
HYROX Training for Beginners: How to Start
For runners who want to try HYROX, Ryne recommends starting with basic strength. Not fancy strength. Not social media circus strength. Basic, foundational work.
For many runners, the first step is spending six to eight weeks getting comfortable moving weight two to three times per week. That means building enough strength and durability to handle sled work, burpees, lunges, carries and the general fatigue that comes from asking your legs to run after they have just been politely destroyed.
This is crucial because HYROX is not just “running plus exercises.” It is running while compromised. Your shoes, apparel, nutrition and training all need to support that reality.
Why Gear Matters for HYROX
At Big Peach Running Co. East Cobb, we spend a lot of time helping runners, walkers and fitness-minded humans find gear that matches the way they move. HYROX adds an interesting twist because participants need to run efficiently while also handling functional movements on turf or indoor flooring. That means your gear has to do more than survive a treadmill test.
For HYROX footwear, you want a shoe that balances running comfort, stable ground contact, traction and enough structure to handle lateral and loaded movements. A shoe that feels amazing for a straight-line long run may not feel as confident when you are pushing a sled or lunging under fatigue. On the other hand, a gym shoe that feels stable for lifting may feel like a brick once you start stacking kilometers. Having patience and trying multiple options is important because there is the balance of having to satisfy divergent uses.
We can help HYROX participants think through:
- Footwear that supports both running and functional fitness
- Apparel that moves well and manages sweat indoors
- Socks that reduce friction during repeated run and station transitions
- Nutrition and hydration options for training and race day preparation
In other words, we can help you avoid showing up with the wrong tool for a very specific job. HYROX is hard enough. Your gear should not be the extra station.
Join Us: How to HYROX on July 18
On July 18 at 12:00pm, Ryne Sullivan will lead How to HYROX at Big Peach Running Co. East Cobb. This event is designed especially for people thinking about their first HYROX. Ryne’s goal is to help participants understand what they are up against, how to begin training and how to make the experience more enjoyable instead of frustrating.
Most people cannot perfectly replicate a HYROX race environment in training. You may not have access to the exact equipment, turf, layout or race-day flow. But you can understand the demands, prepare intelligently and build confidence before you get to the start line.
If you are a runner wondering whether HYROX is for you, this is a great place to start. If you are a CrossFit athlete who needs to improve the running side, same answer. If you are just HYROX-curious and want someone to explain the whole thing, even better.
FAQs: HYROX, Ryne Sullivan and Big Peach East Cobb
HYROX is a fitness race that combines running with functional fitness stations. Participants complete eight 1K runs, each followed by a workout station such as sled push, sled pull, rowing, farmer’s carry, lunges and wall balls.
Ryne Sullivan is a fitness coach specializing in running, CrossFit and HYROX. He has coached athletes across multiple performance disciplines and is a well-known figure in the East Cobb, Roswell and Alpharetta fitness communities.
Yes, especially runners who are willing to add strength training. HYROX includes 8K of total running, but the functional fitness stations require strength, durability and the ability to run under fatigue.
A smart starting point is building basic strength two to three times per week while maintaining consistent running. Many beginners benefit from six to eight weeks of foundational strength before moving into more HYROX-specific workouts.
HYROX participants need footwear and apparel that work for both running and functional fitness. Big Peach Running Co. East Cobb can help fit you for shoes, socks, apparel and nutrition that match your training and race-day needs.
How to HYROX takes place July 18 at 12:00pm at Big Peach Running Co. East Cobb. It is designed for people interested in learning what HYROX is, how to train for it and how to prepare for their first event.