Christi Pappas-Halloren

One year and 16 days post-spinal fusion, I crossed the finish line of my first HYROX race - and I’m still trying to wrap my head around it. For those who don’t know, HYROX is a fitness competition that combines endurance running with functional strength workouts - think 8 x 1K runs with brutal stations in between. It’s no joke.

Before surgery, I could barely walk without pain. I had lost almost all use of my left leg because of severe nerve compression. The idea of competing in something like this felt impossible, but here we are.

Thank you, Dr. Han Jo Kim, for giving me my leg (and my life) back. The human body is wild - it breaks, it heals, and it can come back stronger. But it doesn’t do it alone.

HYROX pushed me harder than anything I’ve ever done (yes, including childbirth — and no, I’m not signing up for that again). But I would absolutely do HYROX again, and maybe I already secretly signed us up!