VTLZR Dispatch: HYROX Miami, Podiums & Big Runs Coming ⚡

Hey Reader,

Happy Monday, Vitalizers ⚡

We're coming to you on a Monday this week because we just spent the weekend doing what VTLZR does best: showing up, competing, and proving that this community hits different.

We've got a lot to cover, from podiums and events to interesting fitness news.

Let's dive in 👇

Here’s what to expect this week:
🧠 Mindset
🏆 HYROX MIAMI RECAP
📅 Community
🔥 Training
🎧 Must Listen
📰 The Industry

🧠 Quote of the Week

"The race doesn't always go to the fastest. It goes to the ones who refuse to stop." — Percy Cerutty

There's a version of HYROX that looks great on paper.
You've trained for months.
Your splits are dialed.
Your transitions are clean.
And then race day hits, and none of it goes according to plan.

The sled is heavier than it should be.
The wall balls feel like they weigh 40 pounds.
Your legs don't have what they had in training.

The race starts the moment you want to quit and choose not to.

Some hit it at station 3.
Some at station 5 or 6.
But the winners keep going.

That's what separates the athletes who race from those who PR.

🏆 HYROX Miami Recap: VTLZR Takes Over

This one's going to take a minute, because this weekend wasn't just a race, it was a statement.

Over 20 VTLZR athletes raced in Miami, competing across the Pro, Open, Singles, Doubles, and Relay divisions.

Multiple podiums.
Multiple age group titles.
And a ton of proof that this community is built different.

🥇 The Podium Performances

Wesam Elhayek & Jenna Carastro: Women's Doubles • 1:01:33 • 🏆 3rd Overall out of 2,027 teams • 1st in Age Group (25–29)

Peter Edgar & Dan Nunes: Men's Doubles Pro • 55:27 • 🏆 6th Overall out of 285 teams • 1st in Age Group (35–39)

Michael Grieco: Three races. One weekend.
Pro Men's Doubles · 1:19:49 · #1 in AG 55–59 🥇
Relay Mixed · 1:04:21 · #9 of 111 · #2 in AG 40+ 🥈
Men's Doubles · 1:50:57 (in full firefighter gear)

🔥 The Full Squad

Dan Nunes: Men's Pro • 1:05:42 • #20 of 266 • #7 in AG 30–34.
Two races. Two PRs. Stud.

Matt Zelaya: Men's Pro • 1:08:06 · #33 of 266 · #9 in AG 25–29 VTLZR's own Matt Z competing in the Pro field and finishing top 33.

Christian Maiz: Men's Open • 1:08:19 • #72 of 1,463 · #11 in AG 16–24

Ashley Durastanti: Women's Open • 1:09:20 • #17 of 1,318 • #5 in AG 16–24 Top 17 overall out of 1,318 women.

Gab Reznik: Women's Open • 1:10:03 • #21 of 1,318 • #6 in AG 30–34

Connor McVey: Mens Doubles • 1:00:38 · #19 of 1,001 #5 in AG 25–29

Sam Peters & Jake Peters: Mixed Doubles • 1:10:17

Rialee Schinella & Daniel Hughes: Mixed Doubles • 1:19:01

Michael DuBois & Patrick Schofield: Men's Doubles • 1:30:00

Gabriela Niemiec: Women;s Open • 1:31:43

Emma Kaptein & Amanda Tellawy: Women's Doubles • 1:35:46

Jarett & Christina Chatham: Mixed Doubles • 1:38:29

Some of these athletes have been training for months for this exact weekend. Some are coming off their first HYROX ever. All of them went to work.

That's real VTLZR energy.

Congrats to every single one of you. 🤝

📅 VTLZR Events

It's a stacked two weeks. Races, shakeout runs, and the retreat that everyone's been asking about. Here's what's on deck:

📍 Sunday, April 12 • VTLZR x Adidas Raceweek Kickoff • Hoboken

We've got a Sunday special "race week kickoff" collab with Adidas. Conversational pace, 3–4 miles, all speeds welcome.

Starting and ending at Apollo Bagels.

Good energy, better people, free bagels, gear trials, and coffee after. This one always fills up.

👉 RSVP on Sweatpals

📍 Saturday, April 18 • Jersey City Marathon Shakeout Run • Pier A

Whether you're running the JC Marathon on Sunday or heading to Boston on Monday, this is your shakeout. Easy miles, good vibes, free fuel from our partners, and the kind of pre-race energy that calms the nerves and sharpens the focus. You don't want to miss this one.

👉 RSVP on Sweatpals

📍 June 12–14 • VTLZR Hybrid Athlete Retreat #3 • Long Beach, NY

Three days. Training, competition, recovery, community, and everything that makes VTLZR what it is. Retreats 1 and 2 sold out. This one will too. If you've been on the fence — get off it.

👉 Learn more & reserve your spot

🔥 Fitness Tip of the Week: Post-Race Recovery That Actually Works

If you just raced HYROX (or you're about to race a marathon). Either way, recovery isn't optional...it's where the next performance starts.

Here's what the science and coaching experience actually support for the 48–72 hours post-race:

The First 30 Minutes
Cool down and get calories in immediately. Jump on a bike or go for a very light jog for 10–15 minutes to maintain circulation. Active recovery flushes metabolic waste from your legs and prevents blood pooling, ensuring you don't lock up the moment you finally sit down.

You don't need a perfect meal; you need carbs and protein. A 3:1 carb-to-protein ratio is the target.

Think: a banana with a protein shake or a bagel with peanut butter. The glycogen window is when your muscles are primed to absorb fuel.

Hours 1–24
Move, but don't train. A 20–30 minute walk. Light stretching. Maybe some easy cycling.

The goal is blood flow without load.
Your body is inflamed - that's normal and necessary.
Don't ice bath it away. Let the inflammation do its job.

Days 2–3
If you're feeling good, an easy 24-30 minute jog at a conversational pace. If something is nagging, take another day. There are no awards for rushing back.

The Numbers
Aim for 1g of protein per pound of bodyweight per day in the 72 hours post-race. Hydrate with electrolytes, not just water. And sleep, this is where the real recovery happens. 7+ hours minimum.

Takeaway: The athletes who recover best are those who do the right things at the right time.

🎧 This Week's Must-Listen: How to Build Strength, Muscle Size & Endurance

Huberman Lab Essentials with Dr. Andy Galpin

This is a masterclass episode from one of the world's most respected exercise scientists. If you train for both strength and endurance, which, if you're here, you probably do, this is required listening.

Why it matters for hybrid athletes:

The Rep/Set Framework: Galpin breaks down the specific rep ranges, set counts, and rest intervals for building strength, hypertrophy, and endurance. No guesswork.

Recovery Between Sessions: How to know when you're actually recovered vs. when you just feel recovered. The distinction matters, especially if you're stacking strength and running in the same training block.

Breathing & Mental Focus: How deliberate breathing techniques during sets can enhance performance and how post-workout downregulation (not just stretching...actual nervous system downshift) can speed recovery.

Bottom Line: If you're balancing the barbell and the road, this episode gives you the framework to stop guessing and start programming with intention.

🎧 Listen on Spotify:

Essentials: How to Build Str...

Apr 2 · Huberman Lab

39:04

📰 In Other News (this week in fitness)

🔹 HYROX Continues to Redefine Fitness as a Sport

New data shows HYROX is rapidly gaining momentum as CrossFit loses traction, driven by a simpler, standardized race format that’s easier to train for and repeat. What started as a race series is now a full ecosystem with 100+ global events, 13,000 training clubs, and dedicated performance centers. HYROX is setting the blueprint for how fitness scales.

🔹 Gymshark Drops “Conditioning Club” Line for Hybrid Athletes

Gymshark released its new Conditioning Club collection, designed specifically for HYROX-style training that combines strength and endurance. Breathable fabrics, durable shorts, and gear built for multi-modality workouts.

👉 Learn about the collection

🔹 Nike Pegasus 42 Drops April 9

Nike is releasing the Pegasus 42, the latest version of one of the most popular daily trainers in running. The update adds a full-length Air Zoom unit for smoother transitions and improved energy return, making it a strong option for everyday miles heading into race season.

👉 Learn more about the drop

🔹 Strava Just Leaked 500+ Military Locations - Again

A major investigation revealed that over 500 UK military personnel exposed sensitive base locations through public Strava activity logs, including nuclear submarine sites. Check your Strava privacy settings. Your running routes are more public than you think.

👉 Read more about the leak

As always, thanks for being part of this.
Keep showing up and conquering hard things.

See you soon!
Derek Morgen
Founder & Coach, VTLZR
Lift for your mind. Run for your soul.

📩 Forward this to someone who needs a little extra motivation this week.

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