Chrish Newell, right, and partner Jess Contreras

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In 2023 Newell played a season of professional women’s tackle football for the Oregon Ravens, but tore her ACL and meniscus during a game, which sidelined her from contact sports. Between both knees, she has torn both ACLs, multiple menisci, and had several surgeries but never stopped chasing her athletic goals.

, left, compete in the sled pull station during the HYROX 2025 Atlanta Doubles in late April. They qualified for the World Championships scheduled Sunday, June 15, 2025, in Chicago. (Photo courtesy Chrish Newell)
Chrish Newell, right, and partner Jess Contreras, left, compete in the sled pull station during the HYROX 2025 Atlanta Doubles in late April. They qualified for the World Championships scheduled Sunday, June 15, 2025, in Chicago. (Photo courtesy Chrish Newell)

A HYROX competition starts with a one-kilometer run followed by one of eight workout stations and then repeated eight times. A typical race would follow this pattern: 1km run, Ski Erg (1000m), 1km run, Sled Push (50m), 1km run, Sled Pull (50m), 1km run, Burpee Broad Jumps (80m), 1km run, Rowing (1000m), 1km run, Farmers Carry (200m), 1km run, Sandbag Lunges (100m), 1km run, Wall Balls (100).

“I train eight to 14 hours a week while juggling 18 to 21 credits in vet school and a 60-mile commute,” Newell said. “I’ll often squeeze in a run between classes and lift in the evening. During long country wise email marketing list cardio sessions, I’ll even listen to lectures, it’s a grind, but I love it.”

Newell said diet plays a huge role in this balance. “I focus on whole foods, eat lots of protein, and make sure I’m fueling enough for my training volume,” she said. “One of my favorite HYROX athletes (Lauren Weeks) said this once and it’s stuck with me, ‘You don’t need to work out to earn your food, you need to eat so you can earn your workout.’ If I don’t eat right, then I won’t have the energy needed to get my schoolwork done on top of training hard.”

Chrish Newell and partner Jess Contreras, cross the finish line at the HYROX 2025 Atlanta Doubles in late April. They qualified for the World Championships scheduled Sunday, June 15, 2025, in Chicago. (Photo courtesy Chrish Newell)
Chrish Newell and partner Jess Contreras, cross the finish line at the HYROX 2025 Atlanta Doubles in late April. They qualified for the World Championships scheduled Sunday, June 15, 2025, in Chicago. (Photo courtesy Chrish Newell)

Newell remembers her first competition well. “It was brutal,” she said. “I had a torn meniscus going in and hit a wall during the sandbag lunges. I honestly didn’t think I could finish. But I did and ended up on the podium. That moment taught me I was capable of more than I thought.”

Newell said she never knew strength sports could be exciting or that she would have the desire for them.

“I was always in team sports like soccer,” she said. “But I’ve always been drawn to challenges that push you physically and mentally. I didn’t start any kind of strength training until I got into college and Olympic weightlifting is where I fell in love with getting stronger. Then discovering this world of hybrid fitness is where I felt like I thrived.”