Cork woman: ‘I discovered Hyrox in my 50s... it’s never too late to start’

Cork woman Joanne Tynan Dawson says discovering the Hyrox exercise and fitness system in her 50s changed her life and helped her realise that it’s never too late to start again.

When she first came across the work-out on YouTube a few years ago, she had no idea it would completely change the direction of her life.

Today, the Cork woman is training several times a week, competing in one of the world’s fastest-growing fitness sports, and inspiring people of all ages to challenge themselves.

But perhaps most importantly, she says the experience has taught her that it is never too late to start over.

Speaking to WoW!, Joanne reflected on a journey that has seen her transform her health, rethink her relationship with alcohol, and discover a confidence she never knew she had.

“I had never trained seriously for anything before in my life,” she admitted.

That makes her story all the more remarkable.

For many people, taking up a demanding fitness challenge in their 50s might seem intimidating. For Joanne, it became an opportunity to prove to herself that age should never be a barrier to personal growth.

Hyrox combines running with a series of functional fitness exercises, including rowing, sled pushes, sled pulls, burpees, farmer’s carries, sandbag lunges, and wall balls.

It has exploded in popularity around the world in recent years, attracting everyone from elite athletes to complete beginners.

What appealed to Joanne was not the competition but the challenge.

“There was something about it that grabbed me,” she explained. 

“It’s a sport where you’re really going out against yourself.”

Before finding Hyrox, Joanne had already started making significant changes in her life. She had given up alcohol and was working on improving her health and losing weight.

Like many people, she had tried various approaches before eventually coming to a simple conclusion.

“For the majority of us, it really is eat less and move more,” she said.

When she secured a place in her first Hyrox event, she persuaded a friend to take part with her as a doubles partner. At the time, Joanne had little training experience and knew she needed help.

She hired an online coach who introduced her to structured training and helped prepare her for the challenge ahead.

What started as an experiment quickly became a passion.

One of the things Joanne loves most about Hyrox is that, despite the image often portrayed online, the sport is filled with ordinary people pushing themselves to achieve extraordinary things.

“We’re all seeing the elites on YouTube,” she said.

“But when you actually go along to an event, the amount of normal people out there doing it is incredible.”

She believes that message is important because many people are discouraged before they even begin.

Social media often showcases the fittest competitors, the fastest times, and the most impressive physiques.

Joanne would like to see more attention given to those who are simply showing up, giving their best effort, and refusing to quit.

“Will you show some pictures of us normal people doing it?” she laughed during her interview.

For Joanne, success is not about perfection. It is about consistency.

Over time, the training began to improve not just her physical fitness but her confidence as well.

One of the moments that stands out most came when a photographer at an event described her as an inspiration.

“There was a photographer following me around, and he was talking about how I’m an inspiration,” she recalled.

“I said to my husband on the way home, ‘Do you know what that means? It means I’m actually the old one out there doing it and I’m being called an inspiration’.”

The comment was made jokingly, but it captures something that clearly resonates with many people.

Too often, fitness is marketed as something for the young. Joanne’s experience challenges that perception.

Rather than seeing her age as a disadvantage, she has embraced it as proof that meaningful change can happen at any stage of life.

Today, she continues to set ambitious goals for herself.

One dream in particular keeps her motivated.

“I want the podium,” she said. “I would love it. It’s a dream of mine.

“Even if it’s at a simulation event and not an official Hyrox. If I got first in my age group, why not?”

That goal gives her a reason to keep showing up, even on the days when motivation is harder to find.

“It keeps me motivated, and it keeps me wanting to go back to the gym.”

Alongside her fitness journey, Joanne has also become more aware of the role alcohol can play in people’s lives.

After spending several years alcohol-free, she briefly returned to drinking after completing her first Hyrox event.

At first it felt harmless, but over time, she noticed changes.

“A couple of months later, I discovered I was still having the drink at the weekend, and my training started to suffer,” she said.

While she wasn’t experiencing hangovers, she noticed the impact elsewhere.

“I’m tired. My body is tired, and I just don’t want to work out.”

Recognising the pattern, Joanne made the decision to stop drinking again.

As someone who works closely with people every day through her job as a lash technician, she often hears others speak about their own struggles and challenges.

That inspired her to enrol in an addiction skills course, hoping to better understand how she might support people who confide in her.

“I’m not saying I’m a counsellor,” she explained.

“But I’d love to have one or two skills where I can say, ‘Maybe try this’.”

The desire to help others reflects a theme that runs throughout Joanne’s story.

While she is proud of her own achieve-ments, she is equally passionate about encouraging others to believe that change is possible.

Whether it’s improving fitness, reducing alcohol consumption, losing weight, or simply taking on a new challenge, she wants people to know that they do not have to be elite athletes or fitness experts to get started.

Her story is not about winning races or breaking records.

It is about finding a new purpose, setting new goals, and discovering what is possible when you commit to yourself.

In a world where many people assume that certain opportunities have passed them by, Joanne’s message is refreshingly simple.

It’s never too late to start again.

And if a woman who had never trained seriously before can discover a passion for Hyrox in her 50s, perhaps the next challenge is closer than we think.

• You can follow Joanne’s journey on Instagram on @joanne_hyroxmum.50s.

• For more on Hyrox, see https://hyrox.com/