The Filter is Off Podcast

In this episode the we recap a dramatic weekend, discussing our individual races and experiences at London Tryka & Hyrox Tenerife — plus we reflect on the positive vibes coming from Deadly Dozen Worlds. We also discuss wider issues in the race scene: event organisation differences, positive update on volunteer pay and rewards, debate whether Deadly Dozen prize money could be extended for age groups, and a controversial ban on professional photography by Hyrox in North America.

We answer listeners questions and discuss training strategy, pacing and the value of recovery ahead of our first races of the season. Michael sharing practical taper tips and the need for carbonara and pizza! As the official brand supporter of the podcast we invite Jim from XEndurance to talk about the brand’s athlete community, product philosophy, and supporting age-group competitors across events like HyRox, Tryka and Deadly Dozen, in addition to triathlons and Iron Man events

We touch on the difficulties faced by adaptive athletes as Hyrox's model in this area evolves. Having set the ball rolling online we dive deeper with a full debate about Hyrox's volunteer policy, ticket pricing differences across countries, the shift to paid staffing/Office Angels, and the community reaction— We argue for better treatment and transparency from the organisers. On a lighter note we look at our upcoming events (Tenerife, Trika, Budapest) with a focus on endurance, zone 2 work, pacing, practical sessions. We both look forward to a new season of improvement. 

Simon Passmore joins the podcast to discuss his successful Hyrox journey, record-setting races, and the obsessive focus that drives his training. We talk about race-day anxiety, mental health, parenting, the challenges of training while living in Costa Rica. Plus we look at the benefits of community and how that is important in training environments. We also touch on the use of supplements. Simon shares how he balances ambition with family life and why moving back to Scotland will help him regain routine and enjoyment in the sport.

In this episode we chat with Jay, founder of Deadly Dozen, about the race's origins, his military and fitness background, and how a simple, track‑based format is rapidly scaling into a global, community-driven event. We discuss the importance of judges, accessibility for athletes and the operational and financial challenges he has faced in growing an independent race brand. We discuss the importance of viewing quality customer service as a priority  (free transfers and photos), the increasing use of technology in areas such as global leaderboards and in helping judging, mental resilience and stoicism, and how physical training supports mental health. Finally we look forward to the Deadly Sprint in Sheffield this October.