The coach behind
the competitor

Dan is the Fitness Manager at Fitness First Baker Street, and the coach who prepared Georgia for HYROX. But his role went far beyond programming sessions. It was about belief, consistency, and knowing exactly when his athlete was ready.

When Georgia first came to him with a competition goal, the transition felt natural. She was already competitive by nature. The job was shifting her mindset from what she did best into the specific demands of HYROX.

Preparation began with a full baseline assessment through able, Fitness First's onboarding tool, measuring everything from body composition and flexibility to strength and cardiovascular fitness. That data shaped the entire 12-week programme, with a second assessment close to race day to track the progress made.

The hardest part wasn't the training itself. It was the cold, dark mornings, managing work stress alongside training volume, and keeping Georgia consistent through a minor injury picked up closer to race day. Dan's job was to balance all of it and make sure she arrived at the start line right.

The moment he knew she was ready came in their final training run together. He'd beaten her every time they'd raced. On the last one, she passed him and didn't look back.

Georgia finished second on race day. Not the personal best they'd targeted, but a step forward from third at the previous event. For Dan, progress was visible well before the finish line.

At Baker Street, the full environment played its part. The functional training area, the HYROX classes, the recovery zone with swimming, steam room and ice bath. Every element was built into Georgia's preparation, and the community around her kept her showing up.

At Fitness First, we believe progress isn't linear, and results don't come from quick fixes. It's about showing up, again and again. Because when you choose progress, you don't just change your body, you change what you believe is possible.