Hyrox Training for Vegan Athletes with Ashleigh Rhiannon

Training for a HYROX event places huge demands on the body combining by strength, endurance, speed and high-intensity conditioning into one relentless race format. As more athletes turn to a plant-based or vegan diet to support performance, recovery and longevity, the question becomes not whether you can train for HYROX without animal products, but how to plan a vegan diet properly for high-output competition.

From hitting adequate protein targets and fuelling glycolytic training sessions, to managing recovery, supplementation and energy balance, vegan diet planning for HYROX athletes requires intention, structure and consistency. Done well, a plant-based approach can support strength gains, faster recovery and sustainable training volumes, all without compromise.

In this article, we speak with Australian personal trainer and HYROX athlete Ashleigh Rhiannon, who lives and trains in Canggu, Bali, about how she structures her vegan diet around HYROX training. We find out where she gets her protein, what mistakes to avoid when transitioning from an animal-based diet, and how plant-based athletes can thrive in one of the most demanding fitness events in the world.

Tell us a little about yourself, your training and your amazing Bali life 🙂

I’m Ashleigh, an Australian personal trainer and HYROX athlete living in Canggu, Bali. I coach at Body Factory Bali, where I focus on strength training, injury rehab and movement quality.

Most of my week is spent coaching female-focused strength and booty classes, HYROX, beginner handstands and HIIT, alongside my own HYROX training. I care about helping people get strong, move well, be pain-free and keep their bodies feeling good long-term.

I train 8 to 10 sessions per week, combining structured strength work, HYROX-specific conditioning, running and swimming. Living in Canggu makes that volume realistic.

The fitness community is strong, everything is close, so there’s very little time lost commuting, and recovery is incredibly accessible. I can ice bath or sauna between sessions, and affordable massages and physio mean I can stay on top of my body properly. Being able to train and recover like this in Bali is a privilege I don’t take for granted.

One of my favourite parts of Bali is my unofficial dog circle: Boy, Blacky, Boni, Rocky, Lala, Luna, Daisy, Kiki, Chocolate, Chloe, Jely and Jelo, to name a few 🙂 Some are street dogs, some have homes but spend their days at the beach and around the neighbourhood. My lifestyle doesn’t suit owning a dog as I live in a guesthouse and rarely spend much time at home. Instead, I spread my time, love and support across several dogs, which feels very aligned with how I live here.

What does a typical day of eating look like as a vegan trainer and HYROX athlete?

I’m pretty routine with food. Most mornings start with a large oat latte and a banana because I’m not overly hungry first thing.

My first proper meal is usually Weet-Bix (you can’t take the Aussie out of me) topped with protein crisps (they’re about 80% protein and I stock up when I’m in Australia), creatine and about a quarter scoop of protein powder. The café at work adds oat milk and fruit for me, so it’s easy and consistent.

Lunch and dinner are usually pre-made meals delivered daily from Solimans, or I order from the WOW B menu at I Am Vegan Babe. It keeps things simple and makes hitting my protein and calories much easier with my schedule.

I also have one protein shake a day at work, but I use my own PHYBA protein powder that I bring back from Australia.

Protein is always a topic asked of vegan athletes, so… where do you get your protein? 🙂

My main protein sources are seitan, tempeh, tofu, edamame and plant-based protein powder. I don’t track my calories, but I loosely track my protein.

With 1-2 meals from Solimans containing 30-50g, my shake with 25-30g, and my Weetbix breakfast has 15-20g, taking the lower end of those ranges gives me 100g per day. 

According to the latest research shared by people more qualified than me, there isn’t much added benefit going over 1.8g of protein per kg of bodyweight. Aiming for 1.6-1.8g per kg of bodyweight would be 100-115g per day for me.

What advice would you give to someone who wants to move from an animal-based diet to a plant-based diet for HYROX training?

Plan it properly. Don’t just remove animal products and hope for the best.

Hyrox is high output and very glycolytic, so under-eating is the biggest mistake I see. When people transition, they often increase food volume but unintentionally drop calories and protein. That’s when performance, recovery and energy start to dip.

Make protein intentional from day one. Ensure each meal has 1-2 plant protein sources like tofu, tempeh, seitan, edamame, legumes or a quality protein powder like PHYBA. When I was living in Sydney, my favourite products were the flavoured Tofu packs from Coles and Woolies, protein milks, Vitasoy yoghurts, Meliora plant-based ham, dairy-free Up and Go and the protein breads.

Keep carbs high enough to support your training. Alot of athletes actually perform better once they lean into plant-based carbs properly.

Supplement smartly. B12 is non-negotiable. Depending on the individual, iron, omega-3 and creatine can also be helpful, especially in a high training-load phase.

And give yourself a few weeks to adapt. When I went vegan in 2017, it genuinely felt like learning a new way of eating. Once you understand how to structure it, it becomes simple.

Performance doesn’t have to drop. But it does need intention.

Who do you look to for quality advice in the space? Any plant-based resources, athletes or coaches we should check out?

People I follow for inspiration and advice in the vegan space are:

• James Newbury (jamesnewbury)
• Sophia Ellis (sophiastrength)
• Nimai Delgado (nimai_delgado)
• Leah Higl (plantstrong_dietitian)
• Simon Hill (simonhill)
• Dr Matthew Nagra (dr.matthewnagra)
• Dr Alan Desmond (dr.alandesmond)
• Callum Weir (plantfuellednutrition)

Recovery, what do you do and eat on recovery days and why?

I don’t really change how I eat on recovery days. Recovery isn’t about eating less; it’s about supporting the work I’ve already done and being ready for the next session.

Working at Body Factory Bali means I have daily access to our recovery space, including sauna, cold plunge, ice bath, jacuzzi and pool. I use these throughout the week depending on training load, and I’ll often catch some sun between sessions. It makes a big difference being able to layer recovery in consistently rather than waiting until something feels off.

Physio and massage here are also very affordable, and everything is close together in Canggu, so it’s easy to fit appointments into the week. That accessibility is a huge part of why I’m able to train at the volume I do.

For me, recovery is about consistency, managing load, sleeping well and keeping stress low. Nothing extreme, just doing the basics properly so I can keep showing up and training hard.

You live in Canggu, Bali. If someone is visiting Canggu as a vegan, where should they visit?

Canggu is honestly vegan heaven.

I Am Vegan Babe gets my number one vote. The menu is huge, and since they introduced the WOW B menu, I’m there almost daily. It basically means you can order your breakfast favourites, so I can justify getting both savoury and sweet – you must try the Tiramisu in classic and Biscoff, to die for!

Other solid options are Alchemy, Alkaline, Secret Spot, The Sloth, Manggis and Kasto. Vegetarian spots with great vegan options include The Shady Shack and Kynd Community. If you visit Kynd, be sure to say hi to Chloe the pug, who is usually lounging around or supervising from inside like she owns the place.

You’re definitely not short on choice here!

Final Thoughts

Ashleigh’s approach is a clear example of how a well-planned plant-based diet can fully support the demands of HYROX training, from high-volume conditioning and strength work to recovery and long-term performance.

Her experience reinforces a key message for vegan and plant-based athletes: success doesn’t come from restriction, but from structure, intention and fuelling enough to match the workload.

By prioritising protein at every meal, keeping carbohydrates high to support glycolytic training, supplementing strategically and respecting recovery, a vegan diet can be a powerful tool for HYROX athletes at all levels.

Whether you’re transitioning away from animal products or refining an existing plant-based approach, the fundamentals remain the same, eat enough, plan ahead and give your body time to adapt.

As HYROX continues to grow globally, stories like Ashleigh’s show that plant-based athletes aren’t just keeping up, they’re thriving. With the right planning, a vegan diet can fuel performance, resilience and consistency in one of the most physically demanding race formats in the world.

Next time you are in Canguu make sure to stop in at the Body Factory to say hi!

LGV!