Meet Ethan Allen
Published: 16/05/2025, by: Alex Courbat
Rugby was Ethan Allen’s first love. But once that chapter came to an end, it’s in HYROX and endurance sport that he’s found his stride. As one of Sports Direct’s new training ambassadors, we sat down with him to talk competition, comebacks, and the mindset that keeps him moving forward.
Anything with a ball or a bit of movement had Ethan’s full attention from the age of two. Growing up near Liverpool – where football is a way of life – you might assume he’d be kicking a ball around. But instead, he was drawn to rugby union.
"I was involved in sports since the youngest possible age, very much driven by my family," he says. And he wasn’t exaggerating. A typical week saw him training for rugby three nights a week, squeezing in a football session, and spending weekends darting around the North West for matches – his dad behind the wheel, playing chauffeur.
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Rugby and football weren’t the whole story, either. Ethan also threw himself into cricket and athletics. “Naturally gifted with athleticism,” as he puts it, he was clearly built to compete. By 17, he was clocking an impressive 52 seconds in the 400 metres while playing for the Sale Sharks Academy. As a fly half, he had the vision and skill to dictate the game – quick hands, able to spin off both hands, and – it goes without saying – very quick. He even represented the North of England, but he’s realistic about where he stood: “good for my age, in the top couple of percent, but not like a Marcus Smith who was playing for England by 18.”
At Leeds University, rugby was still a big part of his life, both on and off the pitch. It kept him competitive and connected, even as he started thinking more seriously about his future. After graduating, he headed into finance – spending the past nine years in investment management. But moving to London came at a price. The structured, active life he once knew gave way to late nights and dinners. “I was starting to get fat.” He says. So, Ethan went back to his first love, rugby. But that didn’t go to plan. A broken ankle, then a broken hand and wrist, and finally a brutal ACL, MCL, and meniscus tear in 2019 left him sidelined. That last injury was the worst – it required a hamstring graft and stopped him from running for a year.
And then, lockdown happened. For Ethan, already sidelined and craving the camaraderie of team sport, it was a turning point. “It led me into really trying to understand my body, understand my health, and progression in terms of physical gym work and running.” So, when a spot opened up in the 2021 London Marathon, Ethan jumped at it – despite only just getting back into running and having just six weeks to prepare. He finished in 3:36. “I loved it. The London Marathon is the most unbelievable event; the atmosphere there is just next to none.” He had found his rhythm again. And with proper training, his times improved fast. By 2023, he ran 2:56 at the Valencia Marathon.
That same year, he discovered HYROX – and it instantly clicked. “The competition element, the blend of functional fitness, endurance and the mental challenge really appealed to me,” he explains. It gave him just the right amount of variety. “It’s not like I’m slogging on a run every day. I can build myself a workout where I’m doing intervals on the treadmill split with wall balls and strength work.” He’s now competed in five events. In doubles, he’s went from 1:03 to 56 minutes with the same partner. But singles have been more of a learning curve. Despite being fitter for his second solo race, his time stayed stuck at 1:09. The reason? Pacing.
“I went out way too hard, I hit the sled push and did it one minute quicker than my previous attempt, which I’m like ‘great,’ but I couldn’t run after. My heart rate was high and I was gassed and my legs were gone.” His build gives him an edge on stations like the SkiErg, rower, and lunges. “I’ve got long legs, and I seem to fly through the lunges.” But the sled push? That’s where his runner’s background works against him. “The cardio and athleticism come to me, but the fundamental strength element, I probably lack compared to others.”
What he loves about HYROX is how open and welcoming it feels. “I used to look at CrossFit and think it was a little bit culty and not very accessible. HYROX has the same sort of community, but it’s not as clicky or difficult to get into.”
His advice for first-timers is simple: “Don’t be threatened by the big day. Just get amongst it and enjoy it.” And for those who are wondering how to get ready for the race – Ethan’s big on the running side of training, which makes up the bulk of most HYROX formats. “You need to build your aerobic base with zone 2 workouts and run consistently.” That should be combined with interval training and what he calls “compromised” running – or getting used to running when your legs are already smoked from strength work.
“Don’t be threatened by the big day. Just get amongst it and enjoy it.”
Right now, Ethan’s working around a herniated disc that’s causing nerve pain in his legs. But if you think that will sideline Ethan – you should know better by now. “I can train around it. I can still do cardio, SkiErg, burpees, lunges, some strength work. I just can’t run.”
And you might be wondering when he fits all that in alongside a full-time job. “At the gym at 6:30 in the morning, out by half seven, showered and at my desk by 8,” he says. But it wasn’t always like that. “Before 2024, I used to gym in the evening, but I love the freedom that it creates for me for the rest of the day.” A simple shift that’s made his training more consistent.
He’s aiming to be fit again by June, in time to prep for HYROX Birmingham in October. His targets? Sub-54 minutes in doubles and under 1:04 in singles. Beyond that, he’s chasing a sub-17 5k, a sub-1:19 half marathon, and eventually a sub-2:50 marathon. Just that.
Ethan’s sporting journey has shifted shape over the years – from a rugby-mad kid to a finance professional finding joy and balance in running and HYROX. Through it all, the same competitive spirit has stayed with him. Life may have changed – but that drive to improve, push boundaries, and keep moving forward? That’s still going strong.
