GRYTR Race Rulebook
Honor Code
The heart of GRYTR races is an honor code of integrity and trust. This is a virtual race where there may not be anyone checking to see if you do all the reps or go to full depth. True GRYTRs have the integrity to give 100% on every phase, do every workout to the best of your ability, and accurately portray your results.
By submitting your race results, you agree that you have accurately recorded and portrayed your results, and performed the race phases as prescribed. You agree to follow the rules outlined in this handbook and accurately categorize your results.
Don’t cheat yourself or your competitors. Race fair, give it your all, and get it done.
All athletes registered for a GRYTR race agree to accept the Athlete Waiver.
Race Distances
There are three GRYTR race distances available.
- The Sprint GRYTR is 9.2k (5.7 mi) long and requires athletes to lift 2.75 tons (5,000 lbs) of weight
- The Full GRYTR is 21.4k (13.3 mi) long and requires athletes to lift 5.5 tons (11,000 lbs) of weight
- The Ultra GYRTR is 42.8k (26.6 mi) long and requires athletes to lift 11 tons (22,000 lbs) of weight
Each race distance is composed of three phases: Endurance, Hybrid, and Strength.
All three phases must be completed within the month-long race window that the athlete is registered for. Athletes may choose to complete the phases in any order that they would like and at any time and location that they prefer.
Race windows start at 12:00AM EST on the first day of the month (April 1, July 1, October 1) and close on the last day of the month at 11:59:59PM EST (April 30, July 31, October 31). Both the physical race and submitting the results must be completed within that race window. Late submissions will not be accepted!
To earn the 12-Hour Dragon Patch and take on a harder challenge, complete all three phases within 12 hours in a single day.
Age Groups & Categories
The following race categories will be eligible for first, second, and third place awards for each race window and for each race distance.
- Overall male and female
- Age Group (male and female)
- 16 to 25 years
- 26 to 35 years
- 36 to 45 years
- 46 to 55 years
- 56 to 65 years
- 65+ years
To be eligible for awards, athletes must perform all phases as prescribed and without modifications. They must also submit proof of completion.
Age group is determined by the oldest age the athlete will be during the race window. For example, if an athlete turns 26 on April 15th, they will be eligible to race in the 26 to 35 year age group.
Endurance Phase
During the Endurance Phase, athletes shall ski, row, and run the specified distance, in that order. Athletes may use any model of air ski erg and rower to complete these workouts as long as it can track distance in kilometers. The run can be completed outdoors on the course of your choosing or on a treadmill.
Athletes will start their timer when they start skiing on the ski erg. Their ski split time will finish once they have skied the full distance and have transferred to the rower. The row split starts once they begin on the rower and ends when they have transitioned to the start of the run. The run split finishes when the total run distance has been completed.
Time continues during all transitions and is included in the overall race time for the Endurance Phase. Overall race time for the Endurance Phase is the total elapsed time from when the ski starts to when the run ends.
Distances are as follows:
- Sprint
- 2k ski
- 2k row
- 2k run
- Full
- 5k ski
- 5k row
- 5k run
- Ultra
- 5k ski
- 5k row
- 5k run
- 5k ski
- 5k row
- 5k run
2k is equal to 2,000 meters or 1.24 miles. 5k is equal to 5,000 meters or 3.1 miles.
Modifications can include 10k bike instead of ski or row. If you do not have access to ergs, you can replace them with running. If you modify any part of the GRYTR race, you will be able to submit your results but will not be eligible for awards.
Hybrid Phase
In the hybrid phase, athletes will alternate between 800m (0.5 mi) runs and 4 different strength exercises. The runs may be completed either outside on a course of your choosing or on a treadmill.
Race time for the Hybrid Phase starts at the beginning of the first run and continues until the last rep of thrusters.
One round consists of:
- 800m (0.5 mi) run
- 50 bodyweight strict pullups
- 800m (0.5 mi) run
- 50 bodyweight burpees
- 800m (0.5 mi) run
- 50 weighted reverse lunges at 50 lbs for men and 40 lbs for women
- 800m (0.5 mi) run
- 50 thrusters with 20 lbs for men and 10 lbs for women
Distances are as follows:
- Sprint
- 1 round
- Full
- 2 rounds
- Ultra
- 4 rounds
How to do pullups
One rep of a strict pullup consists of starting hanging from a bar with palms facing away and arms locked out straight. Pull upwards until the chin clears the top of the bar and then lower back down until the arms are fully extended. This is one rep.
Key Points: Fully extended arms at the bottom with feet off the ground, chin clears above the bar, no kipping or butterfly pullups.
The 50 reps of pullups can be broken up into as many sets as you need to get through them.
Modifications can include using elastic bands for assisted pullups, kipping, or doing bodyweight rows with feet supported. If you modify any part of the GRYTR race, you will be able to submit your results but will not be eligible for awards.
How to do burpees
One rep of burpees starts by dropping from a standing position down to a pushup position and lowering the torso to the ground. Push back up, jump your feet to your hands, and jump upwards so that your feet leave the ground. Hands must extend upwards past ear height. This is one rep.
Key Points: Start standing, torso touches the ground, jump so both feet leave the ground, hands must be above ears.
The 50 burpees can be broken up into as many sets as you need to get through them.
Modifications can include just doing pushups or squats. If you modify any part of the GRYTR race, you will be able to submit your results but will not be eligible for awards.
How to do reverse lunges
One rep of lunges starts by standing with both feet together and stepping backwards while lowering the knee to touch the ground. Push off the front leg to raise back up and return the back leg to have both feet together. This is one rep.
Key Points: Start standing, step backwards, knee touches the ground, return feet together.
The 50 lunges can be broken up into as many sets as you need to get through them. The requirement is 50 lunges total, or 25 per leg.
GRYTR requires weight lunges using a sandbag or barbell across the shoulders. Weight for men is 50 lbs and weight for women is 40 lbs. The weight can be dropped between sets if you are resting.
Modifications can include doing bodyweight lunges or doing walking lunges. If you modify any part of the GRYTR race, you will be able to submit your results but will not be eligible for awards.
How to do thrusters
One rep of thrusters starts by holding a dumbbell with both hands at shoulder height in front of you. Keeping your arms in the same position, lower down into a squat until you break 90 degrees with your knees. Stand back up and extend your arms above your head until they are extended. This is one rep.
Key Points: Weight is held at shoulder height in front, squat down so knees are less than 90 degrees, stand up and extend arms completely above head.
The standard weight for men is a 20 lbs dumbbell and women is 10 lbs.
The 50 thrusters can be broken up into as many sets as you need to get through them.
Modifications can include doing wallballs, using less weight, or just doing squats. If you modify any part of the GRYTR race, you will be able to submit your results but will not be eligible for awards.
Strength Phase
In the strength phase, the goal is to clean and press the total amount of weight from the floor to above the athlete’s head in the quickest time. Athletes may choose the weight format, such as barbell, dumbbell, sandbag, or kettlebell. Athletes may also choose their weight but must use the same weight throughout the duration of the phase without changing.
For example, to clean and press 2 tons (2,000 lbs), an athlete may choose to lift a 100 lbs barbell 20 times. Or, they could lift a 50 lbs barbell 40 times.
In the event that the chosen weight does not divide evenly into the total goal weight, round up the total reps to the next full number.
For example, if 45 lbs is chosen as the race weight, it would have to be cleaned and pressed 45 times. (2,000 lbs / 45 lbs = 44.44 reps -> round up to 45 reps).
Total race time for this phase starts when the weight leaves the ground for the first rep and stops when the weight returns to the ground on the last rep.
Race weights are:
- Sprint
- 2 tons (2,000 lbs)
- Full
- 4 tons (4,000 lbs)
- Ultra
- 8 tons (8,000 lbs)
How to clean and press
The weight starts on the ground and is “cleaned” to the shoulders in a standing position through explosively lifting with the legs and arms. The weight is then “pressed” overhead until the arms are fully extended. The weight is then lowered back to the ground. This is one rep.
Repeat as many reps as needed to accumulate the total target race weight. Rests can be taken during this phase with the weight on the ground.
Submitting Results
After the athlete has completed all three phases, they may submit their results to the GRYTR.com website to be listed on the official results and rankings page. Athletes that have performed the exercises as prescribed will be eligible for age group awards.
The information needed to submit your results are:
- Endurance Phase total race time
- Hybrid Phase total race time
- Strength Phase total race time
- Attestation of either prescribed or modified workouts
- Proof of completion, such as race videos, pictures of erg monitors, and/or screenshots of fitness apps
All times must be accurate to the second. Milliseconds may be rounded down if below 0.5 seconds and up if 0.5 and above.
Ranking are determined for each category by adding the total race times for each phase together to get a final race time. These are then ranked overall and by category to determine final rankings. Any athletes that have modified the phases will be ranked but be denoted as not eligible for awards and podium standings.
Any time ties will be jointly awarded to both athletes.
Earning Your Dragon Patch
In order to qualify for the 12-Hour Dragon Patch, you must complete all three phases within a continuous 12 hour window. Athletes may choose the order of the phases and when they are completed during that window, as long as all three phases are completed within it.
For example, if an athletes starts their first phase at 8:00AM, they will have until 8:00PM to finish all three phases. They must manage their time to be able to complete all three phases within that period of time.
Rules Clarifications
For questions or to clarify the GRYTR Race rules, please contact info@grytr.com.