Two brave volunteer firefighters, Andy Lean and Kieran Thomas, have shared their harrowing experience of completing their first Hyrox event while donning their heavy firefighting gear. The duo, from the Isle of Man, braved the 22-pound kit during the Hyrox Pro Doubles, an 8km run with additional exercises like kettlebell swings, lunges, and rowing, all to make the challenge even tougher. Kieran described the heat as "unreal" and said he had "never known heat like it" despite his profession as a firefighter. The pair, who volunteer at the Castletown and Malew Fire Station, raised money for the island's mental health charity, Isle Listen, and admitted to getting funny looks from competitors. Despite the challenges, they were supported by the crowd and managed to complete the event in one hour and 35 minutes. Andy, who has worked for the island fire service for 13 years, noted the kit's weight and heat retention made the race more difficult. He said, "The weight difference from start to finish probably doubles in weight as we were sweating through the race." Kieran, on the other hand, expressed his desire to do it again but without the firefighting kit, saying, "I will never do that in firefighting kit again." The pair's determination and support from the community highlight the importance of mental health awareness in the firefighting community.
