The Dream That Came True
On April 12, 2026, Lattika and Mani crossed the finish line at HYROX Bangalore in 1 hour, 5 minutes and 47 seconds. At the time, they knew it was a good race. What they didn't know was that it would eventually make them the fastest Indian Mixed Doubles team across age categories and earn them a spot at the HYROX World Championships in Stockholm. Neither of them started this journey thinking about records, rankings or world championships. They simply signed up for a race. The rest just happened.
Two Very Different Journeys
Sport arrived in their lives through very different doors.
For Mani, running began as medicine. A family doctor suggested it as a way to overcome a stubborn respiratory infection. At that time, fitness wasn't a lifestyle for him. What started as a reluctant jog eventually became a passion. Then an obsession. Then a pursuit of excellence.
For Lattika, movement had always been part of life. She still remembers spending her best moments of the day in the swimming pool after school and then demolishing a sandwich after. Swimming became gym training. Gym training became strength goals. Strength goals eventually led to running.
And somewhere along the way, both of them found themselves under the guidance of the same coach, Hugo van den Broek. Sharing a coach means sharing a lot more than training plans. It meant sharing workouts, race reports, frustrations, victories and occasionally the existential crisis that follows a terrible interval session. Over time, friendship followed naturally.
Discovering HYROX
HYROX entered their lives almost accidentally. A close friend suggested that they give it a try. The reasoning was simple: runners already possess one major advantage in a sport where nearly 60% of the race involves running. Mani’s first HYROX experience with another partner resulted in a second-place finish in Mixed Doubles and, more importantly, revealed something unexpected. The training transferred remarkably well to running. In less than four months, his half marathon personal best improved from 1 hour 24 minutes to 1 hour 21 minutes. HYROX wasn't just another race format. It was becoming a valuable training tool.
However, Lattika’s focus was firmly on marathon running, and she had little desire to divide her attention. In the Berlin marathon (Oct ‘25), she finished as the fastest Indian woman, and a few months later in Delhi, she secured her second qualification for the prestigious Boston Marathon with a timing of 3:22.
Would she give HYROX a shot? The answer wasn't immediately yes. In fact, it was closer to "absolutely not." Then came another challenge. Just before the Delhi Marathon, Lattika developed shingles and was unable to train properly. Concerned that she would compromise the race, she even suggested that Mani find another partner. He refused. His faith in her never wavered, and somewhere along the journey, she borrowed enough of that faith to trust herself again. Then they got to work.
There Is No Magic Pill
People often ask them what the secret was. There wasn't one. There never is. The New Delhi Marathon concluded in February, leaving just six weeks until HYROX Bangalore. The plan was straightforward. Reduce mileage slightly. Increase strength significantly. Train consistently. Recover obsessively. Most weeks consisted of five to six runs, three to four strength sessions and one dedicated HYROX-specific workout together.
The training wasn't glamorous. It was repetitive. Wake up at 4 am. Run. Work. Train again. Eat. Sleep by 9:30 pm. Repeat. The closest thing they found to a performance hack was sleep. Lots of it.
Fuelling the Work
As endurance athletes, they have learned that training is only half the equation. Recovery is where adaptation happens. Protein became a major focus for both of them nearly two years ago.
For Mani, it began with a simple realization: if he wanted to become stronger, more resilient and capable of handling higher training loads, protein could no longer be an afterthought. As someone who follows a strict vegetarian diet, he became mildly obsessed with protein efficiency — not just protein intake, but protein relative to calories.
Protein powder twice a day, once after the morning run and once after strength training. Soya became a daily staple at lunch because it offered one of the most calorie-efficient protein sources available. More recently, Chanza — a blend of chana, moong and quinoa protein — became a welcome addition to the rotation and provided some much-appreciated variety. Lean muscle increased noticeably. More importantly, recovery improved. Hard sessions felt easier to bounce back from. Strength training became more productive. Running became more powerful.
For Lattika, protein became equally important. Her vegetarian diet, combined with regular protein supplementation, helped ensure that recovery kept pace with the demands of marathon and HYROX training.
Like many people, they were initially hesitant about supplements and preferred to rely entirely on whole foods. But over time they realized that consistently meeting protein requirements while balancing work, life and high training volumes required a more practical approach.
They discovered Cosmix through social media. But what kept them around was the consistency. The products felt clean, light and easy to digest. No heaviness. No digestive surprises. No feeling like they’d swallowed a dessert disguised as a protein shake. Over time, post-run and post-workout protein became non-negotiable. Whether it was marathon training, HYROX preparation or simply recovering well enough to train again the next day, Cosmix became part of the daily routine.
What Made Them Work as a Team
Every workout came with a debrief. Every race came with a post-race analysis. Every disappointment was discussed honestly. Every success was celebrated genuinely – they were never too far away from good idli and filter coffee. There was very little room for ego. The goal was never to be better than each other. The goal was to become better together.
Race Day
They arrived at the start line feeling ready because they knew they had prepared honestly. Just before the race, Mani handed Lattika a handwritten note. It spoke about resilience. About overcoming shingles. About the sacrifices that often go unnoticed. About the courage required to commit to a shared dream. Most importantly, it spoke about gratitude. Gratitude that she had trusted him enough to sign up for this crazy journey in the first place. While everyone else was discussing race plans and pacing strategies, she was trying very hard not to cry.
Then the race began. The toughest moment arrived during the Farmer's Carry. A calf issue that Mani had been managing all week suddenly resurfaced. Normally he would cover the opening section before handing over the kettlebells. This time he couldn't. Without hesitation, Lattika simply took over and covered far more distance than planned. Interestingly, neither of them realised they were running a special race. Lattika had made a conscious decision before the race: there could only be one pacer so she left her watch behind. Unburdened by splits, elapsed time or finish-time calculations, she focused on the only thing she could control — giving every moment her absolute best.
Stockholm
Crossing the finish line brought relief, excitement and a very long hug. Our friends were screaming. Our families were cheering. Everyone was trying to process what had just happened. A couple of days later, they discovered that the performance was the fastest HYROX Mixed Doubles time ever recorded by an Indian pair. Then came another surprise. A qualification for the World Championships in Stockholm. Neither had expected it. Neither had planned for it. But suddenly, it was real.
Looking Back
The result was extraordinary. But the result isn't what stays with them. What stays are the mornings. The conversations. The training sessions.The support system that showed up again and again. The trust built over months of shared effort. They learned something that applies far beyond sport. Individual dreams can be powerful, but shared dreams are transformational.
Stockholm is next. And while they don't know exactly what awaits, they do know this: there is still work to do, and they will show up for it together.
