Scottish gran breaks Hyrox fitness record after three hip replacements

A Scottish grandmother has broken a fitness record at age 72 - having had three hip replacements.

Carole Munro and her team mate were first to complete a Hyrox race in the 70-74 age group at the European Championships in London last weekend - and they did it in record time.

Hyrox is an indoor fitness race in which thousands of people take part in a series of challenges and has seen a dramatic increase in popularity since it started in Germany in 2017.

The achievement means Carole - who only started training a few years ago - has qualified for the Hyrox World Championships in Sweden.

The retired army driver from Turiff, Aberdeenshire, told the BBC her main motivation was to inspire her four grandchildren.

Carole said she has always been active but did not know what Hyrox was until after she signed up.

"My eldest son, who is a fitness instructor, asked me if I fancied doing this competition with him and I foolishly said yes," Carole told BBC Radio Scotland Breakfast.

"I didn't know what I was doing when I first agreed but I thought I would be fine.

"It wasn't until I got home and Googled it that I realised what I had signed up for and I would have to train harder than I was already."

The word "Hyrox" does not actually stand for anything.

Held in large venues around the world throughout the year, it involves a gruelling circuit of eight strength-based exercise stations with a one-kilometre run between each.

Competitors ski, push and pull sleds, row, burpee, lunge and throw heavy medicine balls at a target in an effort to finish in the fastest time.

In the mixed doubles event, women must lift the same weights as the men - another hurdle Carole had to overcome.

She completed her first Hyrox with her son Stuart in just over 90 minutes before taking on the challenge on her own at London's Excel arena.

"I then thought I would try to do it solo because it would easier and I'm still going," Carole said.

"It's almost two hours of endurance with running and weights so that is what I do in the gym several times a week.

"Older people should be doing weights because we lift things and carry the children but we never lift anything above our head and it's good for us."

She finished third in the solo event in her age group when she represented Scotland at the World Championships in Chicago last year.

In September Carole had her third hip replacement, which meant that she had to take a break from her training.

"I vowed to myself I would never hobble after my hip replacement," she said.

"My last one was really sore so I only had three months to train for the European Championships because of the pain."

Carole competed at the European Championships in London last weekend with Dutch athlete Jim Malinka.

The pair won the 70-74 age group and broke the world record in a time of one hour 45 minutes and 22 seconds.

But for Carole, it is not about the medals and rather hoping her children and grandchildren follow in her footsteps of keeping fit and enjoying exercise.

She said she is now training for a mixed doubles with her youngest son and preparing to cheer on her 12-year-old granddaughter at her second Hyrox Youngstars event on Sunday.

And she has no plans to slow down.

"It's competitive and once it's in your blood, you can't stop," Carole added.