Hyrox Annie Reid during a sandbag lunge walk during a Hyrox race. She rests the sandbag behind her head on her shoulders. She has a concentrated look on her face as she lunges. She wears a black vest top with animal print leggings.Hyrox

Annie Reid was looking for a new challenge at the start of the year and decided to take on a Hyrox race

A 74-year-old woman said she had been given a “once in a lifetime chance” after she qualified for the Hyrox World Championships.

Annie Reid, from Bulmer, Essex, has always been active, but started training at a gym in Lavenham, Suffolk a few years ago and wanted a new challenge.

She began training for a Hyrox race, which involves running and a mixture of workout stations, before competing at an event in London earlier this month.

Mrs Reid was shocked to hear she had qualified for the world championships in Stockholm, Sweden, next June, but said she would “grab” the opportunity.

“I’d heard about Hyrox and I thought it looked interesting, but then I thought I can’t do that because it means you’ve got to run 8km,” Mrs Reid said.

The athlete spoke with her trainer, Vicky Edwards at E3 Fitness, about the possibility of competing and was given the belief she was capable.

“I felt very lucky to have someone who believed in my abilities at a time when I wasn’t sure whether I could,” Mrs Reid said.

Hyrox Mrs Reid holds a weighted medicine ball that she is preparing to throw upwards as part of a Hyrox event. Hyrox

Hyrox races involve 100 wall balls that see the participant throw them into the air on to a target

Throughout the year the pair worked on Mrs Reid’s running endurance and strength to prepare for the race that involves eight legs, each with a 1km run followed by a fitness exercise such as sled pushes, sled pulls, rowing and kettlebell walks.

Mrs Reid said she paced herself and was not so much worried about a time, instead wanting to complete the race, but finished in 2:11:56.

A few days after the Hyrox London event, Mrs Reid received an email explaining she had qualified for the world championships.

“It is a once-in-a-lifetime chance to take part in this event, so I’m just going to go and grab it,” she said.

Vicky Edwards Annie Reid stands beside Vicky Edwards and they are smiling at the camera. Mrs Reid holds a can of Red Bull energy drink after her Hyrox competition. Mrs Edwards has short blonde hair and wears a green and white jumper with a rucksack on. People at the Hyrox competition can be seen behind them. Vicky Edwards

Vicky Edwards travelled to London to support Mrs Reid in her Hyrox event

Mrs Edwards said they often described each of Mrs Reid’s training sessions as her “paying into her health pension”.

“To see Annie not only complete her first Hyrox at 74, but then qualify for the world championships in Stockholm, has been an incredible testament to what structured, age-appropriate training can achieve,” she said.

“We are so proud of her.”