Most parents will tell you there’s never enough time. Between school runs, after-school clubs, family meals and the endless logistics of family life, finding an hour for yourself can feel almost impossible. Exercise is often one of the first things to disappear.
For Deanne Lovell (39), those demands are just as real. She’s a mum of three children aged 14, 12 and 4, whose evenings are spent ferrying children to netball, rugby and county training while juggling family life with her husband of 16 years.
Somehow, she also trains for HYROX.
Not because she has more hours in the day than anyone else, but because she has never believed becoming a mother should mean losing herself. “I’ve always made time for myself,” she says. “I am a better person for it.”
It’s a philosophy that has shaped her family life just as much as her training.
Before HYROX Came Along
Long before HYROX entered the picture, movement had already become part of who Deanne was.
She started training at 16, later worked as a personal trainer and competed in bodybuilding before moving into accountancy. Through every career change and life milestone, fitness remained the constant. “I’ve always trained since I was 16,” she says. “It’s really shaped me and been my saviour over the years.”
“I’ve always trained since I was 16,” she says. “It’s really shaped me and been my saviour over the years.”
Motherhood didn’t change that relationship, although it did change her reasons for showing up.
After her first two children were born, much of her focus centred on getting back into shape. “I had my first baby at 24 and my second at 27,” she says. “It was all about losing baby weight and maintaining it.”
It wasn’t until after Covid, and following the birth of her youngest child, that something shifted. “Something just changed in me. I wanted to train to perform, not for aesthetics.”
Discovering hybrid training and later HYROX gave her exactly that – a new challenge, and a new way of measuring progress.
Somewhere Between School Runs
Ask Deanne what a typical day looks like and there’s no such thing.
Her youngest is still in part-time nursery. Her older daughters have netball training several nights a week, one is part of an emerging talent programme, weekends are filled with matches, and her son has rugby. Her husband has his own sporting commitments too. “It’s pretty relentless,” she laughs.
The secret isn’t finding extra time. It’s making better use of the time that’s already there.
The secret isn’t finding extra time. It’s making better use of the time that’s already there.
Rather than driving home while her daughters train, she’ll head out for her own session. Dinner is often cooked in the afternoon before the evening rush begins. Protein shakes are often sipped on the school run. Everything overlaps because it has to. “I’ll train early in the week or in the evenings while the girls are training,” she says.
HYROX hasn’t become another demand on family life. It’s simply found its place within it.
Leading by Example
Many mothers speak about feeling guilty for taking time for themselves. Deanne sees it differently. She is clear that her children will always come first, but she also believes there’s value in them seeing their mum continue to chase goals of her own. “I want them to see independence and resilience,” she says. “I’m still chasing things for myself, even now.”
She hopes they’re learning more than simply the importance of exercise. “I want them to always take every opportunity they can through life and work for it. The rewards are far greater than ever being handed everything.”
For Deanne, training has become one way of demonstrating those values rather than simply talking about them.
Also read: A Beginner’s Guide to HYROX Training and How to Survive the Run-Lift-Repeat Format
Why HYROX Works
HYROX appeals to Deanne because it rewards more than just strength. She combines hybrid classes, strength work and running throughout the week, sometimes squeezing in two sessions in one evening when time allows. “It’s a mix of all three,” she says. “If I can, I’ll double up.”
Ironically, the part many people assume she’d enjoy most isn’t the biggest challenge. “It’s the compromised running,” she admits. “That’s what I’m working on.”
Rather than seeing that as a weakness, she treats it as another opportunity to improve.
Food That Fits Around Family Life
Nutrition follows much the same approach as everything else in Deanne’s life – practical rather than perfect. “I rarely hit my protein goal,” she laughs.
Breakfast is usually a protein bagel and boiled eggs before the day gathers pace. Lunch often means leftovers or something quick between commitments, while a protein shake usually accompanies the afternoon school run. If she’s heading straight to training, a Squares bar comes with her.
Dinner is whatever works for the whole family – homemade spaghetti bolognese, chicken and rice or salmon with potatoes and vegetables.
There are, however, some routines she never skips.
“I always have a packet of iced gems in the evening,” she laughs. “And I smash my electrolytes and vitamins every single day.”
It’s not about following a perfect nutrition plan. It’s about eating in a way that’s realistic enough to sustain both family life and training.
The Part People Don’t See
Social media tends to show race medals, finish lines and training highlights. What it doesn’t show, Deanne says, is the constant balancing act behind them. “It’s tiring,” she admits. “There’s always a part of me that wants to train like I’m 20, and another part that knows I need to rest.”
Sleep is interrupted, recovery isn’t always ideal, and there’s a mental battle that many parents will recognise. “Feeling like I need to earn my me time.” It’s a quiet guilt that creeps in despite knowing the benefits training brings.
A Message for Other Mums
If there’s one thing Deanne wants other mothers to take away from her journey, it’s that looking after yourself isn’t something to apologise for. “There’s nothing to feel guilty about,” she says. “I need to be healthy and well so I can show up properly for them – and for myself.”
She isn’t thinking only about the next race or the next personal best. She’s thinking about the future.
She isn’t thinking only about the next race or the next personal best. She’s thinking about the future.
“I want to be the healthiest, fittest version of myself so I can be there for them long after they’ve grown up. I want to be the best grandmother I can be. I want to live life fully and I want them to as well.”
Ask her what advice she’d give someone considering HYROX and the answer is refreshingly uncomplicated. “Enjoy it. Embrace the community. Don’t limit yourself. Give yourself more credit – it’s bloody hard. And eat.”
More Than a Medal
Deanne isn’t trying to raise future HYROX athletes. She’s trying to raise children who understand that becoming a parent doesn’t mean giving up the parts of yourself that make you who you are.
The races will finish. The medals will eventually gather dust. But the example she sets every day – that ambition, resilience and self-care can exist alongside motherhood – is something her children will carry with them long after the finish line.
Follow Deanne’s journey on Instagram.
