Meet Matt Osborne – Hybrid Athlete, Dad, and Creative Machine

Whether he’s chasing down a HYROX finish line, hauling grocery bags like it’s race day, or road-tripping in the family caravan, Matt brings energy, grit, and a good dose of humour to everything he does.

He proves that you don’t need perfect conditions to stay fit — just the drive to make it happen.

Matt's Approach to Nutrition

I like to keep food simple, consistent, and enjoyable. I’m not the type to weigh every grain of rice or obsess over macros, but I do like knowing my meals are fuelling my training, recovery, and family life. My approach is all about balance: mostly whole foods, plenty of protein, and enough carbs to keep the engine running.

Most of my meals are built around the basics — oats, rice, potatoes, lean meats, veggies, and good fats from nuts, seeds, and avocado. It’s not fancy, but it works. I also like to mix in fermented foods like sauerkraut and kimchi for gut health, and I try to eat as many different fruits and berries as I can across the week. With young kids and a busy work schedule, I prefer meals that are quick to prep and easy to repeat.

Hot sauce pretty much goes on everything. It makes even the most standard meal taste better and gives me something to look forward to, even when I’m eating the same food on repeat. I also love to BBQ whenever I can — meat, veggies, even quick weeknight dinners. There’s just something about cooking outside that makes food taste better.

Snacks are usually simple: hard-boiled eggs, fruit, nuts, and yoghurt. I’m also a fan of chocolate-drizzled popcorn, which sneaks in when I want something fun.

Supplements like Bulk Nutrients WPI, Creatine, EAAs, and Hydration Salts slot naturally into this routine. I use them to make sure I’m covering my bases without overcomplicating things — protein powder goes into oats or smoothies, creatine post-training, EAAs during sessions, and Hydration Salts in my water throughout the day.

That said, I’m not super strict. I enjoy eating out with my family and I’m definitely not against a pizza night, burgers, or something sweet when the occasion calls for it. For me, consistency across the week matters more than being perfect every single meal. I want to show that you can train seriously and fuel properly without it becoming restrictive or boring.

Average Daily Calorie Intake: 3500.

Is there a type or style of diet you follow? I don’t count calories — I stick to clean eating principles and let how I feel guide me.

Are there foods you avoid? Why? Anything overly processed that leaves me bloated or heavy, especially around training.

Are there foods you crave? Rice bowls and oats — simple, filling, and easy to dress up in different ways. And yes, 70% dark chocolate sneaks in most nights as a small reward!

What's your go-to cheat meal? BBQ, without a doubt. I love cooking low and slow — brisket, ribs, pulled pork, wings — anything that can soak up smoke. It feels less like a “cheat” and more like a reward after a big training week. There’s something special about cooking outside, sharing food with family and friends, and then sitting down to eat. If I had to pick one meal to look forward to all week, BBQ would always win.

My Day on a Plate

Here’s what an average day of eating looks like for me:

Pre-gym

During training

Breakfast (post-gym)

Morning snack

Lunch

Afternoon snack

Dinner

Before bed

Throughout the day

Weekly Workout Plan

At the core of my training, I’m all about building a strong aerobic engine and a solid strength base. I use a structured cycle approach — microcycles week to week, mesocycles across three to four weeks, and a macrocycle for the full season — to balance stress, recovery, and performance.

Running progression is a major focus. Following the principles of the Norwegian Method, I build my training around Zone 2 runs for aerobic base, threshold running for race-specific fitness, and compromised running to mimic Hyrox demands. All of this sits alongside strength work, which gives me the power to push sleds, lunge with purpose, and hold form under fatigue.

Here are some of my go-to sessions:

Threshold intervals
Progressions like 8 x 4 minutes or 6 x 5 minutes at threshold pace. These help me hold a strong pace while clearing fatigue — exactly what Hyrox running demands.

Zone 2 long runs
60 to 90 minutes at a conversational pace. Not glamorous, but they build the aerobic base that underpins everything else.

Hyrox simulation
1km run into Ski Erg, Sled Push, Sled Pull, Burpee Broad Jumps, Row, Farmers Carry, Sandbag Lunges, and Wall Balls. Brutal — but the best way to rehearse race pacing and transitions.

Strength foundation work
Squats, deadlifts, and presses. Simple, repeatable, and essential — they build the strength to move heavy loads under fatigue.

Hill repeats
Running 200 to 800 metres at a steady incline to develop leg power and running efficiency. It’s basically strength training in disguise.

For me, it’s about layering endurance and strength over time so that on race day I can run strong, move efficiently, and keep pushing when things get uncomfortable. Most importantly, it’s about listening to your body and adjusting on the fly — because true hybrid training is taxing and requires smart recovery to avoid overtraining or injury.

Latest Results

Do you have any medium/long term goals you're working towards?

In the short term, one of my biggest goals is learning to train on the road. My family and I are travelling in a caravan for three months, and I see it as the perfect challenge leading into Hyrox Melbourne. It means swapping gyms for caravan parks, finding new running routes every week, and relying on mobile equipment — but I’m excited to show that you can still prepare for a major event even when life looks different.

After Melbourne, the next focus is Hyrox Brisbane in April, where I’m aiming to take another step forward with my performance. The big, long-term goal is to qualify for the Hyrox World Championships in Stockholm in 2026. That goal drives a lot of the decisions I make in training, especially how I balance running progression with strength work.

For me, it’s not just about chasing times or placings — it’s about proving that consistency, creativity, and commitment are what really move the needle. If I can keep building as a hybrid athlete while staying present with family and work, and bring others along for the ride, then I’m right on track.

Have you had any exceptional results (in competitions or otherwise) in the last few years? Let us know what they are!

One of the results I’m most proud of this season is running a 37:20 10K, which really showed me my training is working — especially the balance between aerobic development and strength work. That time gave me a huge confidence boost and confirmed that the running progressions I’ve been following are paying off.

I’m still in my debut Hyrox season, but I’m happy with how things are tracking. At Hyrox Sydney, I lined up in the Men’s Pro division and finished in 1:12. It was a tough race, but getting one under my belt was massive — I learned a ton and have already started adapting my training from it.

Honestly, the biggest result has been consistency. Every training block I feel a little fitter, a little sharper, and a little more capable — which is exactly what I want in my first full season.