👟 Adidas Goes “Full Hybrid”

Author

Joe Genetin-Pilawa
September 15th, 2026

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Good morning and welcome to the Morning Chalk Up.

In today’s edition:

  • 🔥 Adidas Went “Full Hybrid”: The brand brought Chris Hinshaw, elite athletes, and hybrid newcomers together in London for two days of racing and coaching.

  • 🎤 CrossFit OGs Headline AffiliateCon: Greg Glassman, Kelly Starrett, Jason Khalipa, Bruce Edwards, and more will descend on Texas this October for a weekend built around helping affiliate owners build better businesses.

QUOTE OF THE DAY
❝

I want people leaving Sunday feeling full again and excited to go home and build.”

Kodi Lovelace, Best Hour of Their Day on his goals for AffiliateCon.
INDUSTRY

Adidas Went “Full Hybrid” in London, Debuted New Dropset Pro Colorway

Courtesy of Adidas

Earlier this month, Adidas shared a study conducted by Focaldata, a London-based research company, which surveyed 2,401 UK adults aged 18-24 between August 14 and 24, 2026. 

For the study, Focaldata sought to understand young people's attitudes and opinions about hybrid fitness events. The results were of significant interest to Adidas, which, like other footwear and sportswear brands, is seeking to interest more people in the sport. 

The Findings

According to the study, intimidation limits participation. It is the biggest barrier to participation among 18–24-year-olds, with many unsure where to start despite growing interest in the sport. 

  • 51% of young people say they would feel too intimidated to sign up for a hybrid fitness event.

  • 48% of those familiar with hybrid fitness events but not yet signed up say they don’t know where to start.

  • 30% cite the time required for training as a barrier.

  • 30% cite the cost of competition entry as a barrier.

Some participants had already completed their first hybrid race or competition. 

  • 37% said it helped them build mental resilience and discipline.

  • 34% felt more confident about trying new workouts or lifting heavier weights after completing a hybrid race.

  • 33% made new friends or strengthened their fitness social circle.

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SPEED READS

🚶❤️ Pick up the Pace: New research suggests you don’t necessarily need 10,000 steps a day to reap significant health benefits — walking fewer than 5,000 steps at a faster pace was still linked to substantially lower mortality risk. The takeaway: Every step counts, but how you take those steps may matter, too.

📅🔥 The Countdown Is On: CrossFit has announced the dates for the 2027 Open, giving athletes their target as the road to next season gets underway.

🏋️‍♀️💪 Strong now, strong later: CrossFit argues strength training isn’t just about aesthetics for women — building muscle supports bone density, metabolic health, resilience, and the ability to stay independent later in life. Don’t train to shrink; train to be strong for decades.

ICYMI: People Are Lonely. Gyms Can Help. (Rx article)

MEMBER EXCLUSIVE

Greg Glassman, Kelly Starrett, Jason Khalipa and More Headline Best Hour of Their Day’s AffiliateCon

Credit: @besthouroftheirday / Instagram

CrossFit founder Greg Glassman is on the docket as a speaker at Best Hour of Their Day’s AffiliateCon this October at the Omni Las Colinas Hotel in Irving, TX.

  • Glassman will be joined by many other CrossFit OGs at the October 16–18 event, including mobility guru and author Kelly Starrett, 2008 CrossFit Games champion and NCFIT owner Jason Khalipa, and CrossFit CEO Bruce Edwards.

Last year, the inaugural event drew 300 attendees. This year, Best Hour is expecting closer to 500.

Remind me: Best Hour of Their Day, a business mentorship company, was founded by two former gym owners and CrossFit Level 4 trainers, Jason Ackerman and Jason Fernandez. Today, the two also host a popular podcast.

The details: This year’s AffiliateCon will kick off on Friday for VIP attendees only. 

  • “The day is built around leadership, team building, finances, communication, AI, and mindset,” explained Best Hour’s Kodi Lovelace.

The day will wrap up with an evening social for all attendees, during which Best Hour will honor its inaugural Best Hour of Fame inductees—“people who have made an outsized impact on the CrossFit ecosystem,” Lovelace explained.

HIGHLIGHTS

Celebrating a PR, hosting a fundraiser, this, that, or otherwise? Send us a tip.

  • ⚽️Check out this high hang clean from soccer legend Zlatan Ibrahimovic. Looking good!

  • Happy birthday (9/16) to Alec Smith.

  • 🥇Congratulations to Lucy Campbell and Luka Ðukić, who won Wodcelona over the weekend.

  • Check out Fabrice Phillot knock out this huge set of triple-unders! Amazing!

  • 🔥Great job, Rynn, from Rose Barbell Club on this block snatch at 56 kilos/125 pounds.