For Time: Run 800 meters, Run 400 meters backwards, Run 800 meters, Run 400 meters backwards.
Primary movement: Running
Griff honors Air Force Staff Sergeant Travis Griffin, killed in Iraq in 2008. It's the only classic Hero WOD that is pure running - 2.4 km total - with a twist that changes everything: 800 of those meters are run backwards. Backward running torches the quads and calves in ways forward running never does, demands real coordination at speed, and turns pacing into a puzzle: how hard can you run forward when you know what's coming? Expect quad soreness for days the first time.
| Level (Time) | Men | Women |
|---|---|---|
| beginner | 22:00+ | 24:00+ |
| intermediate | 17:00 | 18:30 |
| advanced | 14:00 | 15:30 |
| elite | sub 11:30 | sub 13:00 |
Practice backward running before race day - even two or three short sessions transform your confidence and stride. Choose flat, obstacle-free ground and glance over alternating shoulders every few seconds. Run the forward 800s at 5k pace, not mile pace: the backward segments spike your heart rate more than you expect. Backwards, stay on the balls of your feet with short, quick steps and drive off the toes - reaching for long strides is how people fall. Small tip: mark the backward turnaround clearly.
Scaled: 400 m forward + 200 m backward, twice. Beginner: same structure walking the backward segments briskly. On a treadmill, use steep-incline walking as the backward substitute.
Log every result, see your progress over time, and know exactly where you stand.