No Excuses: How DE Agent Joey Nina Took on HYROX in a Suit During the Biggest Month of His Life

The look quickly became a talking point among competitors, spectators, and even sponsors. But for Joey, it was never about standing out.

It was about showing up.

"Clients are families making the biggest financial decision of their lives, and they deserve someone who picks up the phone, sends the email, and doesn't disappear when things get hard," he says. "That was the idea behind the suit."

The concept began as a visual representation of his work ethic, but over months of training, it took on a more personal meaning.

"Somewhere along the way, it became personal too," Joey says. "I want my daughter to grow up seeing her dad do hard things and not make excuses."

That daughter – Lucia – is due in less than two weeks.

Suddenly, the race wasn't simply another fitness challenge. It became a marker in a season of transition – one that also includes Joey’s wedding anniversary and preparations for fatherhood.

"I signed up for this race before I fully realized what that overlap was going to mean," he says. "Now it means everything."

A lifelong Massapequa resident, Joey built his HYROX preparation around the realities of real estate.

Training happened before sunrise, after showings, between listing appointments, and late at night after client calls had been returned.

"It's either super early or late night around work," he says. "Then it's dials, showings, listing prep, content and admin. With the baby coming, the workouts got tighter and more intentional. No wasted reps."

That discipline, he says, carried directly into his business.

While fitness has always been part of his life, preparing for a specific event changed the way he approached his time.

"Training for something with a date on it pushed me to a new level of discipline that carried right into the business."

The race itself appealed to him for a reason.

Unlike a marathon, which is largely a test of endurance, HYROX requires competitors to constantly shift gears – running, lifting, pushing, pulling, carrying, then doing it all over again.

To Joey, it felt surprisingly familiar.

"I picked HYROX over a marathon because it mirrors the job," he says. "Run, work station, run, work station. That's my week. Show a house, make calls, run to a closing, back to the phones."

The comparison may sound lighthearted, but it reflects a reality many real estate professionals know well.

Success in the business is rarely built on a single big moment. More often, it's the result of consistency, resilience, and the willingness to keep moving forward when others might choose to slow down.

That mindset has guided Joey throughout his career and was on full display on the HYROX course, where he pushed sleds, carried sandbags, and navigated the event's demanding stations while dressed for what looked more like a closing than a competition.

Along the way, the suit earned enough attention to attract support from SuitShop, which ultimately sponsored the effort and provided his race-day attire.

But the message remained the same.

"There are a lot of misconceptions about what real estate agents do, especially younger agents," Joey says. "People think it's easy money and a flexible schedule. It's relentless."

The race was never intended to prove otherwise.

Instead, it served as a reminder of what commitment looks like, whether in business, training, marriage, or preparing for a new chapter of life.

For Joey, the finish line wasn't the point.

The point was showing up.

In a matter of days, Joey's focus will shift from training plans and race day preparations to sleepless nights, diapers, and life with a newborn. But if HYROX taught him anything, it's that growth rarely happens when life is convenient. Sometimes the biggest milestones arrive all at once, and the only thing left to do is show up and keep moving forward.