Hyrox to bring thousands to Cardiff for fitness craze

Tens of thousands of people are expected in Cardiff for a gruelling fitness challenge to be held over three days at the Principality Stadium.

Hyrox is a "fitness racing" event that has become a craze, going viral on social media since the first competition in Germany eight years ago.

There are now 200,000 competitors worldwide according to organisers, with the first ever event in Wales starting on Friday.

The event is set to include the oldest known participant in the gruelling indoor race of eight 1km (0.62 mile) runs followed by different fitness exercises.

"Age doesn't have to be a barrier," said Prof Peter Herbert, 80, from Carmarthen. "Vitality is something we can choose to nurture every day."

As the Hyrox craze descends on the capital, roads in the town centre are expected to be busy until after the final on Sunday.

Competitors - either professional or everyday fitness enthusiasts - perform eight runs and eight workouts, including 1km on a standing ski machine, 50m sled push and 80m burpee jumps.

Economist Dylan Jones Evans previously said "tens of thousands" could visit the Welsh capital to take part in the event.

"What we saw with Hyrox when they went to Glasgow recently was 40,000 people going to the city who wouldn't have gone to Glasgow," he said.

Prof Herbert, from University of Wales Trinity Saint David, is a world-renowned fitness expert, academic, and life-long athlete.

Undeterred by a knee replacement, he is aiming to be the oldest known competitor to complete the full event.

"If I'm able to complete this challenge, I hope it sends a clear message," he said.

"Through a commitment to a healthy lifestyle and staying physically active, it's absolutely possible to have the energy, strength, and resilience to enjoy activities that many believe are out of reach after 50.

"Whether it's surfing, mountain biking, rowing, swimming, or anything else that brings you joy, age doesn't have to be a barrier."

Founded in 2017 as an indoor discipline, athletes take part in eight legs, each a 1km run, followed by a fitness exercise.

The exercises competitors are put through include 1km on a standing ski machine, 50m sled push, 50m sled pull, 80m burpee jumps, 1km indoor rowing, carrying a kettlebell 200m, 100m lunges carrying a sandbag, and finally 100 throws and catches of a medicine ball off a wall.

World championships are held every year, with contestants taking part in singles and doubles races.

The 2024 world championships in France featured a new relay event by nationality.

The sport is closely related to CrossFit, but has different, simpler exercises and prioritises endurance over raw strength.

Its popularity is primarily put down to two things: accessibility and visibility.

Hyrox has been designed with the intention of going viral, whether by giving contestants patches instead of medals to wear on their gym bags, or by pushing "training club Tuesdays", getting people to tag gyms that offer classes.

The top athletes in the sport are doing the event in under an hour.

But Hyrox competitor and former Wales rugby player Laura Payne said the race could be geared to all abilities, with some using lower weights, walking the sprints and taking up to three hours to finish.

"It's quite open and inclusive," said the co-owner of Penarth gym Arth Strength.

"If you've not done much fitness you could get by if you did it with a pair," Ms Payne, who has done Hyrox events in Birmingham and London, added.

"There is 8km of running but spread out a little bit and some of the stations can be made harder or easier."

According to Ms Payne, it is a mass participation event like a half marathon, but "less boring" because running is not the only event.

The training is mainly around endurance, with hour-long sessions, she said.