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BBC News
30-05-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Cardiff Hyrox competition brings extreme fitness craze to Wales
Tens of thousands of people are expected in Cardiff for a gruelling fitness challenge to be held over three days at the Principality 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 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." What is Hyrox? Founded in 2017 as an indoor discipline, athletes take part in eight legs, each a 1km run, followed by a fitness 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 sport is closely related to CrossFit, but has different, simpler exercises and prioritises endurance over raw 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 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.
Yahoo
15-03-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Hyrox could bring 'economic boost' to Cardiff
An indoor fitness competition could bring an "economic boost" to Cardiff, according to an economist. Hyrox, a "fitness racing" event, will take place across three days between 30 May and 1 June 2025 in the Principality Stadium. The inaugural event in Germany saw 650 participants, but Hyrox says it now has 200,000 competitors dotted around the world. Economist Dylan Jones Evans said "tens of thousands" could visit the Welsh capital to take part in the event. How Hyrox became the latest sporting craze Hyrox: The new fitness trend sweeping the capital "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. "What we want to see here in Cardiff is tens of thousands of people coming here at a time when most students will have left, so it's a quiet time for the city and therefore giving an economic boost at a time when they didn't expect that kind of money to come into the shops and restaurants." Participants run 1km (0.62 miles) before completing one fitness exercise, including 1km on a standing ski machine, 50m of sled push and 80m burpee jumps. Competitors - either professional or everyday fitness enthusiasts - repeat the process until they have performed eight runs and the eight workouts. At the Colosseum Gym at Gwaelod y Garth just outside Cardiff, some gym-goers said they had already upped their training ahead of the competition. Mother and daughter duo Tracey Bennett, 44, and Grace, 15, said it was a chance to improve their fitness as well as spend time together. "It's just like a really different type of training to what I'm used to it," said Grace. "It has the strength that we are used to in strength and conditioning but also the running and the quite intense cardio as well, which I really enjoy." Grace is too young to enter, but has encouraged her mum to try. "I am now very much thinking about it thanks to Grace, who is waiting until she turns 16 to do one at the end of the year. "I'd say she's strongly encouraged me have a go. I'm not the most competitive, so I'll just go and have fun," Tracey said. Lauren Smith, who owns a gym in Barry and also presents content for Hyrox's social media channels, said she believed the event would be "huge" for the Welsh capital. "You already have this really lovely atmosphere of the athletes racing," she said, "We're going to be doing it on the hallowed turf of the Welsh Rugby Union where we've won Grand Slams and lifted trophies and you're just going to be in the middle of that stadium." Fitness 'adds years to life' says Hyrox grandma 'I'm caring for my husband with MS - intense races help me cope'
BBC News
15-03-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Hyrox fitness competition could bring 'economic boost' to Cardiff
An indoor fitness competition could bring an "economic boost" to Cardiff, according to an a "fitness racing" event, will take place across three days between 30 May and 1 June 2025 in the Principality inaugural event in Germany saw 650 participants, but Hyrox says it now has 200,000 competitors dotted around the Dylan Jones Evans 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."What we want to see here in Cardiff is tens of thousands of people coming here at a time when most students will have left, so it's a quiet time for the city and therefore giving an economic boost at a time when they didn't expect that kind of money to come into the shops and restaurants." What is Hyrox? Participants run 1km (0.62 miles) before completing one fitness exercise, including 1km on a standing ski machine, 50m of sled push and 80m burpee - either professional or everyday fitness enthusiasts - repeat the process until they have performed eight runs and the eight workouts. At the Colosseum Gym at Gwaelod y Garth just outside Cardiff, some gym-goers said they had already upped their training ahead of the and daughter duo Tracey Bennett, 44, and Grace, 15, said it was a chance to improve their fitness as well as spend time together."It's just like a really different type of training to what I'm used to it," said Grace. "It has the strength that we are used to in strength and conditioning but also the running and the quite intense cardio as well, which I really enjoy."Grace is too young to enter, but has encouraged her mum to try."I am now very much thinking about it thanks to Grace, who is waiting until she turns 16 to do one at the end of the year. "I'd say she's strongly encouraged me have a go. I'm not the most competitive, so I'll just go and have fun," Tracey said. Lauren Smith, who owns a gym in Barry and also presents content for Hyrox's social media channels, said she believed the event would be huge" for the Welsh capital."You already have this really lovely atmosphere of the athletes racing," she said,"We're going to be doing it on the hallowed turf of the Welsh Rugby Union where we've won Grand Slams and lifted trophies and you're just going to be in the middle of that stadium."
