It’s true–HYROX has taken over the fitness world. In 2025 alone, more than 80 global races brought in more than 550,000 participants. Dubbed the “World Series of fitness racing” and “the fitness competition for every body,” HYROX is a rare hybrid: eight kilometres of running broken up by eight workout stations. It’s undeniably an endurance sport, and on paper, looks like a natural fit for a strong runner. But in truth, runners should probably steer clear.
What is HYROX?
Launched in 2017, HYROX went from a small German project to a global fitness phenomenon after 2021; it finally landed in Canada in 2024. Every race looks the same: a one-km run and a workout station, repeated eight times inside a massive indoor arena.
Workout stations include:
- 1 km on a ski erg (mimicking cross-country skiing)
- 50m weighted sled push
- 50m weighted sled pull
- Burpee broad jumps
- 1 km on a rowing machine
- 200m farmer’s carry (with kettlebells)
- Sandbag lunges
- 100 wall balls (squat and throw with medicine ball)
Divisions keep the event accessible to everyone, from beginners to gym rats: open (entry-level), pro (heavier weights), doubles (split with a partner) and relay (teams of four).
Why runners would dominate
With 8K of running, half the race caters directly to runners, who have the stamina and pacing skills many gym-goers lack and the mental toughness needed to really push in endurance sports. HYROX fits into a runner’s mindset: it’s time-based, so athletes can keep chasing personal bests, and although it’s primarily an individual competition, still carries the strong community vibe that the running world boasts.
Why runners should stick to running
Like running, HYROX is about getting to the finish as fast as possible. That means clean form often takes a backseat to speed. Moving equipment quickly–especially without much experience–usually means compensating with other muscles, which opens the door to injury. (For example, using back extensors instead of glutes during lunges.) That risk only grows as fatigue sets in over the span of the races, which average an hour and a half in length.
This danger is amplified for runners, who are notorious for neglecting resistance and strength training in favour of logging more kilometres. The training gap makes them more likely to resort to poor form when the heavy weights come into play.
If you’re still focused on running goals, doing HYROX will mean sacrifice. Training for it requires cutting back on pure mileage and, unlike targeted gym work, most of HYROX’s movements don’t translate directly to improved running performance. Add in the need for regular gym access to prepare for the specific workouts, and you might be better off just committing to a well-rounded strength program that targets the niche areas in which your personal strength is lacking.
And we can’t forget the steep entry fees, which reach up to C$220 for a single race.
If you’re set on HYROX, it can be a great motivator to get into the gym and build strength in new movements. Just pay close attention to form—and don’t be discouraged if chasing new fitness goals slows your progress toward a new distance-running personal best when you return to the roads.
The Obstacle Course Racing (OCR) and CrossFit trends
HYROX isn’t the first fitness craze. CrossFit boomed in 2010, with its arena-style competitions placing even more of an emphasis on intensity and speed than HYROX. The explosive movements were performed with heavy weights and no attention to form–and were done so very quickly; many athletes ended up injured and realized the movements, which involved Olympic lifts, muscle-ups and handstand push-ups, were too niche to actually build functional strength. Popularity dropped after its peak in 2018.
Following a similar arc was Obstacle Course Racing (OCR)–outdoor races that test strength, grip, agility and problem solving. The competition also took off around 2010, with events like Spartan Race and Tough Mudder, and popularity levelled off around 2018. At the 2028 Olympics, OCR will make its debut as an Olympic sport as part of the modern pentathlon.
