HYROX makes its Tampa debut this weekend

If you've seen the fitness world talking about HYROX and wondered what the hype is, you don't have to look far this weekend. The global competition is making its Tampa debut from Thursday, October 22 to Sunday, October 25, and it's taking over the Tampa Convention Center at 333 S. Franklin St, on the Riverwalk side of the building. Organizers are expecting roughly 18,700 athletes and more than 18,000 spectators over the four days, with the first competitors hitting the line at 8:00 a.m. on Thursday.

The format is straightforward but brutal: eight 1-kilometer runs, each followed immediately by one of eight functional workout stations. There's no rest between the run and the station, and none between stations either. The order is fixed: a 1,000-meter SkiErg, a 50-meter sled push, a 50-meter sled pull, 80 meters of burpee broad jumps, a 1,000-meter row on a Concept2 machine, a 200-meter farmers carry, 100 meters of sandbag lunges, and 100 wall balls (75 for some divisions). The clock starts at the start line and stops after the last wall ball, so there's no run after station eight. Most people finish in about 1.5 hours, while the elite can dip under 60 minutes.

There's a division for almost everyone, which is part of the appeal. Open is for all levels, Pro is for the elite, and there are Doubles, Relay, and Age-group categories. Athletes 60 and over compete with Open weights and can qualify for the Age Group World Championships, though they can't enter the Pro division. Weights scale by category, too: the sled push ranges from 102 kilograms for Open women to 202 for Pro men, and the wall ball target sits at 2.70 meters for women and 3.00 for men. Every athlete wears a chip on their ankle that stays on for the whole race.

If you're planning to go, a few logistics are worth knowing. The race is held indoors across the East, Central, and West Exhibit Halls of the convention center, which was renovated in 2023 and is a LEED Silver O+M facility. Everyone enters through the Riverwalk entrance on the south side of the building, so don't try to come in from the parking garage or the overhead walkway from the Embassy Suites. Expect metal detectors and bag searches, and if you're competing, remember that on-site registration opens 90 minutes before the day's first start, and you'll need ID to check in.

Getting there is easy. The TECO Line streetcar stops at 'Convention Center' right in front, and it's usually faster than driving. From Tampa International Airport, it's about 15 to 20 minutes by Uber or Lyft. The late-October weather averages 21 to 27 degrees Celsius, so it's comfortable for a day downtown. For the best view, head to the SkiErg and wall balls corner or the sled push, and give yourself 60 to 90 minutes before your wave starts. Results usually post on hyrox.com within 24 to 48 hours after the last wave, so you'll have your time shortly after the weekend wraps.