Tampa’s first HYROX brings thousands of athletes and spectators downtown

The four-day fitness competition combines running and workout stations, drawing first-time competitors and experienced racers to the Tampa Convention Center.

TAMPA, Fla. — Thousands of athletes and spectators are expected in downtown Tampa as the city hosts its first HYROX fitness competition Oct. 22-25 at the Tampa Convention Center.

The event is part of a worldwide racing circuit that combines eight kilometers of running with eight workout stations. Competitors alternate a one-kilometer run with a workout, testing their strength and endurance. They can compete individually, in doubles or on relay teams. hyrox.com

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Sara Ahuja, senior marketing manager for HYROX U.S., said organizers expect about 18,700 athletes and more than 18,000 spectators.

Among the competitors is Susan McCorkle of Charlotte, North Carolina, who is entering her first HYROX with her daughter. They became interested after seeing the event during a trip to Paris and began training afterward.

They expect their different strengths to help them work together.

“I’m a better runner. She’s better at other things,” McCorkle said. “So it’s going to be interesting.”

She is already looking forward to the finish.

“Oh, knowing it’s over is going to be amazing, just knowing it’s over,” McCorkle said. “But to do it hand-in-hand with my daughter, again, it’s going to bring tears to my eyes.”

Tampa personal trainer Maura McQuillen is preparing for her sixth HYROX while helping clients train for the competition.

McQuillen said running can challenge people who are otherwise comfortable working out.

“They are so used to thinking, you know, I go to the gym, I’m strong, I can work out, I can do a conditioning workout, but they can’t necessarily run,” she said.

She competes individually in the women’s pro division, which uses heavier weights than the standard division. She said the challenge offers an opportunity to build confidence by accomplishing something that initially seems beyond reach.

“There’s confidence that you can’t really describe that comes from it,” McQuillen said.

The event is also expected to bring business beyond the convention center.

Kirstin Albert, the convention center’s communications coordinator, said in a statement that visiting athletes and spectators will support hotels, restaurants and attractions.

“It’s events like this that allow the convention center to be an economic engine for our community,” Albert said.

Ahuja said competitors often turn race trips into vacations, spending time dining and exploring with friends and family.

For McCorkle, the trip is also a chance to make a lasting memory with her daughter.

“It’s just one of those things that I think we’re going to look back on forever and just be like, this was an amazing event,” she said.