SWEATY, out of breath and topless – it’s not how most of us picture the first meeting with our future husband.
But for women taking on Hyrox – a global fitness competition that’s boomed in popularity over the last year – that’s exactly how they want to meet the one.
Emma Fraser, 24, and Katie Cunningham, 21, made signs to attract their dream man at Hyrox Glasgow last week[/caption]
Thousands of women descend on the competitions in the hope of finding a toned and topless beau[/caption]
Molly-Mae’s sister Zoe has her very own Hyrox Husband, Danny, who she met while working in the military[/caption]
Amid the death of the British clubbing scene and growing fatigue with dating apps, thousands of women are flocking to Hyrox events to scout for talent.
There, they will find men who have trained for months for the global exercise phenomenon that sees competitors tackle a gruelling race and workout combination.
A Hyrox race includes a five-mile run, broken up with a different functional workout station for exercises such as sled pushes, sandbag lunges and wall balls.
The race is the ultimate test of strength, stamina and overall fitness, with the fastest competitor winning the section.
There are solo female categories, single-sex doubles, mixed-sex doubles and – fortunately for the sport’s single ladies – solo male categories.
These male athletes work up a sweat from their exertions on the track – but that’s not the only reason temperatures rise in host venues.
I’m here to look for a Hyrox husband – it’s a mindset thing as they’re more likely to be goal-orientated.
Kayla Quinlan
With so many shirtless fellas running around with their six packs on display, it’s a common sight to see signs requesting a “Hyrox Husband” from both spectators and runners alike.
The sporting events have become somewhat of a speed dating exercise.
That’s particularly true for sporty pals Kayla Quinlan, 24, and Alice O’Grady, 26, who descended on Hyrox’s recent Glasgow competition with spray tans and full faces of make-up in the hope of meeting Mr Right.
Personal trainer Kayla even joked that she’d put “more effort” into her appearance for completing the indoor fitness circuit than she plans to on her actual wedding day.
Sporty pals Kayla Quinlan, 24, and Alice O’Grady, 26, had spray tans and applied full faces of makeup before attending Hyrox Glasgow[/caption]
Mum and daughter duo Lara Bardelli, 25, and Jacqui Thomson, 61, love attending the events together[/caption]
“I’m here to look for a Hyrox husband,” she told The Sun. “It’s a mindset thing as they’re more likely to be goal-orientated.”
Her winning tactic to reel in a Hyrox hunk is offering to take his picture. “It’s a conversation starter,” Alice adds.
Kayla and Alice agreed that the dating pool online was so sorely lacking, so they are hedging their bets on meeting the one at a Hyrox competition.
Hyrox races take place in different cities across the globe all year round, meaning some women will even hop on a plane in hopes of finding their sweaty soulmate.
What is Hyrox?
Hyrox is an indoor fitness event where athletes complete a standardised course consisting of eight running laps (each one kilometer) and eight workout stations placed between each lap.
Each participant’s time is recorded, and the total time is based on how long it takes them to complete all the running and exercises. The event is competitive, with rankings based on finishing times.
After every 1 km of running, competitors complete one of the following stations:
- SkiErg: A machine simulating cross-country skiing
- Sled Push: Pushing a weighted sled over a certain distance
- Sled Pull: Pulling a sled with a rope over a set distance
- Burpee Broad Jumps: Performing burpees and jumping forward after each
- Rowing: A rowing machine for a set distance
- Kettlebell Swings: Swinging a kettlebell for a set number of reps
- Sandbag Lunges: Lunging while carrying a sandbag
- Wall Balls: Throwing a medicine ball to a target while squatting
Organisers pride the races on being designed for athletes of all levels. While it’s a competitive event, participants of any fitness level can take part and train, with the option to participate in the open category.
Due to Hyrox’s boom over the last 12 months, it is now considered difficult to get a ticket to compete in one of the events. Prices vary depending on the type of ticket you have, but it generally costs around £100 to take part.
One woman who has her very own Hyrox Husband is Molly-Mae Hague’s older sister, Zoe Rae, 28.
The army medic turned fitness influencer regularly competes alongside her husband Danny, 29.
The duo have built up impressive social media followings showcasing their Hyrox-fuelled relationship, with Zoe even gushing over her husband being “famous” in the competition.
They first competed in the mixed-sex doubles category together in September 2023 and qualified for the Hyrox world championships after coming first place in their age group.
Zoe and Danny travel the world to compete together and treat the events as city break holidays[/caption]
The extreme fitness competition has mixed-sex categories, as well as single-sex categories[/caption]
Among the Hyrox stations are sled pushes (pictured above), burpee broad jumps, sandbag lunges and wall balls[/caption]
Zoe and Danny now travel the world to compete together and treat the events as city break holidays.
Videos of the couple collaborating in the doubles category together are flooded with wishful comments from single women.
“This makes me want a Hyrox relationship so bad – it’s couple goals,” one reads.
“I hope when I get a boyfriend we can compete in Hyrox together like you two,” another says.
Glasgow’s girls
We caught up with some Hyrox contestants in Glasgow recently as 40,000 visitors descended on the city for the five-day event.
And it was clear that many people view the fitness extravaganza as a more viable dating option than apps such as Hinge and Tinder.
Police officer Emma Fraser, 24, and INEOS worker Katie Cunningham, 21, from Bo’ness, even made signs to attract the right type of fella as they scouted for talent before their race.
They’re not the first two to come up with this idea, either.
The contest is the ultimate test of strength and stamina, with five miles of running split up by eight workout stations[/caption]
The extreme fitness competition has mixed-sex categories, as well as single-sex categories[/caption]
Plenty of young women have taken to social media platforms like TikTok to showcase the signs they sport on the sidelines, reading things like: “Run quicker if you want to date me.”
Emma said: “It’s a great place to meet someone because you want to see people who are likeminded with similar interests.”
Katie added: “You want to meet someone in person here more than in a bar or pub.
“And unlike dating apps, you know you’re not being catfished as you can see people are the real deal.”
I’d be up for meeting somebody here. There’s a lot of potential walking by and it’s topless men
Emily Forbes
Emily Forbes, 26, a personal trainer from East Kilbride, is also fed up with dating online.
And like many others, she’d rather meet someone at an event like Hyrox because at least then she’d know they’re real.
Moaning that “dating apps are awful”, she said: “I’d be up for meeting somebody here. There’s a lot of potential walking by and it’s topless men.”
Edinburgh bar owner Iain Irving, 43, was competing with pal Gavin Hogarth, 40, who runs Fit Body Farm, Scotland’s first official Hyrox gym.
The pair have previously competed alongside their other halves and think it’s a brilliant shared experience.
Iain said: “It’s great to do it with your partner as long as it’s for fun and maybe not if you both happen to be very competitive.”
Gavin added: “A lot of couples run marathons together and enjoy training with each other.
“So it’s the same with Hyrox if you both find it fun.”
Gavin Hogarth, 40, owns Fit Body Farm, and Iain Irving, 43 (right) also took part in the event[/caption]
Sun reporter Colan Lamont went to the fitness event to meet the ladies making this the ultimate dating spot[/caption]
