HYROX Birmingham 2026 takes place from Tuesday 27 October to Sunday 1 November 2026 at the NEC in Birmingham. That is six days of racing, and HYROX's own event page bills it as the kick-off of the 2026/27 season, making it the first UK race on the new calendar.

If it is your first HYROX, this guide covers the practical bits: which day your division races, how to get to the NEC, what happens from check-in to the finish line, and how to use the final three weeks well. Event details come from HYROX's own event page and FAQs at the time of writing. The schedule is marked provisional, so check the event page again in race week. Edge is not affiliated with HYROX or the NEC.

When is HYROX Birmingham 2026, and which day is your race?

Racing runs every day from Tuesday 27 October to Sunday 1 November. Each division races on set days, and HYROX publishes a provisional schedule of start-wave windows. Here it is in plain English.

Based on HYROX's provisional schedule at the time of writing. Times show when start waves go off, not finish times, and they can change, so check the event page before you travel.

Your own start time is the one that matters. HYROX says it will link individual start times on the event page about 3 days before the event, and that start time changes are not allowed, so keep the whole day free until you know. Your race number shows your start time too: HYROX's example is 080030, which means an 08:00 start.

There is also a HYROX Youngstars race at the NEC on 31 October and 1 November for 8 to 15 year olds. The adult race is for people aged 16 and over.

How do you get to the NEC?

The NEC sits just east of Birmingham city centre, with Birmingham Airport on its doorstep, and it is built for big crowds. According to the NEC's own travel pages:

• By train: Birmingham International station is about a five-minute walk from the NEC, with direct trains from London and other cities through the day.
• By air: a free air-rail link runs from Birmingham Airport's Terminal 1 to Birmingham International station. It runs every two minutes and the ride takes about 90 seconds.
• By car: the NEC is signposted from the M42, M40 and M6. The postcode B40 1NT gets you to the site but not to your event car park, so follow the event signs once you arrive. Free shuttle buses run from the car parks to the halls.
• Parking: the NEC is cashless, and it says pre-booking online before midnight the day before saves £5 on the standard rate.

Bringing supporters? Spectator tickets are sold separately through the HYROX event page, and HYROX says there is no bag storage for spectators, so they should travel light.

One timing note: UK clocks go back an hour at 2am on Sunday 25 October, two days before racing starts. That is an extra hour in bed the weekend before your race, so use it.

What actually happens on race day?

HYROX is the same race everywhere: eight 1km runs, each followed by one workout station. The stations always come in this order:

• 1,000m SkiErg
• 50m Sled Push
• 50m Sled Pull
• 80m Burpee Broad Jumps
• 1,000m Row
• 200m Farmers Carry
• 100m Sandbag Lunges
• 100 Wall Balls

Each 1km run is made up of laps of a loop inside the hall. At the time of writing, HYROX lists the number of laps for Birmingham as to be confirmed, so watch the technical briefing video on the event page before you race. Then count your laps carefully, because losing count is easy in a loud, busy hall.

Here is how the day runs, step by step, based on HYROX's own race-day guidance:

• About 3 days before: find your start time on the start list on the event page, and download your ticket QR code from your HYROX account.
• 90 minutes before your start: arrive and check in with your ticket QR code and a physical ID. HYROX says digital copies and photos of ID will not be accepted, you cannot check in for someone else, and you can only check in on the day you race.
• At check-in: you get a wristband, a venue access wristband, an ankle strap with your timing chip, and your race number. You cannot race without all of them, so do not lose the wristband.
• 45 to 60 minutes before: drop your bag. One bag each, no bigger than cabin size, with everything inside it. There are changing rooms but no showers.
• 10 minutes before: go into the start tunnel.
• After the finish: your time and splits go on the HYROX results page, and photos from the official race photographer appear online about 48 hours later.

Three rules catch first-timers out. You cannot wear headphones. You can only carry water or gels if they are on you from the start, and you cannot take food or drink from spectators (HYROX says water is available at least once before or after each pass through the Roxzone, the transition area between the runs and the stations). And there is no time limit, so if it gets hard, slow down and keep moving.

Which HYROX division are you in?

If you have already entered, your division is fixed, because HYROX does not allow division changes. Here is what each one means in plain English:

• Open (Men or Women): the standard race. This is where most first-timers start.
• Pro (Men or Women): exactly the same race with heavier weights. In Birmingham, Pro singles race on Friday 30 October.
• Doubles (Men, Women or Mixed): you and a partner run every 1km together and split the work at each station however you like. HYROX lists Mixed Doubles at the men's Open weights, so agree who takes the sleds before race day.
• Pro Doubles: Doubles with Pro weights. In Birmingham, these race on Saturday 31 October.
• Relay (Men's, Women's or Mixed): a team of four, where each person does two runs and two stations. Relays race on Friday 30 October, and HYROX holds a compulsory on-site briefing that one person per team needs to attend.
• Adaptive (Men or Women): an inclusive division for people with a range of impairments.

For the weights in every division, see our guide to HYROX divisions and weights explained.

What should your final 3 weeks look like?

Three weeks is not long enough to build much new fitness, but it is plenty of time to sharpen up and arrive fresh. The table counts back from your own race day, so if you race on Sunday 1 November, everything shifts five days later than for a Tuesday racer. Treat it as a guide and keep it simple.

If you have never pushed a sled, try to get on one before race day. HYROX's own advice is to try the sled push at least once before you race, and the sleds and wall balls are the stations many first-timers find hardest. For pacing tips and the classic first-race mistakes, read our beginner's guide to your first HYROX race.

Sleep matters more than any last-minute session. Keep to your normal bedtime all week, and make the most of the extra hour when the clocks go back on 25 October.

What should you eat in race week?

Race week is not the time to try anything new. Stick to foods you know, and plan your meals around your start wave, which in Birmingham could be any time from 08:00 to 20:30.

• The two days before: make carbs a bigger part of your normal meals, with foods like rice, pasta, potatoes, bread and oats. You do not need to stuff yourself.
• Morning starts: eat a familiar breakfast 2 to 3 hours before your wave, such as porridge, toast or a bagel.
• Afternoon or evening starts: eat a normal breakfast and lunch, then a carb-based snack 2 to 3 hours before you race. Pack something small for the wait in the hall.
• Drinks: sip water through the day rather than downing a lot at once.
• During the race: water is available on the course. If you want to use a gel, carry it from the start and try it in training first.

For a day-by-day plan, read our guide to HYROX race week nutrition.

What kit do you need for HYROX Birmingham?

Pack the night before, and remember that everything has to fit in one cabin-size bag with liquids sealed.

• Your ticket QR code, downloaded from your HYROX account, and a physical ID.
• Trainers with good grip that you have already trained in. HYROX itself suggests grippy shoes for the sled push.
• Race clothes you have tested, such as shorts or leggings and a fitted top.
• A warm layer and a spare top for before and after. It is late October, and you may be waiting around before your wave.
• A towel or wipes and a change of clothes, since there are no showers.
• Gels or a small bottle on your person if you plan to use them, because they must be on you from the start.
• A snack and a drink for after the finish.

Leave the headphones in your bag. You cannot race in them, and the crowd noise will carry you round anyway.

What comes after Birmingham?

Once you have crossed the line, most people want to know how to get faster. Your HYROX splits show exactly where the time went, whether that was the runs, the sleds or the wall balls, and that is useful information for your next block of training.

Edge Pro builds a fully personalised plan across running, strength, HIIT and mobility, ready within 24 hours, so your running and your station work sit in one plan rather than two. You can message a real coach anytime, including to talk through your Birmingham splits. Edge is free to download, and Edge Pro comes with a 7-day free trial.

This article is general guidance, not medical advice. If you are new to exercise, returning from injury, pregnant, or managing a health condition, speak to your GP before starting, and see a physio for any niggle that does not settle.