By Joe DziemianowiczSpecial to NewsdayJuly 13, 2026 2:00 am
Hyrox fever has taken a hold on Long Island. Arlene Taveras, 25, a sales representative from Copiague, is stoked that she’s caught it. On back-to-back Sundays in May and June, she trekked to Pier 76 in New York City to take part in Hyrox fitness races
A combination of running and eight functional workouts, including sled pushes and burpees, the high-intensity competition tests fitness mettle. Anyone can take part — young or old, elite athlete or average
“It’s crazy challenging,” says Taveras, who competed earlier this year in Las Vegas and Miami and has signed up and paid the entry fee (around $120-$180 for the open category) for fall races in Washington, D.C., and Boston. “After my first race, I got addicted to Hyrox.”
She credits the workout and all that goes into it for a spike in her confidence, strength, discipline and mental focus. She’s not alone in her passion. Since last year, the New York City event has more than tripled in size, from around 13,000 to about 43,000 entrants
Hyrox was introduced in 2017 in Germany and premiered in New York in 2019. Long Island gym owners have observed the steady rise of Hyrox, a boost they credit to its accessibility, predictability and community aspects. They’ve integrated it into fitness programs, and their members have been showing up in force for Hyrox races
At Black Bear Athletics in West Babylon, Hyrox classes have drawn crowds since 2022. “What makes it popular is that it’s inclusive. It’s for everyone,” says the gym’s owner, Mike Rosa, 36, who joined the military after graduation from Oceanside High School. “You can be any age and any fitness level.”
How it works
Races, typically held inside, are grouped into divisions, including individual men and women, same-sex pairs and mixed pairs. In each, participants know exactly what to expect (barring Mother Nature, if outside). Predictability is a plus
“Wherever the race is, it’s always the same,” says Rosa, who’s run three races across two seasons, qualifying for the world championships in 2022. “It’s an 8k run total with eight different stations, so you run a 1k, you do one station, you run a 1k, you do another station, and so on eight times.”
“It’s an endurance race,” Rosa adds. “You really feel it in your hamstrings, glutes and legs. You know how to focus and train for it.”
At the eight exercise stations, participants must simulate skiing, push and pull a sled, do burpees, row, carry weights, do lunges and throw and catch a weighted ball. The exercises involved are elemental and basic, fitness pros concurred
RX Fit in Rocky Point introduced Hyrox programming in 2023. “The thing I like about Hyrox is that you don’t need to have a very high skill level to participate,” says the gym’s lead coach, Matt Eschrich, 49. “Whether you do it and excel at it or you do it just for fun to complete it, everyone can do the movements.”
The ‘new half marathon’
In contrast, CrossFit, another popular high-intensity functional fitness training program, involves moves that can be more technical or intimidating — whether it’s barbell snatches or muscle ups that combine pulls and dips into one fluid movement
At FRQNCY Performance in Islip, where Tavares works out, gym owner Taylor Frisch, 33, a veteran of eight races over three seasons, believes that the social component of Hyrox accounts for some of the popularity. “It’s like running clubs, which have gotten really, really popular over the last couple of years,” he says
“To me, Hyrox is the new half-marathon,” Frisch adds. “It’s not a full marathon, which can take over your life to train for it. But it will be a big enough challenge to tackle that you’ll feel really good about after. You can race it over and over and over, and you can always compare your times to the [previous] times.”
Christina Nugent, 42, an RX Fit member from Shoreham who’s a mom of three and a biology teacher at William Floyd Middle School in Mastic Beach, knows that firsthand. She’s done the New York Hyrox race three years in a row in the mixed doubles category with her husband, Sean, a physical education teacher at Roosevelt Children’s Academy. Their PR — personal record — has improved with each race. This year, they shaved eight minutes off their 2025 time
“You can see your time when you cross,” Nugent says. “When I saw 1:16, I started looking around to see whose time it was. My husband was like, ‘That’s us.’ To be very honest, I was stunned.”
Beyond PRs, Nugent says that the shared experience of the Hyrox race is a big part of the appeal. “Both on the course and in the gym itself, Hyrox is incredibly supportive,” she says. “It’s very communal. That actually helps keep you accountable and showing up.”
A growing trend
CrossFit Strong Island in Merrick incorporated Hyrox into its programming two years ago, according to co-owner and head coach Brad Waltman, 36, who’s participated in two Hyrox races. Over 50 members participated in the New York City Hyrox in May and June
“For me personally, my focus on training is CrossFit. I’ve found Hyrox to be a nice crossover and a test of my fitness personally,” he says. “We offer Hyrox memberships. I have members that come to my gym just for Hyrox classes. Hyrox is on a trajectory upward.”
RX Fit gym owner Sean Queller, 48, a history teacher at Forte Preparatory Academy in Queens who’s run five races across four seasons, echoed that sentiment. “Hyrox is definitely getting bigger,” he says, adding that he predicts a big spurt in sponsorship in the next couple of years. “Every sport has its culture. The culture of Hyrox is very cool and very trendy. People are really drawn to it.”
WHERE TO GO
- Black Bear Athletics:411B Lexington Ave., West Babylon, 631-810-4389, blackbear-athletics.com. Drop-in rate $25, monthly membership starts at $175.
- CrossFit Strong Island:26 Benson Lane, Merrick, 516-868-7767, crossfitstrongisland.com. Drop-in rate $25, monthly unlimited membership $190; $80 for four Hyrox classes a month, $140 for eight classes a month.
- FRQNCY Performance: 181 Freeman Ave., Islip 631-615-4724, frqncyperformance.com. Drop-in rate $25, monthly membership $229.
- RX Fit: 73 Broadway, Rocky Point, 631- 626-4627, rxfitli.com. Drop-in rate $20, monthly membership starts at $140.
By Joe DziemianowiczSpecial to Newsday
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