23 to 26 October - Hyrox Birmingham 2025

James
Nov 21
2 min read

Hyrox Birmingham 2025 - What a weekend.

The original plan was simple: race on Friday morning with Will, then figure out how to recover afterwards. I’d done an ultra three weeks prior, so the entire time since had basically been one long recovery mission in order to be ready to full send with Will.

However… I then had the brilliant idea of offering our photography services to see if anyone wanted race photos. Fast-forward a few hours and suddenly we had eight races to photograph/video—and any hope of resting completely vanished.

I arrived for our first clients on Thursday around 2 p.m. and didn’t leave the venue until 9 p.m. The next day at 8:30 a.m., I was on the start line with Will, and we sent it: 1:02:35 for open doubles. My fastest time yet—and proof that running slowly really does help everything.

Later that day, I shot another client and left the venue around 8 p.m.

Saturday and Sunday followed the same pattern: early starts, late finishes, and back-to-back racing—but honestly, I wouldn’t have it any other way. Our friends were competing all weekend, and being there for them was unreal. And to top it off, my sister Wizz raced her first HYROX and absolutely crushed it.

So now I've done it, here are a few do’s and don’ts if you ever plan on shooting at a HYROX event:

You need at least a 70–200mm lens.Media passes are hard to get now, and if you’re shooting from behind the ropes, anything shorter won’t get you the shot.
Expect noise. A lot of noise.The lighting is rough and the black curtains around the arena make it dark. Editing will take longer than usual.
Plan your routes and backup angles.You won’t always be able to get right in front of your athlete. Know where your next best shooting position is and use the crowd to add atmosphere.
Dress to move.It gets hot. Don’t wear a coat. Shorts > jeans. You will be running around almost as much as the athletes.
Be a cheerleader, not a ghost.Don’t silently stalk your client with a camera. Encourage them, learn the rules, and coach as they go. Energy matters.