For many holidaymakers, a weekend in Bangkok means shopping, Thai street food, nightlife and perhaps a recovery massage the next day.But when 90 members of Hong Kong’s DOP Training Club visited the Thai capital in March, they were there for an entirely different reason: Hyrox.The fitness club, co-founded by personal trainer Dan Yeung, had previously organised similar trips to Taipei, Kobe and Beijing, documenting them on its YouTube channel.Bangkok drew the biggest turnout. Yeung told CNA Luxury that about 70 per cent of the club’s members joined the trip, forcing him to close the gym for the week.The group travelled to Bangkok not only to compete in the global fitness race, but also to celebrate together afterwards. Some stayed on for a few extra days, while others headed home shortly after the event. About 30 to 40 members gathered for a group dinner once the race was done.
Members of Hong Kong’s DOP Training Club in Bangkok for Hyrox. The fitness community brought about 90 members to the Thai capital, turning the race weekend into a group “race-cation” built around competition, travel and post-race celebration. (Photo: Dan Yeung)
Not long ago, trips were planned around shopping, then food, then wellness retreats. Now, a growing number of travellers are building holidays around sled pushes, burpees and laps around convention centres and stadiums – before celebrating with massages, sightseeing and local delicacies.As Hyrox expands across the region, participants are increasingly building entire holidays around race weekends, turning competitions into what some now call “race-cations”.Bangkok hosted one of the region’s largest Hyrox races to date, with more than 17,500 registered athletes taking part in the three-day event in March. Singapore followed in April, with more than 14,000 competitors at the Singapore National Stadium for its first three-day Hyrox edition.With newer stops such as Jakarta and Kuala Lumpur joining the regional calendar, Hyrox – and the race-cation culture around it – shows little sign of slowing.For some, these trips are a way to reconnect with friends and family. For others, they offer a chance to explore new cities with like-minded training partners. Increasingly, race day is just one part of a broader travel experience.THE RACE IS THE REASON
