Race Formats
Kids’ Fitness Racing: Ages 8–15, Dates & Parent Guide
Oct
HYROX Youngstars is a fitness race for children ages 8–15, with running and workout stations scaled by age. It gives younger competitors their own course and race experience rather than asking them to complete the adult event with adult weights.
Two confirmed US weekends are Anaheim, December 5–6, 2026, and Houston, April 3–4, 2027. This guide explains the age groups, what parents need to book and how check-in works. Details were checked on October 22, 2026; individual start times and local instructions can still change.
US dates and booking status
For the HYROX Youngstars 2026 schedule in the US, Anaheim is the December weekend to plan around. Houston belongs to the following calendar year.
| Event | Children’s race dates | Status checked October 22 |
|---|---|---|
| Anaheim | December 5–6, 2026 | Official athlete and spectator shop links available; check live inventory and checkout price |
| Houston | April 3–4, 2027 | Official page says ticket sales start soon |
Keep the children’s dates separate from the longer adult event weekend. If you are also racing, compare both schedules before making travel plans. The youth event pages warn that a parent’s race time and a child’s assigned time will not be changed to solve a clash.
For the surrounding trip, use our Anaheim venue guide and Houston city guide. Houston’s dedicated youth page still labels its venue information as coming soon, so do not treat the adult venue listing as confirmation of the children’s exact check-in location.
Which age group should you choose?
The official youth pages use the child’s age on race day, not their age when you buy the ticket. The four age bands are 8–9, 10–11, 12–13 and 14–15, with separate boys’ and girls’ divisions. A birthday between booking and racing can therefore change the correct category.
| Age on race day | Currently scheduled day in both cities |
|---|---|
| 8–9 | Saturday |
| 10–11 | Saturday |
| 12–13 | Sunday |
| 14–15 | Sunday |
These day assignments come from provisional schedules, not a guarantee of a specific wave. Check your child’s start list when it is published. Anaheim’s page currently has an ambiguous “12:35am” endpoint for one daytime window; use the assigned start time and official clarification instead of planning around that typo.
What do children do in the race?
The format combines running with familiar fitness movements: ski and rowing machines, sled pushing and pulling, jumping, carrying and lunging. The official youth overview also describes age-based variations: the youngest group uses frogger jumps rather than the older children’s burpee broad jumps, and the final station uses squats or wall balls according to age.
Do not copy the adult 8 km running total or the adult sled-load table into a child’s training plan. Use the current age-specific course and movement guidance linked from the official youth series page. The purpose of the age groups is to give children an appropriate version of the event.
Before booking, help your child picture the experience: moving between stations, listening to a judge, waiting for instructions and finishing without a parent alongside them inside secure athlete areas. Being comfortable with those parts of the day matters as much as recognizing the exercises.
Guardian tickets and spectator access
The entry package includes one legal guardian ticket. Both cities’ youth pages also say their youth and adult spectator tickets provide reciprocal access to the respective adult and youth events. Check the ticket’s day and conditions at checkout; this should not be interpreted as unlimited admission across an entire weekend.
For additional family members, check the official spectator options rather than assuming the included guardian ticket covers the whole group. Our ticket and FLEX guide explains the difference between competing and spectating. Youth cancellation terms need a separate check, because they differ from the adult FLEX refund policy.
Check-in: arrive before the warm-up time
The youth event instructions ask families to arrive at least 60 minutes before the child’s assigned start time. That assigned time refers to entry into the mandatory warm-up process, not the moment the race itself begins. The Houston page describes a 25-minute staff-led warm-up. Follow the instructions for your particular city rather than applying the adult 90-minute athlete check-in rule.
- Bring the registered guardian’s ID, the child’s ID and the ticket QR code.
- Make sure the attending guardian matches the booking record; update it through the official account if necessary.
- Allow time to find registration, toilets, bag drop and the warm-up meeting point.
- Agree on the post-race plan before your child enters the athlete area.
- Collect your child immediately from the finish zone with the required ticket and ID checks.
Adults are not allowed inside the secure athlete areas. Staff verify the guardian and ticket details when releasing children. If your child withdraws before or during the race, tell event staff so the safeguarding process remains clear.
Booking changes and refunds
The published Youngstars terms do not offer a refund. The youth LITE FLEX option allows a name change to another child of the same gender and age, subject to the stated 7:59 a.m. deadline one day before race day. It does not allow changes to another age group, division or event. Without the add-on, name changes are unavailable.
Read the actual ticket conditions before paying. In particular, do not buy a child’s ticket believing that the adult FLEX 31-day or seven-day refund options apply. Price and availability should come from the live official shop; no fixed US entry price is quoted here.
A calmer first race
Make preparation familiar and manageable. Practice following a short sequence, counting repetitions and moving to the next exercise on a clear cue. Use age-appropriate coaching and the published movement standards. An easy dress rehearsal can also reveal practical issues such as shoes that slip, clothing that rubs or a child who is unsure where to wait.
On the day, keep the goal understandable: listen, complete each task and enjoy the finish. Bring familiar food and a change of clothes, leave time for a break afterward and avoid making the family’s whole schedule depend on an exact finishing minute.
Is there a juniors or teens division?
People searching for HYROX juniors or junior HYROX are often looking for this youth format rather than a separate official division. You may also see the search spelling “hyrox.youngstars”; the program’s official name is HYROX Youngstars.
If you are looking for HYROX for teens, the youth program covers ages 12–15 through its two older age bands. The adult rulebook sets a minimum age of 16 on race day, so a 16- or 17-year-old should check the adult entry conditions rather than book the 14–15 youth group.
Independent GridRox parent guide. Sources: official youth series, Anaheim youth event and Houston youth event, checked October 22, 2026. Schedules remain provisional.
