Over the past two years, 37-year-old Lau Wen Loong has competed in 21 Hyrox endurance races spanning 11 cities around the world, building an international athletic routine while balancing entrepreneurship and training. A former cross-country runner in high school, Lau had not exercised regularly for two years before a friend introduced him to the sport, which combines endurance running with functional fitness stations.
Lau signed up for his first event just six weeks prior, completing the Singapore race in August 2024 with a finishing time just under 73 minutes. Maintaining momentum after that initial event, he expanded his participation globally, competing in cities including Chengdu, Bangkok, Mumbai, Osaka, Incheon, and Jakarta. He currently has seven additional races lined up for the year while working on an artificial intelligence startup with his brother.
Participating in the global circuit involves substantial logistical and financial commitments. Each race costs approximately $150, while flights and related travel expenses can accumulate up to $1,500 per trip. Based in Seoul, Lau maintains a yearlong gym membership costing about $55 a month to support his preparation. Brand ambassadorships with several Hyrox-related companies help offset some of these ongoing expenses.
Among his extensive schedule, Lau highlights Osaka, Japan, Incheon, South Korea, and Jakarta, Indonesia, as his three favorite host cities. In January 2026, he competed in his first winter Hyrox event in Osaka, where he recorded a personal best time of 61 minutes and 51 seconds. Held in a compact venue between two halls, the race required competitors to run outdoors between buildings for a blast of fresh air. During his seven-day stay, he explored the Dotonbori district and dined at a famous crab restaurant with his father, who occasionally travels to support him.
In May 2026, Lau competed in Incheon, South Korea, where he placed first in his age group and set a new personal best while racing at a major convention center. Because he was based nearby in Seoul, he commuted daily, taking the opportunity to visit highway rest stops known as hyugaeso, which feature multi-floor shopping and numerous stalls. The global circuit has also introduced him to a wide network of fellow athletes, including a doubles partner named Ian, Yvonne—a Singaporean working mother who has completed 55 races—and accidental acquaintances met during flights.
Lau traveled to Jakarta in June 2026 for the first-ever Hyrox event in Indonesia, hosted in a scenic convention center located in one of the city’s green spaces. There, he participated in two doubles races, partnering with a competitor he met for the first time on race day after being introduced through a mutual friend with whom he had trained only once.
The global racing community also encounters intense physical and emotional hurdles. During the September 2026 event in Beijing, Lau competed in separate races where fellow competitor Joanna Wietrzyk experienced a widely discussed mishap on the course. Reflecting on the physical toll of endurance events, Lau noted that he frequently witnesses competitors crying from joy or frustration, comparing the grueling races to a form of somatic therapy.
With seven more events scheduled, Lau intends to continue racing competitively for at least another year, noting that the discipline has fostered profound personal self-awareness and left him physically fitter than he was in his youth.
