TL;DR — RACE WEEKEND GAME PLAN
- 1.Five race days, Wednesday 18 to Sunday 22 November 2026 at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center, Halls B and C, 650 S Griffin St.
- 2.DART Convention Center Station under the venue is closed until 2029. Use EBJ Union Station, 10 minutes on foot, or Cedars at 15.
- 3.The building is mid-demolition and being separated from the Omni — do not plan race morning around the skybridge.
- 4.Stay in the Main Street District or the Convention Center District. Anything inside a 12-minute walk removes the transport problem entirely.
- 5.Check-in opens 90 minutes before your division's first wave: 06:30 for the 08:00 waves, in the dark at around 8C. Bring a throwaway layer.
- 6.Leave 25 minutes from a downtown hotel, and target the back half of your check-in window to skip the crush.
- 7.Lap count, registration times and start times are all TBA and land about three days out.
- 8.Flat event flooring over concrete — fast, but hard. Wear shoes with more stack than your usual racers.
- 9.The halls run cold. Arrive warm, stay warm, and pack dry layers for the bag drop.
- 10.No supermarket within a comfortable walk, and both downtown physio clinics are closed on Saturday. Carry your own nutrition and book recovery before you fly.
QUICK TAKE — IS THIS A GOOD DESTINATION?
VERDICT: YES
HYROX Dallas runs Wednesday 18 to Sunday 22 November 2026 at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center, Halls B and C, at the southern edge of downtown. Five days of racing across every division, including Adaptive, Pro and all three Relay categories — Dallas expanded from three days in 2025, so expect a deep field and a loud hall. The floor is flat, indoor and climate-controlled at near sea level, which makes it a genuine PB venue. Stress Factor 4/10, PB Likelihood 8/10.
⚠️ Caveat: The DART station directly under the venue is closed until 2029 — trains pass straight through without stopping. EBJ Union Station, about 10 minutes on foot, is your stop. The convention center is also mid-demolition: Halls D, E and F are gone, and the building is being structurally separated from the Omni, so do not plan race morning around the Omni skybridge.
Walkable from most downtown hotels, everything in English, no visa or currency friction for US athletes. Points come off for the closed DART station, the live construction site around the building, and a five-day schedule that makes it easy to misread your own race day.
Indoor, climate-controlled, flat, and low enough in elevation that altitude is a non-factor. November in Dallas is mild. The main threat to your time is congestion on the run laps in a big field, not the conditions.
FAST COURSE?
Yes. Convention centre hall floor over concrete — flat, hard and fast, with no elevation, ramps or outdoor section. The 2025 Pro winners went 56:21 for the men and 1:02:19 for the women.
CITY VIBE — WHAT ATHLETES NEED TO KNOW
The venue sits at the southern edge of downtown, bounded roughly by Griffin Street, Young Street and South Lamar, with the Omni Dallas Hotel directly across Lamar and Dallas City Hall, Pioneer Plaza and the Central Library within a few blocks. The blocks immediately around the venue are wide, low-rise and close to dead outside event hours, and construction hoarding changes month to month, so allow more than the map says. The city you actually spend time in is the Main Street District for coffee and food, and Deep Ellum — roughly 35 minutes on foot or a short rideshare — for barbecue, bars and live music.
TYPICAL WEEKEND COSTS
Language: English. Currency: the US dollar, and card or contactless is accepted essentially everywhere, including DART ticket machines and buses — you do not need cash. Sales tax is added at the till, so the menu price is never the final price, and tipping at 18 to 20% in restaurants and bars is standard and not included.
BEST BASE NEIGHBOURHOODS
Convention Center District / Reunion
Best for: The shortest possible walk. Thin on food and close to dead after dark.
Main Street District
Best for: The best balance of walk time, restaurants and coffee. Ten to twelve minutes to the venue.
The Cedars
Best for: Value and driving in. Cheaper and closer than it looks, but the walk crosses a freeway underpass.
Deep Ellum
Best for: Spectators and post-race celebration. Roughly 35 minutes on foot, so a rideshare on race morning.
VENUE & LOCATION ANALYSIS
Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center Dallas, Halls B & C
650 S Griffin St, Dallas, TX 75202
A convention centre mid-rebuild. Demolition of Halls D, E and F began in February 2026 and was expected to be substantially complete by the end of 2026; Halls A, B and C stay operational throughout. In March 2026 the City also began structurally separating the building from the Omni Hotel, so the skybridge Omni still markets may not be a usable route into the building. Ask at the Omni front desk on arrival and treat the street walk as your default. HYROX has not published the athlete entrance for Halls B and C — check the event app and your start-time email in race week.
NEAREST STATIONS
- EBJ Union Station (DART) — About 10 minutes on foot. This is your stop.
- Convention Center Station — CLOSED until 2029. Trains pass through the station under the venue without stopping.
- Cedars Station (DART) — About 15 minutes on foot. The second option, and handy from the Cedars hotels.
WALKABILITY
Flat, wide and level throughout, and most downtown hotels are inside a 12-minute walk. Marked down for construction hoarding, closed footways that change month to month, a freeway underpass on the Cedars route and blocks that feel uncomfortable on foot late at night.
Thin. Otto's Coffee & Fine Foods at 1321 Commerce Street opens 06:00 daily, about 10 minutes' walk, and Coffee's Post inside the Hyatt Regency opens 06:30, about 13 minutes. Two Wings Coffee at 211 S Akard Street opens 07:00, which is too late for an 08:00 wave. There is no full supermarket within an easy walk — Urban Value Corner Store at 300 N Akard St is about 14 minutes, and Tom Thumb at 2380 N Field St is about 27 minutes but open 06:00 to 23:00 daily.
🏃 RACE MORNING PLAN
On-site registration opens 90 minutes before the first start wave of your division. For the 08:00 divisions on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday that means a 06:30 check-in, in the dark, at around 8C. Leave your hotel 25 minutes before you want to be inside: that covers a 10 to 15 minute walk from anywhere in the downtown core plus a buffer for the queue. Queues form at the athlete check-in desk and at bag drop, and both bunch hardest in the 20 minutes after check-in opens — arriving at the back end of your check-in window is usually quicker than the front of it.
TRANSPORT LINKS
BEST AIRPORT: DALLAS/FORT WORTH INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (DFW)
The obvious choice for long-haul or international arrivals: global connections plus a direct DART Orange Line rail link into downtown. Dallas Love Field is closer and better if you are on a domestic Southwest routing.
Dallas/Fort Worth International (DFW)
The Orange Line runs from DFW Airport Station at Terminal A into downtown, every 15 minutes at peak, 20 midday and 30 late at night. Get off at West End or Akard and walk. Rail is about 50 minutes plus a 10 to 15 minute walk for $3 to $6; rideshare is 30 to 45 minutes for $45 to $80. Lowest stress with a race bag: rideshare.
Time to venue: ~30-45 min by car, ~60-65 min by rail plus the walk
Dallas Love Field (DAL)
Seven miles out. Rideshare is 15 to 25 minutes and the obvious choice. By transit, the Love Link shuttle runs from the terminal to Inwood/Love Field Station — free in that direction — then Green or Orange Line into downtown, 35 to 45 minutes total.
Time to venue: 15-25 min by car, 35-45 min by transit
Getting to Halls B & C
PUBLIC TRANSPORT TIPS
- DART is proof-of-payment with no barriers — buy before you board on the GoPass app, tap contactless at the platform validator, or use a ticket machine
- Fares: Local 3-Hour Pass $3.00, Local Day Pass $6.00, Regional Day Pass $9.00. The day pass pays for itself on the second trip
- EBJ Union Station is the nearest open station, about 10 minutes' walk. Cedars Station is the second option at about 15 minutes
- Rail is clean and reliable but infrequent by European standards, and frequencies drop hard in the evening — which matters for the Wednesday and Thursday Doubles Mixed waves finishing at 20:30
- Uber and Lyft are everywhere and reliable. Expect surge pricing on Friday and Saturday evenings and around the 20:30 finishes
- Driving is realistic here in a way it is not at most HYROX venues. The venue has an on-site garage and surface Lot C at 502 S Lamar Street, both run by ACE Parking, with capacity reduced by the construction — reserve ahead through a parking app
🚕 Taxi & rideshare
Uber and Lyft are everywhere and reliable. Expect surge pricing on Friday and Saturday evenings, and around the 20:30 finishes when several thousand people leave at once — walk a few blocks north out of the venue crush before you request a car.
🚗 Driving
A large share of the Dallas field drives in from across Texas, so driving is genuinely realistic here. The venue has an on-site garage plus surface Lot C at 502 S Lamar Street, both run by ACE Parking, with capacity reduced by the demolition works. Reserve ahead through a parking app rather than turning up and hoping. Hotel parking downtown is mostly valet and expensive — the Lorenzo in the Cedars is the exception with private self-parking.
WHERE TO STAY
Aloft Dallas Downtown
Mid-range$130-200 per night
Best for: The closest bed to the start line at a sane price
1033 Young St, and the shortest walk of any pick here. Outdoor pool, gym, on-site restaurant and bar, and a 24-hour self-service pantry that solves the 21:00 post-race food problem after the late Doubles Mixed waves. Honest tradeoff: rooms are compact and the fit-out is dated in places, recent guest reports flag inconsistent air conditioning and occasional maintenance issues, and it is a lively bar hotel — ask for a room away from the lobby side if you are racing at 08:00.
Omni Dallas Hotel
Near the venue$180-280 per night
Best for: The shortest possible race morning
555 S Lamar St. 24-hour fitness centre, heated infinity pool, sauna, Mokara Spa on site, five restaurants and breakfast from 06:30. Honest tradeoff: it is a 1,001-room convention hotel, so lifts back up during peak movements and the lobby is never quiet. Parking is valet and expensive, guests report the immediate area feeling uncomfortable on foot late at night, and the skybridge that used to make this the automatic pick may no longer be a usable route into the building.
$110-170 per night
Best for: Driving in, and wanting parking that does not cost more than dinner
1011 S Akard St. Outdoor pool, fitness centre, on-site restaurant, private parking, in-room fridge, and cooked-to-order breakfast from 06:00 on weekdays — the single most useful feature of this hotel for a Wednesday, Thursday or Friday 08:00 wave. Honest tradeoff: the walk to the venue crosses under the I-30 corridor, functional rather than pleasant and dark at 06:15 in November. Rooms face either a construction site or the freeway, and guests report road and motorcycle noise at night. Ask for a high floor away from the highway side.
$280-450 per night
Best for: Sleeping properly and recovering on site
1321 Commerce St. Spa Adolphus with massage on site, heated rooftop pool, 24-hour fitness floor, four restaurants including the French Room, and Otto's Coffee downstairs opening at 06:00. Having a massage therapist and a 06:00 coffee in the building you sleep in is worth real money over a five-day event. Honest tradeoff: it is a historic building, so room sizes and layouts vary a lot for the same rate, parking is valet only, and the surrounding blocks are quiet at night in a way not everyone finds comfortable.
🏨 Looking to book? Compare prices on your preferred booking platform.
WHERE TO EAT
💡 Smart move: Nothing near the venue opens before 10:00 except the 24-hour convenience stores. Buy your race breakfast at GS25, CU or the 7-Eleven in the Gloucester Hotel Kintex lobby the night before. Hotel breakfast starts 07:00; the Starbucks under Sono Calm Goyang is the only other early option. If you finish a 20:00 wave, the department store food halls are closing — head for the Daehwa Station strip.
Ravenna Italian Grille & Bar and Sassetta
Athlete PickRavenna at 115 S Field Street is a 10-minute walk and serves until 22:30 most nights — an easy, unfussy plate of pasta rather than an event. Sassetta inside The Joule at 1530 Main Street is 11 minutes away and open 07:00 to 22:00 daily, which makes it the more flexible option across a five-day schedule. Book the night before if you are racing Saturday or Sunday: several thousand athletes want the same table at the same time.
Hurtado, Terry Black's and Pecan Lodge
Athlete PickDallas is a barbecue city and you have earned it. Hurtado Barbecue at 900 S Harwood Street is the closest serious option at about 16 minutes' walk, open to 21:00 on weekdays and from 10:00 at weekends. Terry Black's at 3025 Main Street and Pecan Lodge at 2702 Main Street are both in Deep Ellum, roughly 35 minutes on foot or a short rideshare. Pecan Lodge closes at 15:00 on Mondays; Terry Black's runs to 22:00 Friday and Saturday, so if your wave finishes at 20:30 that is the one still serving.
Otto's Coffee & Fine Foods
Athlete Pick1321 Commerce Street, open 06:00 daily and the earliest useful option within walking distance, about 10 minutes away. Coffee's Post inside the Hyatt Regency opens 06:30, about 13 minutes. Two Wings Coffee at 211 S Akard Street opens 07:00, which is too late for an 08:00 wave.
Tom Thumb and Urban Value Corner Store
Athlete PickThere is no full supermarket within easy walking distance, which is the single most annoying thing about staying here. Tom Thumb at 2380 N Field St is the nearest proper supermarket at about 27 minutes on foot, open 06:00 to 23:00 daily. Urban Value Corner Store at 300 N Akard St is about 14 minutes for snacks and basics, and Kelley Produce at the Dallas Farmers Market is about 16 minutes for fresh fruit, 10:00 to 19:00. Bring your own race-day nutrition rather than relying on finding it here.
THINGS TO DO
The Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza
Pre-RaceAbout 12 minutes' walk and mostly standing rather than walking, which makes it the best low-fatigue option the day before. Pioneer Plaza with its cattle-drive sculptures is five minutes away and takes fifteen minutes to see.
Klyde Warren Park
Pre-RaceA decent place to sit outdoors without covering distance. Leave the Dallas World Aquarium and the Perot Museum until after you race — both involve two hours on your feet.
Deep Ellum and Reunion Tower
Post-RaceDeep Ellum is the answer for celebration: barbecue, bars and live music inside a few walkable blocks. Reunion Tower's GeO-Deck gives you the skyline view and requires no effort at all. The Dallas Farmers Market is a good, slow Sunday morning if you finished on Saturday.
Dallas Museum of Art and the Holocaust Museum
Any TimeFor spectators between waves: the Dallas Holocaust and Human Rights Museum and the Dallas Museum of Art both fill a few hours without leaving the downtown core.
RACE STRATEGY
VENUE
Mark this clearly: the 2026 course layout is unconfirmed. HYROX has not published the lap count, the hall layout, or race-day athlete registration times for Dallas — all three are listed as To Be Announced on the official event page. Expect them roughly three days out, alongside individual start times.
COURSE FLOW
Halls B and C are large, level convention halls, which usually means a wide, open run loop with fewer tight turns than a cramped venue. Do not build a pacing plan on an assumed lap count until the layout drops.
RUN SURFACE
Event flooring laid over concrete. Flat, hard and fast, with no elevation, no ramps and no outdoor section. The hard floor is the hidden cost: 8 km of running on concrete under thin flooring beats up calves and feet in a way a sprung floor does not. If you own a pair of shoes with more stack than your usual racers, this is the venue for them.
HEAT
The opposite problem to most venues. Attendees consistently describe these halls as running cold even at full capacity thanks to aggressive air conditioning. Plan to arrive warm and stay warm — a throwaway layer for the start corral is more useful here than at a hot venue.
ELEVATION
None, in every sense. Flat hall floor, flat walk in, and Dallas is low enough that altitude is a non-factor.
⚠️ WHERE PEOPLE BLOW UP
With a flat, fast course and a big field, the classic Dallas mistake is going out too hard on the first run because it feels easy. The floor gives you free speed for two laps and takes it back at the sled push. Five days of racing spreads the field, but Saturday's HYROX Men block runs 08:00 to 12:20 and Sunday's Doubles Women block runs 08:00 to 12:50 — the two densest windows on the schedule, with traffic in the roxzone and at the wall ball station.
COURSE HISTORY
KINTEX 1
Hall number within the building not yet published
TBC
Run configuration — listed as TBC on the event page
3 days
Fri 13 to Sun 15 November 2026
Yes. Flat event flooring over concrete, indoors and climate-controlled. The 2025 Pro winners went 56:21 for the men and 1:02:19 for the women.
On-site registration opens 90 minutes before the first start wave of your division. For the 08:00 divisions on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday that is a 06:30 check-in. Individual start times and the lap count land about three days out. Bring photo ID.
Source: HYROX Dallas event page, KBHCCD getting-here and parking pages, DART station and fare pages, verified 28 August 2026. Lap count, hall layout and registration times all listed as TBA.
RECOVERY SPOTS
ICE BATHS / COLD PLUNGE
SWEATHOUZ WEST VILLAGE
2910 Cityplace W Blvd. Private sauna and cold plunge suites, open from 07:00 on weekdays and 08:00 at weekends.
📍 ~4.6 km from the venue, rideshare
Best use: Contrast work the evening after you race.
SAUNA HOUSE RECOVERY STUDIO
5315 Greenville Ave. Private rooms plus NormaTec compression, open to 20:00 on weekdays.
📍 Rideshare from downtown
Best use: A full contrast-and-compression session the day after.
SAUNAS & SPAS
MOKARA SPA AT THE OMNI AND SPA ADOLPHUS
Both do sports-style massage and are the lowest-friction option if you are staying at either hotel. Book before you travel, not after you finish.
Best use: Same-day treatment without leaving the building you sleep in.
RESTORE HYPER WELLNESS
2970 Cityplace W Blvd. Cryotherapy and compression, open to 19:00 on weekdays and 17:00 Saturday.
Best use: The evening after your race, not the morning of.
PHYSIOS NEAR VENUE
Athletico Physical Therapy, 1201 Elm Street
About 12 minutes' walk. Closed Saturday and Sunday.
SandersFit Rehab, 1409 Botham Jean Blvd
Open Sunday 07:00 to 19:00, closed Saturday.
Book before you fly
With both downtown clinics shut on Saturday, a Saturday racer who needs treatment has no walk-in option. Plan around it.
WEATHER STRATEGY
MID-NOVEMBER CONDITIONS
November in Dallas averages a high around 19 to 20C and a low around 8C, with highs easing from roughly 23C early in the month to 17C by the end. Rain falls on about one day in five, and Dallas typically sees only one or two nights at freezing across the whole month.
- Race kit as normal — the race is indoors and the halls run cold
- A throwaway hoodie or old jacket you can bin at bag drop for the 06:30 check-in at 8C in the dark
- Long sleeves and a beanie for the walk over, race kit underneath
- Shoes with enough stack to survive 8 km on a concrete hall floor
- Dry layers in the bag for straight after you finish
💧 Hydration
Mild, dry air and an air-conditioned hall both hide fluid loss. Drink to a plan across the day rather than to thirst, and if you catch one of the 23C outliers, hydrate harder the day before.
🏟️ Indoor vs Outdoor
Indoors: an aggressively air-conditioned convention hall that attendees describe as cold even at full capacity. Outdoors: around 8C in the dark for a 06:30 check-in. The walk in is the problem, not the race.
SHAKEOUT RUN ROUTES
VENUE TO TRINITY OVERLOOK PARK AND BACK, ~5.1 KM
Head west from the convention center along Young Street, pick up Commerce Street and follow it west across the Trinity River levee to Trinity Overlook Park at 110 W Commerce St, then turn around — about 2.6 km each way on pavement, urban and flat. The first kilometre involves traffic lights and a highway crossing, so this is a daylight run, not a 06:00 one. There are no toilets or water at the park, so go before you leave the hotel. Adding the Ronald Kirk Bridge at 109 Continental Ave, a wide pedestrian crossing open 05:00 to 23:00, makes the loop roughly 6.3 km.
🏃 Parkrun
We could not confirm an active parkrun event within reach of downtown Dallas.
🏟️ Track Access
No convenient public track downtown. The Katy Trail is the proper running path in Dallas, but the nearest access at 3410 N Hall St is about 3.6 km from the venue — worth a rideshare if you want a softer surface and no traffic lights.
Pavement throughout and flat, with traffic lights and a highway crossing in the first kilometre. Run it in daylight, and carry your own water.
GYMS NEAR VENUE
FUNCTIONAL / STRENGTH
EVOLVE, 500 S ERVAY ST
About 10 minutes' walk. Coached strength and conditioning classes, closer to the functional-fitness end. Opens 05:00 weekdays.
CALL AHEAD
None of the downtown gyms publish visitor rates — call for day-pass pricing rather than turning up.
COMMERCIAL GYMS
Cowboys Fit, 1500 Jackson St
About 9 minutes' walk, the closest full gym to the venue. Opens 05:00 weekdays and 07:00 at weekends, with sauna and showers.
Trophy Fitness Downtown, 1700 Pacific Ave
About 15 minutes. Opens 05:00 weekdays. Quieter, with sauna and towel service.
HOTEL GYMS WORTH USING
Omni Dallas Hotel
24-hour fitness centre, heated infinity pool and sauna — the most complete hotel setup near the venue.
The Adolphus
24-hour fitness floor, heated rooftop pool and Spa Adolphus on site.
Aloft Dallas Downtown
Gym and outdoor pool, plus a 24-hour pantry for late finishes.
Weekend opening is later everywhere: Cowboys Fit does not open until 07:00 on Saturday and Sunday, which is no use before an 08:00 wave. Warm up at the venue instead.
ESSENTIALS — RACE WEEKEND OPS
SUPERMARKETS
Tom Thumb
2380 N Field St, ~27 min walk
The nearest proper supermarket. Open 06:00 to 23:00 every day, which covers both an early race morning and a late finish.
Urban Value Corner Store
300 N Akard St, ~14 min walk
Snacks, drinks and basics. Closes 21:30 weekdays, 20:00 Sunday.
Kelley Produce, Dallas Farmers Market
920 S Harwood St, ~16 min walk
Fresh fruit, 10:00 to 19:00 daily.
PHARMACIES
CVS
1411 Main St, ~11 min walk
Store open 07:00 to 00:00 daily. The pharmacy counter is weekdays 09:00 to 18:00 with a 13:30 to 14:00 break, Saturday 11:00 to 17:00, Sunday 12:00 to 17:00.
CityDoc Urgent Care
2909 McKinney Ave
Non-emergencies, 08:00 to 20:00 weekdays and 09:00 to 18:00 Sunday.
Hotel front desks
Downtown core
Basic pain relief and plasters are usually available on request, but do not count on it at 06:00.
SPORTS SHOPS
No running shop downtown
There is no dedicated running shop in the downtown core. Buy what you need before you travel.
HOKA at NorthPark Center
8687 N Central Expy. The nearest specialist footwear, and it needs a rideshare.
Race nutrition
No supermarket within a comfortable walk, so bring your exact gels, tabs and pre-workout with you.
🆘 "OH NO" KIT CHECKLIST
VENUE DAY TIMELINE
SPECTATOR GUIDE
BEST VIEWING ZONES
- The Thunderdome viewing area, confirmed for Dallas, is the elevated vantage point over the course
- The wall ball zone and the finish line are the two spots worth standing for
- Halls B and C are level throughout, so sightlines depend on getting there early rather than on finding a slope
FAMILY LOGISTICS
- Level floors throughout, so pram access is straightforward
- Toilets are plentiful and indoors
- Food and drink are available on site at convention centre prices, and outside food has historically not been permitted
- Noise: HYROX halls are loud for hours at a stretch. Bring ear defenders for young children
- Between waves, the Dallas Museum of Art and the Holocaust and Human Rights Museum are both in the downtown core
📍 MEET-UP PLAN
Do not try to meet inside the hall. Pick a fixed point outside — the Griffin Street entrance or the Omni lobby across Lamar — and agree a time rather than a signal. Phone signal in packed halls is unreliable.
BUDGET CALCULATOR
| Line item | Budget | Mid | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accommodation per night | $110 | $180 | $450 |
| Airport transfer each way | $3 DART from DFW | $45 rideshare | $150 private transfer |
| Local transport per day | $3 | $6 day pass | $40 with rideshares |
| Food per day | $30 | $60 | $120 |
| Recovery | $0, own kit | $60 contrast suite | $200 hotel spa massage |
| Race extras | $0 | $40 | $150 |
ESTIMATED TOTALS (excl. flights)
PACKING CHECKLIST
RACE KIT
- Race shoes with enough stack for concrete
- Socks, plus a spare pair
- Shorts or tights
- Race top and sports bra
- Watch, charged
- Grip socks or gloves if you use them
- Race number belt and photo ID for check-in
WARM UP
- Throwaway hoodie or old jacket for the walk in
- Beanie
- Long-sleeve warm-up top
- Resistance band
- Skipping rope
- Foam roller or massage ball
RECOVERY
- Compression tights or sleeves
- Dry change of clothes for the bag drop
- Slides or recovery shoes
- Small towel
- Kinesiology or zinc oxide tape
- Anti-chafe balm
- Blister plasters and basic pain relief
NUTRITION
- Pre-race breakfast you have trained on
- Gels or chews
- Electrolyte tablets
- Refillable bottle
- Post-race protein
- Caffeine, in your usual form and dose
TRAVEL ESSENTIALS
- Photo ID, mandatory for check-in
- ESTA or visa if you are travelling internationally
- Travel insurance covering competitive events and US medical costs
- eSIM or roaming plan for a five-day event
- Type A or B plug adapter, 120V
- GoPass app for DART tickets
- Parking reservation if you are driving in
SAMPLE RACE WEEKEND ITINERARY
DAY 1: ARRIVAL & RECON
- Land at DFW and take a rideshare into downtown with a race bag — 30 to 45 minutes for $45 to $80
- Check into a hotel inside a 12-minute walk and confirm at the front desk whether the Omni skybridge route is usable
- Walk the route to the Griffin Street side of Halls B and C in daylight so you know the construction hoarding
- Stock up: Tom Thumb at 2380 N Field St is the only proper supermarket, open until 23:00
- Carb dinner at Ravenna or Sassetta, booked ahead if you race Saturday or Sunday
DAY 2: RACE DAY
- Wake 05:15 for an 08:00 wave, water and electrolytes immediately, breakfast at 05:30
- Leave the hotel 06:20 with a throwaway layer over race kit, at the venue 06:40 for check-in and bag drop
- Toilets at 07:05, warm up from 07:15 indoors and stay warm — the halls run cold
- Race 08:00. Finish, dry layers straight back on, eat within 90 minutes
- Recovery slot at 12:00 if pre-booked, then Deep Ellum barbecue in the evening
DAY 3: RECOVERY & EXPLORE
- Easy 5.1 km shakeout to Trinity Overlook Park in daylight, or the Katy Trail if you want a softer surface
- The Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza and Pioneer Plaza, both low-fatigue and close
- Contrast work at SweatHouz West Village or a massage at Mokara Spa or Spa Adolphus, booked before you flew
- Reunion Tower GeO-Deck for the skyline, or the Dallas Farmers Market for a slow Sunday morning
- If you are staying on, remember Thanksgiving is 26 November — flights and rates climb steeply into that week
LOCAL RULES & EMERGENCY INFO
The station under the venue is closed
DART Convention Center Station is shut until 2029 and trains pass through without stopping. EBJ Union Station, 10 minutes on foot, is your stop.
Do not rely on the Omni skybridge
The City began structurally separating the convention center from the Omni Hotel in March 2026. Ask at the front desk and treat the street walk as your default.
Tipping
18 to 20% in restaurants and bars is standard and is not included in the printed price. Sales tax is added at the till, so the menu price is never the final price.
Cash vs card
Card and contactless are accepted essentially everywhere, including DART ticket machines and buses. You do not need cash.
Sunday closures
Texas liquor stores are closed on Sundays. Grocery stores, pharmacies and restaurants trade normally all week.
Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving falls on Thursday 26 November 2026, four days after racing ends. It does not affect the event, but flights and hotel rates into the following week climb steeply.
Check which day you race
Five days of racing, and the same division appears on multiple days. Read your confirmation twice.
Medical cover
US healthcare is expensive for visitors and a single ER visit can run into thousands of dollars without cover. International athletes need insurance that includes competitive sport.
EMERGENCY INFO
911
Emergency (police, fire, ambulance)
Hospital: Baylor University Medical Center Emergency Room, 3305 Worth St, open 24 hours and roughly 3 km from the venue. For non-emergencies, CityDoc Urgent Care at 2909 McKinney Ave is open 08:00 to 20:00 weekdays and 09:00 to 18:00 Sunday.
Pharmacy: CVS at 1411 Main St, about 11 minutes' walk, is open 07:00 to 00:00 daily for the store, with a shorter pharmacy counter window: weekdays 09:00 to 18:00 with a 13:30 to 14:00 break, Saturday 11:00 to 17:00 and Sunday 12:00 to 17:00.