The news desk
Trail running experts are advising runners to plan mid-race bathroom stops after Australian athlete Joanna Wietrzyk's incident at Hyrox Beijing went viral. The guidance, reported on October 12, 2026, says such stops are a reality of long ultras but must follow Leave No Trace practices: staying 200 feet from trails and water, digging a 6-to-8-inch cathole, and packing out used materials. Following the incident, Hyrox updated its rulebook to allow officials to pull athletes whose waste poses a health risk. The report does not specify the date of the Hyrox Beijing event or the details of Wietrzyk's incident.
Trail running experts say mid-race bathroom stops are a reality of long ultras, but runners must follow Leave No Trace: stay 200 feet from trails and water, dig a 6-to-8-inch cathole, and pack out used materials. The guidance follows Australian athlete Joanna Wietrzyk's viral Hyrox Beijing incident, after which Hyrox updated its rulebook to let officials pull athletes whose waste poses a health risk.