"A lot of these things that seem like world-enders at the time can lead to bigger, better, happier things."
Alyssa McElheny had a dream: to qualify for the Olympic Trials Marathon. When the qualifying standard dropped from 2:45 to 2:37, she thought it would never happen. But after a quick cry, she decided not to give up on the dream. In November 2025 — after multiple failed attempts — Alyssa got her OTQ, running 2:34:28 at the Indy Monumental Marathon. Two weeks later, she made her Hyrox debut. She thought she would simply dip her toes into the now-trending "hybrid fitness" competition world. But a dip of the toe led to so much more. Last month — just seven months after her first mixed doubles event — Alyssa became the 2026 Hyrox Elite 15 World Champion. In this conversation, she talks about how she very quickly became the best in the Hyrox world. She talks about the pursuit of fun, she shares some common Hyrox misconceptions, and she talks about what's next.
FOLLOW ALYSSA @alyssamcelheny
SPONSOR: New Balance. Click here to get your hands on the beautiful, just-released, hot pink Ellipse Breathe sneakers. What a dream!
IN THIS EPISODE:
Follow Ali:
SUPPORT the Ali on the Run Show! If you're enjoying the show, please subscribe and leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts. Spread the run love. And if you liked this episode, share it with your friends!