894. Alyssa McElheny, Hyrox World Champion & OTQ Marathoner

"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

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IN THIS EPISODE:

• What the Hyrox aftermath has been like (2:50)
• What's making Alyssa happy today, and what the Hyrox homecoming has been like (3:30)
• Did Alyssa know — or at least believe — she could win it? (7:20)
• What Alyssa's relationship with running is like right now (16:10)
• How life has changed since becoming a World Champion (19:30)
• What Alyssa was like growing up, on being diagnosed with Kawasaki disease at a young age, and how Alyssa eventually found marathoning (22:15)
• "What in the side quest is happening right now?" (33:00)
• Alyssa's Hyrox strengths and weaknesses (37:00)
• Alyssa busts some common Hyrox misconceptions (43:20)
• Will we see Alyssa on the Olympic Trials Marathon start line in St. Louis in 2028? (46:00)
• On the pressure to stay at the top, and how the elite vibes compare at marathons vs. Hyrox (48:35)
• What it was like to win Hyrox World Championships (1:01:10)
• On Alyssa's career as a wedding photographer (1:04:20)

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