Instagram story viewer> @whatrunsyou> Posts

Alysha Flynn

@whatrunsyou

106.7K

followers

1290

following

Helping women grow stronger in the miles + the life around them. Running • motherhood • life
@everywomansmarathon Coach
↓ Coaching • Partnerships

POSTS STORIES REELS TAGGED

A few years ago, at the start of one of the hardest seasons of my life, I made myself a promise that when some of the bigger bumps were behind us, we’d go on an extended trip.

At the time, I had no idea if I could pull it off, but I desperately needed something to look forward to. Something that reminded me there would eventually be another side to it all.

It was hard. Even when it was my decision, it was hard. Because I never imagined there would be a moment where it would also be the only right decision to make.

But little by little, life got lighter after making it.

So here we are.

Living in Greece for a month.

Swimming, exploring, eating a lot of gelato, and laughing at things that probably aren’t funny to anyone else.

More than anything, it’s been good for my nervous system. I don’t think a few days away would have been this healing.

It’s like my soul needed a longer exhale.

It’s a reminder that not every season is about enduring.

Some are about enjoying the moment you’ve prayed for and worked so hard to arrive at. 🙏

We’ve got one week left before heading home early July.

Making the most of every minute we have left here. taken in Crete, Greece. by @whatrunsyou

756

34

4 months ago

Every mile carried a voice worth hearing. Grateful for every woman who shared the course, conversation, and the moment
#everywomansmarathon #teammilk #runningcoach by @whatrunsyou

940

88

a year ago

While I’m running this unchosen marathon… life doesn’t stop moving.

There are moments I’ve had to hit the pause button…just to catch my breath, to feel, to pace myself for the miles ahead. And I’m learning that honoring those pauses isn’t weakness, it’s endurance.

Because even as I move through grief, even as I carry the weight of hard truths, there’s been light.

There’s been laughter.
Support from people who remind me I’m not alone.
Powerful moments with the athletes I coach.
And new doors opening for What Runs You I’ve dreamed of.

It’s strange to hold two opposing truths in your body at the same time…pain and peace, grief and joy.

But I’m not afraid of that tension.
I’m learning to lean into it.

Because this is what real strength looks like:
Feeling it all.
Moving forward anyway.

And if you’re in your own unchosen marathon…grief, loss, illness, death, heartbreak, shock…
whatever your miles look like right now…
I see you.

You didn’t choose it.
But you’re still here.
Still moving.

#TheUnchosenMarathon #stillrunning #healinginmotion #whatrunsyou #marathontraining by @whatrunsyou

5k

252

2 years ago

To everyone racing this weekend ❤️

Feeling nervous doesn’t mean you’re not ready.

Good luck out there!

LMK how you do! 🫶 by @whatrunsyou

324

19

15 hours ago

I haven’t run that long in a while, and I kind of wish I’d done this last week when it was cold 😂 But my kids were off from school, so here we are.

There was something fun about trying to squeeze 13.1 miles in before my first work call. And I got to spend pretty much the entire run catching up with my friend and talking about dating, which has always been one of my favorite topics 😂

Always proud to be part of Team Milk 🥛❤️

Jumped on that work call with a glass of chocolate milk and got on with my day!

Congratulations to everyone who did Team Milk’s Virtual Half!
@gonnaneedmilk

#teammilk #everywomansmarathon by @whatrunsyou

140

6

3 days ago

There’s a kind of disappointment that comes with spending months preparing for something, only to have race day unfold differently than you imagined.

It’s so hard. And I think you only really understand it if you’ve been there.

Even when you understand exactly why things happened the way they did, it doesn’t make it any easier to accept.

I’ve coached runners long enough to know that the race you trained for and the race you’re given aren’t always the same...

Conditions change, bodies respond differently, and plans have to change. And sometimes the smartest decisions are the hardest ones to make when you’ve invested so much in a particular outcome.

You can be disappointed…You can wish it had gone differently…Take some time to process all of it.

But when you’re ready to look back, remember to look at more than the finish time.

Look at the work you did to get there. The decisions you made when things changed. The effort you gave to the race that was ACTUALLY in front of you 🫶

Those things matter, too.

And they don’t disappear because the result wasn’t what you hoped for. ❤️

#whatrunsyou by @whatrunsyou

3k

136

6 days ago

Happy birthday, my sweet girl ❤️🐾

Puppy yoga with your friends, shopping farmers markets in Lancaster, pizza, and a weekend of friends here at the house. Pretty sure we covered all the important things🫶

My favorite part of being your mom is getting to know more and more of the person you’re becoming.

To witness your resilience. Your independence. The way you notice things and think sooooo deeply about them. You aren’t afraid to ask questions and advocate for yourself. Your growing sense of self and the voice you have when something matters to you. It’s beautiful 🥹 and inspiring and everything I could ever hope for you.

You have your own voice, and I love how confidently you’ve learned to use it. I can’t wait to see what you do in this lifetime.

You make me so proud.

I love you forever. And that’s just not long enough. ❤️❤️ by @whatrunsyou

98

13

7 days ago

What if becoming a stronger runner meant learning when to let go?

Of the pace. The expectations. The constant need to measure every mile against the last.

That’s part of what I love about trail running. The terrain changes, your effort changes, and suddenly success looks a little different. You’re learning to adapt, trust yourself, and find strength in ways that don’t always show up on your watch.

I had the opportunity to share this perspective, along with practical advice for women looking to explore trail running, in the Fall 2026 print issue of @womenshealthmag .

We talked about everything from making the transition from road to trail, to choosing the right gear, to why more women are finding something they didn’t know they needed out there.

After more than two decades of coaching women, one thing I believe more than ever is that performance and progress matter. But so does the relationship we build with running along the way….

That’s a big part of the work I do through What Runs You, and it means a lot to see that perspective represented in these pages.

Thank you to @womenshealthmag and Addison Aloian for including my voice in this conversation.

Find me in the Fall 2026 issue 🖤 by @whatrunsyou

89

14

7 days ago

The plan was to hike Valley of Fire, but a road closure changed that prettttty quickly 🚧

So I ended up at Red Rock Canyon instead.

This was a quick trip, made possible because my mom stayed with the kids.

This was only the second time in three years I’ve spent a few nights away from them.

It’s not easy…on both ends.

But something I didn’t expect was how much I enjoyed having completely different things to talk to them about while I was gone 🙂

They wanted to know what I was doing, where I was going, what I was seeing. I was sending pictures, telling them about things, and getting all kinds of questions in return.

It was really refreshing. And fun :)

Also, nothing quite like having two kids who can see your exact location and track you harder than your 69 year old mother who still thinks her 40 year old daughter is 16 😂😂

Between the 3 of them, I’m not sure I’ve ever been more closely monitored.

Also, there was this Mumford & Sons song I kept listening to out there. Wish I coud remember the name of it 🤔

Anyway, Valley of Fire will have to wait…

So happy with how this one worked out ❤️❤️ by @whatrunsyou

355

8

8 days ago

Golf lately. ⛳️ by @whatrunsyou

62

4

9 days ago

I’ve been thinking a lot about how vulnerable it is to move toward the people you care about when some part of you is still really good at survival...

Candidly, that shit taught me some useful things like how to pay attention... anticipate... How to function when things didn’t make sense. How to protect myself when information was hidden.

Greate skills for when you’re in it, but I’m learning they don’t always know when their job is over.

Or at least when to let the f up...

Sometimes something happens and my body responds to everything it learned over the last decade. I can feel the activation before I’ve even decided what I think about it or whether it’s actually a threat at all.

And I have to slow myself down to process it. Like literally sit with my hand on my chest to ground myself.

Unlearning survival is one of the most vulnerable things I’ve ever experienced. Maybe even more vulnerable than survival itself....

Anyway.

Sometimes I think about that when I’m running.

Vegas was fun.

Glad I got to run on some dirt. by @whatrunsyou

116

7

10 days ago

#HOKAPartner For this speed session, I’m training in the @hoka Marathon Pack. The Rocket X 3 is a carbon-fiber super shoe with a cushioned midsole, smooth MetaRocker™, and rearfoot-focused Active Foot Frame for support as the pace builds. The Marathon Pack also includes lightweight apparel and accessories designed for race day.   Which part of race day do you most need to feel prepared for?   Shop the HOKA Marathon Pack at HOKA.com.   #HOKA #FlyHumanFly by @whatrunsyou

104

12

25 days ago