Alana Rucynski, 54: Living Life in Motion

Alana Rucynski moves with intention and shows up as a beacon of hope, strength, and support for herself and others. She’s the embodiment of motion with meaning. Led by a deep internal compass built from a childhood spent improvising, caregiving, and finding steadiness in movement long before she ever called it fitness, Alana moved to Maui at 18 after her father’s passing. She had a mountain bike, $400 in a backpack, and no back-up plan. Possibility was her North Star. Optimism and hope kept her moving through hard times, and they remain the forces that drive her faith, her coaching, and the way she shows up for family, friends, and community.

For Alana, Maui is home not just by address, but by allegiance, woven into her daily rhythms of paddling, CrossFit, service, and more. This year, she returned to the Nā Wāhine O Ke Kai Masters 50 outrigger canoe race—24 years after her last crossing—and won the 41-mile channel crossing alongside a crew of women who now train without ego or “paddle-itics.” They call themselves “the aunties,” and the season became a reminder of why she still leans toward big challenges: camaraderie, sacrifice, and that rare moment when six people move as one in a canoe. “I get to do this” is her daily mantra: a mindset that fuels her joy, shapes her resilience, and keeps her moving forward.

How old are you?
I am 54.

Are you married? Kids?
Married for 30 years. Two sons: Tristan, aged 30, lives in Kona, and Tanek, aged 26, lives North Shore O’ahu. Both avid bodyboarders and hikers.

Where are you from, and where are you currently based?
I grew up in Oregon and moved to Maui at age 18. I lived in Lahaina for three years, then moved to Kihei, and I still live here now.

You moved to Maui at 18 with a mountain bike and $400 in your backpack. What inner resolution or philosophy carried you through those years, especially through setbacks, and how and/or in what areas of your life do you still lean on that mindset today?
Ha, I was young! But actually, I always had to “fend for myself.” My parents divorced when I was just three years old, and I took on the role of mom to my younger brother, Forrest, at that time, as well as peacemaker. My mom was quite the hippy, even tried out for Hair the musical before I was born. I lived in a school bus for six months at age seven or eight and went to seven different elementary schools until we finally settled in Ashland, Oregon, where I graduated high school.

I moved out on my own at age 16 and a year later, during my senior year of high school, my brother moved in with me. My father, who I was very close to, lived in the Mt. Hood area, and he tragically drowned in a white water kayaking accident when I was 17, at the age of 38. This was a defining moment in my life. That being said, I have always had a positive outlook. My middle name is literally “Hope” and I feel that with me on most occasions: I am hopeful. Now my hope rests in my faith in Jesus.

You just competed in the Masters 50 in the Nā Wāhine O Ke Kai outrigger canoe race and won. You’ve completed that race six times before, the last one 24 years ago. What was it like returning after that gap in time?
Oh, it was so amazing! This whole season has been magical. All the ladies on the crew really truly care for each other. When we paddled in younger years, there, at times, would be drama over who made what crew, or what seat you would be sitting (sometimes this is called “paddle-itics”). Now our crew, affectionately called “the aunties,” we just don’t have time for that. Most of us have kids and in some cases grandkids. Our families paddle. Time is precious and there is no room for drama. Each and everyone of us made a lot of sacrifices to train and prepare.

We spent two days on Moloka’i before the race. We cooked for each other, did yoga, meditated, prayed; the first timers had to do a skit, and we all (even our male coaches) painted our toenails the same. 

The coach comes out in me when paddling. My role in the canoe is usually in seat three or four, generally known as “the power seats.” I call for an uptick in pace and yell “now, now!” when I feel waves coming in.

When we started distance season, I was fairly certain that the longer races would be fine for me, but once we did The Great Kahakuloa race, which is 34 miles (from Maliko Gulch, around the North side of the island ending in Kāʻanapali), I said to myself, “We got this.” It felt GREAT. 

What was the most special part of this year’s race for you?
Just being back in the water was special all around, being surrounded by amazing, strong women!! My steersman/coach Theresa Gerry inspires me. We have walked through a lot together. I met her in my first year of paddling in 1993. I broke my arm that season and, the stubborn girl I am, I just continued to paddle with a cast! Theresa was my maid of honor. She is a helluva paddler, leader, and coach. Humble as all heck. Crossing the line with her was special. That and the fact that our coaches did not tell us we were in first until the race was over. We literally had no clue we had won until 30 minutes after the race and we were unrigging.

Who or what got you into paddling?
My boyfriend Tim (who is now my husband) took me to watch the Queen Lili’uokalani race in 1992 and pretty much told me I had to paddle… which I did the next season.

Let’s talk about six person paddling versus solo. What is the most rewarding part—physically, mentally, and/or emotionally—about being in a boat with six other individuals?
When we click in and paddle together, and know all the times we had practiced and had other races, it just feels sublime. We all care about each other. There is a synergy that is unmatched. We want to do our best for each other.

You’re an L-2 CrossFit coach and work with kids starting at age two, up to men and women in their 60s and 70s. Is there a common thread you notice between all those you teach?
YES… When they realize that they just did something that they thought there was NO way they could do. Well, that is why I love my work. CrossFit equips people for real life. That is why it’s functional fitness. The smiles that I see, the comments of confidence. It’s the best. Because every workout is infinitely scalable, we coaches can equip each and every athlete to meet them where they are at, and help them to get stronger.

Over the decades, how has your athletic practice evolved over time?
So much has changed. I think confidence in myself is the biggest thing. In high school, I was a cheerleader, and then a boyfriend introduced me to mountain biking. He told me: “If you want to go downhill, you gotta earn it and bike up.” That was a good lesson. I think Tim has had the biggest impact in encouraging me to try new things. Go hike, go after that crew. Go travel. He encouraged me to go to the gym and lift weights—heavy weights—and took me camping and hiking. One time, we ran past the lighthouse in Makena, and on the way back, I tripped and had blood dripping down my leg. I got up and kept running. He later told me that he said to himself, “Okay, this girl is different; she did not cry or ask to be carried.” That being said, I like variety, and that is why after finding CrossFit (Tim also made me try CrossFit for the first time) 11 years ago, it has stuck. I believe in the methodology.

When my oldest started soccer at age five, I put in the notes that he could not practice Tuesday/Thursday, as I had paddling, so the organizer simply said, “That’s fine, you are the coach, set the practices for when you like.” So I started playing soccer in the women’s and co-ed league, so I could learn soccer. I eventually became the regional Commissioner for the American Youth Soccer Organization (AYSO) and a USSF (United States Soccer Federation) referee.

When my boys started to surf, I started to longboard. Over the pandemic, I surfed every day on my stand-up paddleboard, walked my dog until she would not walk with me anymore, and made a home CrossFit gym in the carport (this is actually where I started coaching kids was in my carport; at one point, I had 12 people each week wanting me to coach them). I started dancing hula at my church Hālau in 2015, and I fell in love with the culture, the worship, and sisterhood of hula. Evolved equals variety for me. I’m not the best at any of these things, but I love them all. And they have all complemented each other.

What’s one training or recovery habit you would urge all readers (of any age) to begin?
Nutrition and sleep are KEY. You CANNOT train with a poor diet or limited sleep. You might be able to straddle it for a while, but not long-term. I have been monitoring my sleep for the past four years, and pay strict attention to what I eat. This year in particular. In January, I did a 90-day no-sugar cleanse, and it was eye-opening. I mostly eat at home, meal-prep, and bring a lunchbox to work on most days. I also do intermittent fasting and drink a gallon of water a day.

In leading food distribution and coordinating aid after the Maui wildfires and during the pandemic, what lessons in human behavior, stress, or community resilience did you learn, and how do you integrate them into your everyday leadership?
Leading these ministries was truly a gift. Community means so much to me. The food distribution was over 15 months, and it was like running a marathon every day. The way our church came together blew my mind. Over the Christmas season of 2020, we had over 1,000 families come to the Hope Chapel campus to receive prayer, food, and community support. I learned a lot leading that ministry. To not micromanage, to let others’ ideas unfold, to equip others, and grow them as leaders. And most importantly, it grew my faith.

Our hub after the Lahaina fires was something so different. The initial few weeks was pure triage. I have never hugged someone so hard. The ones that lost so much and were so desolate. I met the occupant of the home that was my last Lahaina address before moving to Kihei. “It’s all gone,” he said. I held and hugged homeless people, and this was something way beyond my comfort level. I counseled people on which clothes they needed and reminded them they needed a toothbrush. And I managed a lot of volunteers. We were all grieving together, and it was new territory.

I did not realize how much it traumatized me until I took a week-long vacation at the end of September (six weeks after the fires). I just cried. Once I came back, many of our regular volunteers had to return to daily life, and we had so many visitors wanting to serve. A fresh crew every AM and every PM. As they saw the loss, I relived the pain that I had seen through their eyes. I could not decide what was worse: being numb to the pain, or ripping the band-aid off and feeling the suffering again. I learned that people need to be held, listened to, and validated. I learned that most people TRULY want to help, and I learned that when we come together, great things can happen.

You’re a board member and the CrossFit director for Vertical Sports Maui, a nonprofit. How did you get involved and what is the most rewarding part of working in such an environment?
I started with Vertical Sports in 2009 when it was Basketball Maui. We used to have a game called “night of shooting stars” where local celebrities and college/NBA players played to support our camps. I coordinated the entertainment. In 2019, we became Vertical Sports Maui. My pastor, Ben Prangnell, is a pied piper of sorts, and he asked for my help. I approached our board about including CrossFit for kids in 2019 and they all thought I was nuts. Now we have waitlists for the program. To equip kids to do what they did not think was possible, well, there are no words. (See my IG here, here, and here for more thoughts on this.)

Staying active is a big part of your life, something that makes you smile. What motivates you to move your body the way you do each day?
“I get to do this” is my driving mantra. And in the past few years, I have realized that staying active is mostly for my mental health. If there were more hours in the day, I’d add more sports and more outside stuff!

Beyond your involvement in fitness communities, you’re a successful real estate agent. How do you think about your role beyond transactions—as a curator of community, of land stewardship, or of legacy?
I’d say “curator of community” fits me best. My sales last way beyond a sale. I take clients out on paddleboards, make their kids do burpees at showings, take them on hikes or out in a canoe, and teach them that when we visit and live here on Maui, it’s all a gift. It’s not shopping or going down a water slide, but feeling the real Hawai’i. Get their feet in the sand, tell them about the opportunities to serve and learn. As the chair of our membership committee a few years back, after hearing a fellow agent share her knowledge of the Hawaiian language, ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi, I added her deck to the “fantastic realtor” presentation that all new agents are required to take.

You once operated retail stores while building your real estate side hustle before pivoting fully into real estate. What’s been your biggest “jump” in life—and how have you assessed risk, especially as you’ve grown older?
Ah, yes. Video stores. I owned two of them. My biggest jump was moving to Maui. I had never been here. I had $400 and I knew one person. I literally ate potatoes, frozen peas, and kept adding water to the cranberry juice jug I had bought for the first two weeks I was on the island. But I was hooked on Maui. I am not sure If I actually have ever assessed risk, I tend to jump into the deep end a lot.

How do you unwind, recalibrate, or replenish your inner reserves each day? Do you have rituals, practices, or philosophies that guard your mental well-being?
I pray every day and read scripture. I cold plunge two to three times a week and do Sudoku almost every night before bed. I walk my crazy bull terrier, Toby, in the mornings, sometimes that is more of a dog pull than a dog walk…

If you had to distill your “legacy mission” into one sentence, what would it be?
Love big, work hard, and smile.

Who inspires you the most and why?
Hardest question. I think the kids I coach inspire me the most, They can “get out of their own way” a lot quicker than adults can. And when you hear them pray, it’s just WOW.

What are your three life non-negotiables (i.e., the things you can’t live without)?
The ocean. Water to drink. Jesus.

Editor’s Note: Some answers may have been condensed and/or edited for clarity.

Connect with Alana: Website / Instagram (@alanamaui)

All photos courtesy of Alana Rucynski