Meet Ashley Frye | Creator and Founder of 4The Girls Run Club

We had the good fortune of connecting with Ashley Frye and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Ashley, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
I started 4The Girls Run Club to fill a gap in the Boulder community and beyond. When I moved to Boulder two years ago, I didn’t have much of a community here. Running and sports have always been my go-to for making friends—I grew up running, and my closest friendships have come from it. But I noticed a critical need: a women-only run club centered around JOGGING—it’s not running, it’s jogging and jogging can be whatever you want it to be. 4TG is all about the joy in movement, connection, and empowering women.

4TG is more than a run club; it’s a community. Women show up weekly not just to jog but to feel empowered, motivated, encouraged—or even just to vent or share a laugh. Traditional run clubs can feel intimidating, and let’s be honest, no one likes getting dropped by a pack of speedy runner boys. I wanted to create something different: an inclusive, welcoming space where every woman, no matter her pace, feels a part of something.

When you come to 4TG for the first time, you’re greeted with an enthusiastic hello and an instant sense of belonging. We jog. It’s social. It’s uplifting. It’s fun. My goal is for 4TG to keep growing, expanding into other cities and forming satellite clubs nationwide. I want to spread the love of the jog and the joy that comes from an hour spent with an incredible group of women.

Want to start a 4TG in your city? Let’s make it happen!

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
My current “work” centers around 4The Girls Run Club, a community I created in Boulder that has become the largest women’s run club in Colorado. What sets us apart is our focus on inclusivity and joy in JOGGING. We celebrate ‘the jog’ – whatever that means to each woman – rather than focusing solely on performance or competition.
I’m most proud of creating a space where women can be both competitive and joyful, defining success on their own terms. Our recent Jogger’s 5K event exemplified this – an untimed 5K where some participants experienced their first-ever 5K! Seeing women complete their first 5K or maybe their 100th with genuine joy across all the participant’s faces is what drives me.

Beyond 4TG, which is truly just a passion project, I am getting my Master’s in Instructional Design and am a social media manager. I see myself finding a career where I can match my education in instructional design in a creative space, potentially educating an audience in running and creating content that educates best practices, whether in nutrition, sports, etc.

My athletic journey began in competitive gymnastics, transitioned to running in high school and college, and eventually led me to become a professional cyclist in Europe.
My collegiate running experience at Texas State was challenging due to a toxic environment that kept me in a constant state of stress and pressure. I was often mocked for being “smiley” (my coach would mockingly call me “Smiley Fryes”), which became a recurring theme throughout my competitive athletic career. The perception that my positive demeanor somehow meant I wasn’t serious or tough enough followed me from sport to sport. After enduring numerous running-related injuries, I spent countless hours cross-training on the bike. Three years ago, I realized I was spending far more time cycling than running. On a whim, I signed up for a local criterium race and instantly fell in love with the sport. This sparked something in me, and I began entering as many bike races as possible.
My name quickly spread throughout the Colorado cycling community, and I received a “wild card” offer from Cynisca Cycling. The progression was astonishingly rapid—in just four months, I went from racing at the Cat 5 to Cat 3 level to making my professional debut in Spain. My second professional race was Le Samyn in Belgium, one of the most technically challenging races in women’s cycling. Talk about a whirlwind!
Professional cycling came unexpectedly, and competing in the European peloton was like being thrown into the deep end—honestly, more like a cannonball. Though I achieved several top-5 and top-10 finishes in both European and US races, I found myself in an environment that often demanded a personality that wasn’t authentic to me. My natural optimism and joy were frequently misinterpreted as a lack of competitive drive, even as I was proving myself on the course.

I want the world to know that joy and competitiveness aren’t mutually exclusive. My smile isn’t a sign that I’m not serious – it’s my way of processing pain, handling pressure, and finding strength in challenging moments.
After experiencing environments that tried to dim my light, I’ve built 4The Girls as a space where women can shine authentically. We’re not just a run club – we’re a movement that celebrates women exactly as they are, whether they’re completing their first mile or training for their tenth marathon.
As I continue to grow 4TG, my mission remains the same: create spaces where women can be both competitive and joyful, where success is defined individually, and where authentic self-expression is celebrated.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Boulder is so fun! Especially in the summer! If my best friend was visiting Boulder, I’d craft a weekend filled with local favorites that showcase what makes Boulder so special to me.

We’d start with an early morning jog with 4The Girls Run Club, meeting at Cassiopeia Cycling before heading out for a 5-mile jog that highlighted some of the city’s best gals. Post-run, we’d grab coffee at Cassiopeia or head to another favorite of mine, Dry Storage, and have an almond milk latte with honey and cinnamon—my signature order that’s worth every penny of the $8 price tag.

For outdoor adventures, we’d race to the top of Flagstaff Mountain or take the stunning ride to Jamestown, up the peak-to-peak highway, and then down to Nederland for a delicious gluten-free, vegan chocolate chip cookie. We’d experience some breathtaking views (literally, when we were at 10,000 feet or more).

I would also take them on a hike up Mount Sanitas, which offers the perfect balance of challenge and accessibility. For a flat and fast run, we could also go for another jog around the Boulder Reservoir.

For food, we could grab tacos at T/aco, lunch at Skratch Labs Cafe, or indulge in the New Mexican cuisine at Santo – both local institutions. Or we could go to Rosetta Hall for the nightlife vibes.

Coffee culture is serious business here – which I LOVE, so we’d make sure to visit Boxcar Coffee Roasters or Creature Comforts before strolling Pearl Street to soak in Boulder.

What makes Boulder special isn’t just the activities or the food—it’s how everything connects through community and an appreciation for adventure and simple pleasures. Boulder offers the ideal blend of outdoor excitement and small-town charm.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I am so grateful for everyone who has been a part of my life! There are so many people who have encouraged and uplifted me in every season. I am beyond grateful to my parents, who have always encouraged me to try new things and who have encouraged me to spread joy to those around me. I am grateful to my partner, Cade Michael, who has been my number one cheerleader, always loving me and supporting all of my crazy ideas. Lastly, I am beyond grateful to my 4The Girls Run Club community – they are the women who make the run club. They inspire me, challenge and motivate me weekly, and have loved me in so many ways.

Website: https://ashley-frye.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ashleyyfrye/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashley-frye-14b448135

Other: 4The Girls Run Club Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/4thegirlsrunclub/

4The Girls Run Club Boulder Strava : https://www.strava.com/clubs/4thegirlsrunclub

4The Girls Run Club Seattle Strava: https://www.strava.com/clubs/4thegirlsrunclubseattle

Image Credits
Grace Williams
Hanna Roshak