Hey! My name is Chris Melgares. I am a physical therapist and coach by trade. I work with endurance athletes to help them do the same thing I love to do – to strive for their goals. Here’s more about me: 

I realized that running had a special magic about it when I joined my high school cross country team in Manhattan, Kansas. I was drawn to the process of pushing myself to the limits of what my body would allow me to achieve. Even better was the fact that I was able to do it alongside a team of dedicated and persevering friends with the same goals. It was through these experiences that I learned there is beauty in the process of the pursuit. 

After high school I went on to run track and cross country as a Jayhawk at the University of Kansas. During my time there, I experienced the spectrum of success and failure. In retrospect, the most valuable lesson I learned was that training needs to be approached with balance and regards for all its dimensions. Without going into too much detail, I spent disproportionately too much time focusing on how I could run more miles and not enough time focused on other important factors such as my physical health and capacity. This suboptimal approach led to a poorly timed injury which hampered the final two years of my college career. Although frustrating at the time, my experiences helped form my decision making as a coach and practitioner to help my clients avoid falling into the same cascade I did.

I graduated in 2019 with a Master’s degree and went on to physical therapy school at KU Medical center. It was during PT school that I set my sights on the marathon distance. During study breaks you could find me on the roads and trails of Kansas City plugging away at countless miles with this objective. One of my favorite things during that season of life was to run with my friend and training partner Joe Moore, experimenting with several different styles of marathon workouts. During this time I ran my marathon personal best to this day of 2:16:35 at the 2019 California International Marathon and a berth to the 2020 Olympic Trials. At the Trials that year I was fortunate to have one of the best races of my life, thriving on the hills of downtown Atlanta en route to a 33rd place finish. 

During PT school I married my wife and we had our first child (we have two now!) I scaled back my training volume and intensity to focus on my family and my career. I became an orthopedic physical therapist and ultimately moved from Kansas to Lynchburg, Virginia. Now I continue to train with different goals in mind – to keep running marathons to the best of my ability while staying consistently healthy, to enjoy the sport, and to maximize quality time with my family.

 Here are some of my values as a coach:

-Collaboration. This is key to a successful relationship and any coach worth their salt has to communicate with their clients and athletes with clarity and reliability. Practically, this means you can count on intentional follow through and clearly defined instructions and expectations. 

-Holistic disposition. With a thorough onboarding process and ongoing check-ins, I will consider all of your specific goals, lifestyle factors, and any other pertinent information to create a quality plan for you. There is no one-size-fits-all approach and this can’t be out-sourced (sorry AI).

-Authenticity. One of the most deflating feelings is a lack of connection with someone who you expect more from. Conversely, one of the most empowering things in this world is to strive for a common goal with a like minded and supportive ally. If we are working together I want you to know that I am on your side amidst the peaks and valleys of your endeavors. You will receive top-of-the-line support, and I ensure this by limiting the number of clients I take on.

These experiences and values are threaded into my coaching. I want to help you pursue and meet your goals as a runner and in a greater sense as an individual, wherever you may be along that journey. If you feel like we would be a good fit, please reach out. I look forward to hearing your story and working with you to write it in gold! 

-Chris