Meet the Longos!

Here for the science: John and Tricia Longo

John is a physical therapist and has run a 2:32 marathon and a 1:10 half marathon. Tricia is a 2:48 marathoner with a PhD in biomedical engineering, and is continuing to run lifetime personal bests in all distances year after year. A fun Saturday night for John and Tricia is writing up a blood lactate test protocol then going to bed early to prepare for a Sunday morning long run.

More about John:

I started taking running seriously my senior year of high school. A baseball injury led to the discovery that I only have one kidney, and I wasn’t allowed to play contact sports anymore. I “ran” with it, running collegiately and with a sub-elite team(Stotan Racing) while in graduate school completing my DPT.

I’ve been a practicing PT for close to 10 years now, and believe injury prevention is a key component of maximizing running performance. Outside of my day job, I’ve helped friends and family with various running related injuries, including many runners in the area. I also have my “Manual Therapy Certificate” from Bellin College. This program was focused on understanding and applying physiological research concepts in real life settings. My expertise will help me make sure you stay healthy and consistent with training! 

In addition to working full-time and running competitively with a local club team, I coached cross-country and track and field at a local high school for three and half years. I loved getting to help young athletes get engaged in the sport, realize their potential and reach their goals. I’m excited to be able to help runners of all ages improve in the sport!

More about Tricia:

I’ve been a competitive runner for over half of my life, starting in high school continuing collegiately at a Division 1 program, and transitioning to the roads post college. During this time, I have had many different running coaches, with different training philosophies and approaches. Some coaching and training styles worked well for me, some did not, which brought me to the realization that everyone is unique and can benefit from individualized training!

I currently train and race as part of a club team in the Albany, NY area. In addition to running competitively, I work full-time as a scientist at a pharmaceutical company. I like to take a science-based approach to training and am constantly evaluating data to make adjustments as needed. “Data” includes metrics from a GPS watch, like pace, distance and heart rate but many times the most useful data is input from the athlete on how they feel! Some examples of using science to guide training include heart rate data evaluation, blood lactate testing (when appropriate), and data-driven workout pace guidelines. I have experience coaching adult road and trail runners, and love helping people achieve their goals!