About
Alicia Vargo
Growing up in the rugged ranching and coal-mining community of Gillette, Wyoming, I spent my childhood riding horses and playing basketball. I reluctantly signed up for cross-country as a means to become a stronger basketball player. However, I quickly fell in love with running for its own sake—the freedom of just needing a pair of shoes to explore and the feeling of moving fast and free! The camaraderie I found among the eclectic group of runners made the sport feel so welcoming, and soon I was completely hooked.
Throughout my running journey, I’ve experienced some incredible highs, including winning several national championships in high school and while competing for Stanford University, followed by a professional career on the track, road, and trail. I loved the singularly focused, hard-working lifestyle. Yet, like many athletes, I’ve also faced significant challenges: injuries ranging from head and neck trauma to torn tendons and ligaments, broken bones, a broken spirit, lost loved ones, grief, trauma, and various other struggles. While these difficulties were sometimes defeating and sometimes life altering, they became transformative experiences that taught me the importance of resilience and the healing power of movement, fresh air, and community.
Throughout these big pendulum swings in sport and life, I have been so lucky to be guided by some of the best coaches (and people) in the world—Vin Lananna, Dena Evans, Jack Daniels, Joe Vigil, Terrence Mahon, Mike Smith and many more. They showed me the importance of guiding athletes through a combination of running physiology and the art of meeting each individual at the point of their need. It was a powerful revelation for me to see that coaching isn’t just about performance but also about forming meaningful relationships. That perspective was a driving force as I transitioned from being an athlete to working with my first coaching client 15 years ago—a leap I’ve never regretted!
At the moment, I’m living in the high-altitude mountain paradise of Breckenridge, Colorado, with my husband and three children. We are actively pursuing our own training and racing goals with our cute little cheerleaders in tow while growing my coaching business. My passion for running drives me to continue to share this journey with others in meaningful ways!
If you’re someone seeking high-performance goals, navigating injury, completely new to the sport, working through pregnancy and postpartum, or anything in between, please reach out if you’re curious about partnering together in your running future!