Athlete Bio
Christo Landry
"Dedication to the sport and perseverance pays off. I was injured frequently in college, to the point where I got a sixth year of eligibility, but then I got injured again and couldn't use it. But I wasn't done, I wanted to see what I could accomplish, stuck at it and was able to achieve things beyond my wildest dreams." From Northern Virginia, Christo attended Thomas Jefferson High School in Alexandria where he was a state standout. Earning a team state title in cross country and individual state titles in both the one and two mile, he opted to take his talents to historic Williamsburg to attend the College of William and Mary. While earning degrees in finance and economics (and eventually a Masters of Accounting) from the College, he would become a three-time All-American, specializing in cross country. Since his time with the Tribe he has: set an American Record, represented Team USA on multiple occassions, and brought home the title at 6 USA Championships and counting.
"In distance running you're out there alone a large portion of the time, especially in racing. If you haven't prepared mentally in the week leading up to the race you're not reaching your full potential." In addition to mentally preparing Christo's sweet tooth ensures he has the fuel to keep him going, saying, "Running high mileage burns a lot of calories, at some point you've finished eating your healthy dinner and a snack and just need calories. Good thing I've got a selection of six or so different flavors of ice cream in the fridge so I can match the flavor to my mood."
Christo's long-term plan is to share his love of the sport with the next generation and to help contribute to the sport of running. To this end, he is starting a summer camp for high school cross country runners (Ascent Running: Camp), beginning to coach online (Ascent Running: Coaching), and would eventually like to start a retreat for adult runners and a road race.