Melissa was born in Ohio and started running in Junior High. After graduating high school, she moved to Arcata, California to pursue a degree in Environmental Ethics. This is where her love for trail running was sparked. Running on the trails through the redwood forest was almost as freeing as her love for rock climbing. Rock climbing is what ultimately brought her to the Mammoth area. This led to several years of dirtbagging before deciding to bite the bullet to return to school to pursue Physical Therapy.

Melissa Alonzo earned a Doctorate Degree in Physical Therapy from East Tennessee State University in 2017. She opened her private practice in 2021in Mammoth and has dedicated her practice to working with elite athletes in Track and Field, Ultra Marathon runners, and professional skiers and snowboarders.  She is an active volunteer for US Ski Team and the current Strength Coach for Mammoth Track Club.

She currently resides in Mammoth with her husband, Ryan, daughter, Violet, and dog, Hazel. You can find them on the local trails around Mammoth, rocks of Bishop and skiing in the mountains all along the Eastern Sierra.