Husband, Father, Athlete, Runner, Marathoner, Mental Health Warrior

So let me tell you had the day had started...I worked Friday night from 7p-7a Saturday morning and came home to shower and change and went to line up to start the Louisville Sports Commission Half Marathon. So I had plan...since I knew I wouldn't get any sleep before the race, I adjusted to make sure I stayed hydrated. I drank a bottle of water every hour, while at work. I parked near the finish line and walked to the starting line and as I was getting in line near the back of the pack, I heard "Hey Superman!" and a couple of different times I met some wonderful people who had read my postings on the Race's Facebook page. It was both and honor and a treat to meet them..and they were so incredibly kind. I also saw another good friend with her friends and we had a hearty discussion about bourbon (Hi Jen!!) While waiting, a couple of neat things happened: One they played "My Ol' Kentucky Home" while waiting at the start...which is ABSOLUTELY cool. And then...

There is a picture of me crossing the finish line for my first Half Marathon...yes, I completed my first Marathon before completing my first Half Marathon lol. So the day before the race, Damary and I realized it would be way too cold for her and the girls to just be waiting outside for me, so for the first time, in my racing career, I would go by myself, and meet up with my family at the finish line....which the finish line is Home Plate at Louisville Slugger Field...how frakkin cool is THAT?!?!? Well, let's fast forward to waiting at the starting line. I wore sweat pants with the sole intent of taking them off and throwing them away at the start of the race, but it WAS 30 DEGREES!!! So the sweats would stay on throughout the entire race. I ran into a wonderful dear friend of mine and we waited for the race to start. And soon we were off... I must admit, Louisville is my hometown, it was where I spent the first 18 years of my life, but this route makes you become a tourist in the...

So I haven't has a chance to really sit down and write since Adrianna was born. Life, these past 2 months, have been ever changing and non-stop, and aboslutely wonderful. I am so thankful. I sit, just a week and a half away from my first Half-Marathon (yeah, I did a Marathon first, and NOW I'm doing a half lol), I turned 39 on the 17th, and just 3 and a half weeks away from my second Half Marathon...which brings me to the point of this whole thing... For the past 3 months, I have been getting my bloodwork checked (check previous, i.e. the last posting) for my CPK levels, because they have been dangerously elevated. Well, while on my run on my birthday, I got a call from the doctor's office saying that he wants to see me tomorrow (yesterday) to discuss "the next step". So I haven't really talked about this whole thing over the past few months, because the focus (as should be) has been on Adrianna coming into the world and the fact that Ayanna started 1st grade ...

So yesterday I got a call from my doctor's office with my bloodwork results from last week. I, again thinking optimistically, waited for them to tell me that the results are fine. Well, after a pause that felt like a leap year, she tells me that the doctor wants to see me ti discuss it and can I come in tomorrow first thing. Yay me So this morning, I went to the doctor's...and he wants to do more blood work next week because my Myoglobin is "highly elevated"...it's supposed to be somewhere around 120-140...mine is 259....see, I'm always an overachiever (lame attempt at humor). Good News is that the culprit maybe my whey protein powder I use as a recovery for my endurance runs. Which after the next set of blood work, (I haven't used it in about 3 weeks, just no time, been a bit busy), my Myoglobin should have dropped. Bad News is IF it isn't the whey (doc thinks since it's been so long, it should be out of my system, but we're coverin...

Hello Everyone, Some of you may have noticed and some of you may not have, but I haven't been online, whether here, Facebook, Twitter, or Daily Mile (I have spent some time on Google+, I must admit). And that was by design...I needed some time to think to myself. Last week I happened to look at the palm of my hands and notice quite a number of dark brown spots on my palm. I know my hands and knew that these were new. Which I was suddenly seized with an uncomfortable feeling: The Unknown. I emailed Damary, who helped me find a dermatologist and I called and they booked me for a week later (today), which if anyone who has been a new patient knows being seen this soon is both a blessing and usually a sign of urgency by the Doctor's office. Now mind you, a couple of weeks prior, I had started feeling crummy. So much so, I had told Damary if I kept feeling this way, I was willingly calling the doc to set up an appointment. So I went in today, having made the mistake of searching sym...

Well this was another first for me...my first weekday race...and on a Monday, at that! This was on 4th of July, and it was an overall great experience. We arrived about 30 minutes before and the volunteers were EXTREMELY helpful and super organized. I kissed Damary and the girls (including my wife's belly, where Adrianna is) goodbye and told them I would see them later. I went to the starting line, and recognized a familiar face Mark from DailyMile was there.I introduced myself to him and met his wonderful wife as well! This guy's positive attitude is a palpable force!! Great guy!! So we lined up, and the air horn went off, and away I went. This was my first race in my Fila Skeletoes (minimalist shoes) so I was curious to see how it would go. I will admit one thing, that I couldn't put my finger on, and for some reason, I didn't have my normal "Race Turbo" feeling, and never did. But off I went... Oh, because this was a small race(less than 1000), there wasn...

The day started fairly early for us…we left Louisville, KY at 3:30AM, the girls and eventually my wife all fast asleep in the van. They were sacrificing a whole day to support me, then the LEAST I could do is drive! We made pretty good time and parked fairly quickly (Red Frog Events runs a VERY organized event, I must say). Then I donned my outfit (hence the “before” pic lol) and we walked to the shuttle which took myself and other would-be warriors and our support teams to the field of battle! We got there and walked towards the tents and music playing, and I started getting excited!! Immediately, I heard someone yell, “Corey”, and it was Mike from Daily Mile, and his wife Megan . He said he knew to look for the Superman Kilt LOL. Let me say, he and his wife were two of the NICEST people I have ever met! Plus she got to run the Warrior Dash, and my wife and I were so excited for her!! Then, as we headed over to Packet Pick-up, I saw our friend Melodie (also from Daily Mile), and her...

Today is Thursday, and I am in the midst of an AMAZING week! Yesterday, our oldest Daughter, my Super Princess, graduated Kindergarten. During these moments, I find myself not as much proud of them, as I am happy in the pride they have for themselves. Same thing I feel when I watch them race. I am happier that they are proud of themselves, because I think that is the building blocks for keeping a positive attitude. Tomorrow, Damary and I have our normal Baby Check-Up. These always touch my soul…yes, child #3, and I have never missed an appointment, and still get excited. In a few short months, our family will expand, and I am so excited (although, between my lovely wife and daughters, I am not sure how much time I will get with Baby Q when she gets here..seriously, we will need to have some sort of lottery, because everyone is claiming time now, like Baby Q is a Time Share lol). Sunday is Warrior Dash . I am excited for this, but my focus this week is on everything before it. Although ...

Fila Skeletoes Review Ok, so in case anyone is wondering, a few months ago, I told my wife, when the marathon was over, I think I wanted to give Minimalist Running a shot. For those that aren’t sure/don’t know what Minimalist Running/”Barefoot” Running is, Click Here . My reasons were twofold: I knew I would need a new challenge once the Marathon was over, and I wanted to run with fewer injuries (duh). So a couple of weeks ago, I was in my local Sport’s store when I saw a display for Fila Skeletoes, and walked over. At first glance, they resemble the Vibrams, but two key points stick out, upon further glance: 1) the last two toes slide into one large slot & 2) The Price. Vibrams run around the $99 and more. These are $59.99…and they have children sizes as well! Now, the first thing I want to say is I don’t own Vibrams and haven’t worn them, so this won’t be a comparison review at all; this is just my impression of them. Fit: I am someone who NEVER wears flip flops (seriously, ...

So surprisingly, I slept through the night, Friday night. When the alarm went off, Saturday morning, I felt very rested and ready….Ready because I was on the verge of fulfilling a dream, and had put in the training. I grabbed my Superman shirt which I had the girls put there handprints in paint on, my Mile Dedication List that a dear friend of mine had made for me, my Power Balance Band, my Garmin, and put those one, and finished getting dressed. Damary and I knew that her and the girls weren’t going to be able to see me start, it was easier if they dropped me off, then she would go home with the girls (Lord knows they would have MORE than enough time to have a normal day before coming back to see me finish). As we pulled up and Damary was pinning my number on, one of my Daily Mile and Facebook friends, Wendy Bell, yells, “Hey Superman!” and introduced herself to me and Damary, which was nice to immediately see a friendly face. I then made my way, with all of the other runners to the S...

April 17th 2010, I ran my first 5K, I had just bought my first pair of running shoes days before, and my only other run was in my basketball hi-tops (O.U.C.H!!!). I did more walking than running, and even my running couldn’t really be called that. What I remember most about that race was the two times (halfway point and the finish); I heard and saw my daughters cheering for me. They were proud of their Papi, and wanted to make sure the world heard them cheer. That was the moment I was hooked to the CONCEPT of me as a Runner. I wanted more moments like that. I just had no idea how I would get to the point I could call myself a runner and not feel like I was insulting Pheidippides directly. At the suggestion of a dear friend, I purchased “Marathoning for Mortals” and from the first paragraph on, I swear it was like it was written directly for me. I read it and carried it everywhere (still do). I always knew I had focus, but now I had direction. In this lunar cycle, I have dealt with/hand...

So I will not mention names, nor will I apologize for what I am going to say or who it offends (I’m in my “house”, front door is ALWAYS open to come in, or leave)…but as my alarm went off…ok I will stop lying, I was up ten minutes before it went off, a barrage of thoughts ran through my head like the montage part of every episode of “Phineas & Ferb” I am weeks away from wrapping up my first year as a runner. What an amazing lunar cycle it has been for me. At first I started running because I wanted, no again being honest, NEEDED to lose weight and lower my blood pressure (go to any of the blog entries from a year ago, in case you don’t know, and you’ll see why). And there is no greater calorie burner than running (as long as you are willing to push yourself, compare an hour of any exercise, and running is most effective). Turns out, along the way, I discovered Me. Weight loss isn’t, and hasn’t been, on my radar in a while. I am not sure the last time I stepped on a scale. I just kn...

Well Yesterday I did it. I completed one of my running goals...to complete the Triple Crown. I also completed my longest race ever. On top of all of that, I did it injured. I will take a couple of days to be proud of myself for accomplishing what I set out to do, and then the clock resets for my next goal, The Kentucky Derby Marathon. Well, it is amazing weather we have had here in Louisville. Every Saturday inbetween the Triple Crown Races, we have had no temps lower than 70, and not a cloud in the sky. Yet for the 3 Saturdays of the Triple Crown, it has been cold, windy, and cloudy. Yesterday was no exception... I must first say, I, mainly due to the getting up at 3:30AM to run, run by myself, but I never run alone. My wife and daughters are always there, waking up early on these Saturday mornings to cheer me on...hours before my daughters' kid races, they are cheering me on at the end. I am most grateful, and most appreciative of them for that support. That being said, the race ...

Now, mind you, my ingredients are based on feeding a family of 4, and having leftovers (more economical for us), so adjust accordingly) 3 lbs of Ground Turkey/Ground Chicken (I used Ground Turkey) 2 cans of Light Sodium Mushroom soup 1 whole onion chopped (optional) 1 tablespoon Garlic powder 1 packet of Goya Sazón Natural & Complete (contains no salt, fyi…this is found in the Latino/Latin/Ethnic Food aisle) Greek Yogurt (this is subbing in for sour cream in the original recipe I saw) Broccoli No Yolks Noodles Extra Broad (naturally 100% cholesterol free) 2 Sodium Free Chicken Bouillon Cubes 1 Teaspoon Olive Oil • Using a steamer, place freshly cut broccoli in steamer and hit Cook • In a large skillet or wok (I used a wok), heat up the tablespoon of Olive Oil, then put the Ground Turkey, chopped onion (if you’re using it), garlic powder, and the Goya Packet in, and brown the Turkey • At this point, put on your water (place Bouillon Cubes in water) on the stove and let it boil. Once...

So yesterday was the Rodes 10K Race, the Second Leg of the Louisville Triple Crown. This was my longest race I have been in. While I have done 3 times the mileage in Marathon Training, anyone runner will tell you that Race Day Running is on a different level than training running. So the starting for this race was chaotic at best. It was so insane, my wife and daughters couldn't stay and watch me start because it was getting unsafe for my daughters to be standing around because the crowd was getting out of hand. So once I crossed the starting line (about 10 minutes after the race start), I hit Start on my Garmin and started. As I came up on the 1 mile marker, I felt good...I decided to check out my Garmin to see my pace. I almost flipped when I saw 9:28. Not because I was doing an incredible first mile, but while I am a beginner runner, I know enough about proper pacing. I also know, this being my first 10K, I didn't want to gas out. Let me explain, I love Science Fiction...alw...

So this Saturday is the Rodes 10K , (the 2nd Leg of the Triple Crown ). And I am the type of runner who doesn't study/memorize race maps, or go and run the course ahead of time, because I really like to be in the moment of the run, as I run somewhere I haven’t been before and enjoy the scenery. But I happened to look at the map, because this will be the longest race I have done, and the first one, that the start and finish are not in the same place. Well, having my support team of my Beautiful, Pregnant wife and our Ultra-Supportive daughters (who have a race that day, after mine), means mapping things out so they can make it to the finish line to see me cross. I pulled up the map and something SCREAMED out at me. I noticed I will run the perimeter of the cemetery where my Dad is buried. My Father, who passed on my 22nd birthday, was always my best friend and biggest fan. Trust me when I say this, if I have any traits/qualities/attributes that you like, I got them/learned them from...

This is a healthy alternative to the fried version, and has much more flavor without killing sodium levels. This literally came to me as I was driving home (most of my creative food ideas do...I'm like Iron Chef lol) Feel free to adjust how you would season either the fries or the fish. All I know is, there are NO leftovers, and my daughters had two servings of fish! Frozen Tilapia Fillets 2 Large Sweet Potatoes Olive Oil Cooking Oil Spray Garlic Salt Other Seasonings to Taste Prep Time: However long it takes you to slice Potatoes into fry shapes; 5-10 minutes on preparing fish in Aluminum Foil Pouches -Preheat oven to 450 -Spray cooking spray on the baking sheet. Slice your sweet potatoes. Then put the sweet potato slices on the sheet. Drizzle olive oil (not a lot). then season how you want (I used Garlic Salt, and some of my own dry rub seasoning). Sit the baking sheet to the side. -However many tilapia there are, tear that many sheets of Aluminum foil. Place fish in center of Al...

So yesterday was the First Leg of the Louisville Triple Crown , the Anthem 5K . This was the biggest race I have ever been in (over 10,000 entrants), and it meant the climb leading right into my first marathon in April. My last 5K race was the Run, Run, Rudolph 5K, the day after Thanksgiving, and the race time was 40:05. That was 3 months ago. Last week, I did a 5K in a little over 36 minutes and felt strong afterwards. So going into yesterday, I REALLY felt like I could set a PR in the race. I knew I could do it faster that 40 minutes, and was hoping for 36 minutes. I was armed with my Garmin and smiles and kisses from my wife and daughters. It took me about 8 minutes to get to the starting line, because of the mass of people. I will say, in a huge race, other runners are quite friendly and nice. I have done smaller races and people would just as soon step on you, than talk to you. So once I reached the Starting Line, I hit Start on the Garmin and was off. I do know, the ONE thing I ...

So on Daily Mile (for those of you not on Daily Mile, think Facebook for active people, no Farmville, or Mafia Wars either, lol), I have been nominated for the 2011 Team Daily Mile , and I submitted my video application. Now I will say this, I have since seen the other candidate’s videos and WOW! They are AWESOME! Anyway, my point is, taking the moment to do my video submission had me doing something I rarely do, and that is thinking about the moment, not planning for tomorrow, or the next big thing. This month I have the first leg of the Louisville Triple Crown , with the next 2 legs, being in March. In April, I will celebrate my one year as a runner, doing my first marathon . In June, I will be doing the Warrior Dash . In August, I will celebrate my oldest daughter (Super Princess) starting 1st Grade, and my (at that time, because Q will be born), middle daughter (Super Rockstar) starting Kindergarten, and I will be celebrating the birth of Q! So for a moment, instead of visualizing...

So Damary and I had our OG/Gyn appointment, this past Monday. We have been so nervous/scared/excited about this appointment, since Damary made it. See, we have known she was pregnant for about 5 weeks now, but because of the emotional toll losing 3Bird took, we didn’t say ANYTHING to anyone. That, I personally thought, wasn’t too difficult. Yes, we cancelled some trips we had planned, and some get togethers we had scheduled, simply due to safety concerns. But for me the hardest part was keeping it from the girls. Since losing 3Bird, when we say our nightly prayers, the girls added that they “hope God puts a baby back in Mami’s belly”. This has all but broken my heart. I felt like I let them down on the highest level. So Sunday night came, and like the dugout when it is the 8th inning, and the pitcher has thrown a no-hitter so far, we didn’t really talk about the appointment the next morning. We pretty much danced around it, but both of us knew how each other felt. Monday morning came, ...