My Comprehensive Athlete Assessment

Years and years ago (like....um....20 years ago) I had this awesome health teacher in high school named Tiffany Gust. I always admired how personable she was and her ability to engage students - definitely not an easy task with teenagers.

Tiffany is now an exercise physiologist at Intermountain Health Care in their St. George, Utah Health and Performance Center. I was psyched when she said they were starting up a new comprehensive athlete assessment program called the Sports Performance Package, and she asked if I would be their guinea pig to test the program out.

The program was designed for all athletes of any age or athletic level with the purpose of improving performance and preventing injuries. When they said "comprehensive" they weren't exaggerating. Here is the testing I did, my results, and their recommendations:

A comprehensive lab panel

I'll fully admit that I'm a GIGANTIC baby when it comes to needles. I have a bad reputation for passing out. So I was pretty proud of myself for not passing out with this lab draw. The assessment checked a CBC, CMP, cholestorol, thyroid functioning, vitamin B12, vitamin D, testosterone/estrogen hormones, Ferritin, and Cortisol. The lab draw was the first thing we did, and most results were back fast enough for the doctor to review them with me. I learned that my vitamin B12 and vitamin D were low, both of which can effect athletic performance so I've started taking those supplements.

Fitness Assessments

There were lots of tests that were part of the functional movement screening including a push-up test, sit-up test, wall-sit test, and sit-and-reach test. There was also a functional movement screening which helps identify weak areas that could be problem areas for potential injuries. My results in most of these: I SUCK. I had many weaknesses including core strength, hips, and glutes: all critical areas for runners. Fortunately they gave me conditioning exercises specifically geared toward improving my weaknesses.

Bod Pod

This test helps determine body composition and the ratio of fat to muscle. This won't come as too much of a surprise, but it would be helpful for me to eat a few less Hostess cupcakes and eat a few more carrots. WHY can't someone genetically modify carrots to taste like Hostess cupcakes??? Why!?!

VO2 Test

This test helps measure cardiovascular fitness and aerobic endurance. My score of 45.5 put me in the excellent range here, but with some speed work and interval training (which I do basically none of), I might be able to move up to the superior range. I learned about my metabolic rate and how many calories my body burns during resting and during exercise.

Dietitian Consultation

Prior to my appointment, I had to keep a food and liquid journal for three days. It was slightly embarrassing to have "Costco Cheesecake" on my food log for every single one of those days. I told Mel not to buy Costco cheesecake anymore because if it's in my refrigerator, I'm morally obligated to eat it. My dietitian Christie Benton reviewed my logs and said I need more protein and to drink more water. She also gave me personalized meal plans to help meet my targets.

Physician Consultation

The final part of the Comprehensive Sports Performance Evaluation was meeting with Dr. Rhett Frei. He reviewed all my labs and made sure everything was in working order. Things like hormone levels and vitamin deficiencies can have a big impact on functioning. He also reviewed my running history and the longstanding problems I've had with my knees. His evaluation found that my knee problems stem from weak hips, weak VMO muscles, and weak Gluteus Medius muscles. What I really appreciated is that they gave me specific things to do to get these areas on track.

This whole process took nearly five hours. I feel like they looked at every level of my functioning and fitness. And beyond just figuring out areas that needed improvement, they actually told me what to do about it. 

I wanted to give a few months of putting things into practice before I gave an accurate write-up of my experience there. Since my visit with them I've done the stretching and strengthening exercises they recommended. I made some adjustments with my diet. (I did not remove cheesecake or Dr. Pepper from my diet.) I started taking the vitamin supplements they recommended. And I feel better. I feel stronger. I still have LOTS of room for improvement. Despite having pretty good endurance, I still have lots of problem areas to work on for injury prevention. But it's nice to know the steps I can take to get better.

If you'd like more information or to schedule an appointment, call 435-251-3793 or check out their link HERE. 

Jackpot Race Report - A Family Ultramarathon!

Last year my wife and I took the kids to Disney World. Though the kids had a blast, Mel and I realized that we are allergic to standing in a line for two hours for a 90 second roller coaster. I'm pretty sure I'd rather have a spleen removal than go to another theme park.

After last year's trip to Disney World, you can imagine the abounding excitement the kids felt when we told them that this year we would be running a 48 hour race together. They were so thrilled that they hoisted me and Mel on their shoulders and shouted that we were the BEST PARENTS EVER!! (Or something like that.) (Or nothing like that.)

We like the Jackpot Ultra Running Festival in Vegas. I've run it a bunch of times and it is the only race where I've ever run a sub-24 hour 100 miler. The course is a 2.5 mile loop so you get to know the other runners well, considering that you see them so often.

Going into the race, we told the kids we had no expectations of them except to go have fun. We didn't want to pressure them to go farther than they wanted. With a timed race like this, you just go as far as you want within 48 hours. (They have a 24 hour, 12 hour, and 6 hour race too.) You run when you want, you rest when you want. Since we brought the kids along, we decided to rent an RV for a few days so we'd have a place to rest when not out on the course.

I gave them a little talk about what to expect. In summary: don't get behind with fluids and nutrition. Start slow. A nipple with a Bandaid is a happy nipple. They have cheesecake at the aid station. Eat some cheesecake. I think that pretty much covers all the important things. Then we checked in.

I need to give a disclaimer: those first two pictures are us as a happy family. But those times were the minority. Usually we were wanting to strangle each other. Everyone would take their turns fighting, complaining, arguing, or giving the silent treatment. We just hoped that in the end, this would be a good experience.

The race started Friday morning. Run. Walk. Rest. Cheesecake. Run. Walk. Rest. Cheesecake. Hour. After. Hour. I truly loved seeing Mel and the kids out on the course and being able to give them a high five or a sweaty hug when we passed each other.

One of the biggest reasons I wanted my kids to have an experience at a race like this is to be surrounded by the amazing community of runners who are so supportive and encouraging. Take, for example, my friend Colleen Zato. I've known Colleen for years and always love the miles I spend with her. My admiration grew when I saw her work through some very dark times to finish Badwater. But I love her even more after Jackpot. Colleen and her boyfriend Alex kind of took Jackson under their wing and spent many, many miles with him. Getting lost in conversations with friends always makes the miles go by quicker.

A mile 34 jumping picture:

One of the biggest highlights of my race was being able to share some miles with legendary runner Ann Trason. Among her many accomplishments, she has won the Western States 100 a remarkable 14 TIMES! She is the most accomplished female ultrarunner ever. It was an honor to finally meet her and get some miles together. (When I asked her why she added the red feather boa later in the race, she said "I was needing an attitude change.")

I also met Ann's crew/pacer Dill. One night he stood by his tent handing out happy stickers to everyone who passed by. Sometimes a sticker can help you forget how loudly your legs are complaining.

Around 2:00am on the first night, I received my formal invitation to the pain cave. I reluctantly accepted the invite. I did lots of miles in training but no amount of training can prepare you for those late miles in a race.

The race is held at Cornerstone Park which is a bird refuge. There are geese everywhere. They are gigantic. And fearless. For a while, one of them was parked right in the middle of the trail by the timing tent. He looked like he was just itching to take a chunk out of my calf.

It seemed like it would never come, but finally we made it to the second day of the race. I loved seeing and talking with so many amazing people. One of them was my friend Tony Nguyen. Before this race, Tony had finished five 100 milers. And...he had dropped out of 17. This is the kind of tenacity and stubbornness that I LOVE. (Here's something cool: after this race, Tony had finished six 100 milers.)

Race director Ken Rubeli was pestering me for weeks before the race that he wanted to see a lap with the hideous cat suit. I gave in. How To Question Your Masculinity In One Easy Step: Wear a cat unitard during an ultramarathon. (This picture could also be titled "The Dangers Of Peer Pressure".)

Is a family pity party allowed after running hours upon end? I vote yes. Here is a picture of our camper pity party.

Among the awesome people I spent time with during the race, one of them was my friend Clair Coleman. He was one of my crew members when I ran Badwater and can attest that this man is a true saint.

On the second night I took a few breaks to sleep for 60-90 minutes, then got back out on the course to get in a few more miles. And then before we knew it, the race was done.

If you ever need proof that miracles exist, spend a weekend at an ultramarathon. I personally experienced many miracles. And I saw miracles with other runners. But my favorite miracles were with my family. From left to right, Jackson covered 65 miles! Kylee went 50 miles! Danica ran 40 miles! Mel traveled 52.5 miles! And I finished 130 miles. This is a weekend I will never forget.

Thanks to Altra, Tailwind Nutrition, Injinji, UltrAspire, and St. George Running Center for all your support of crazy adventures like this!

Update On My Upcoming Book!

AWESOME news! My new book about Badwater, the 135 mile run across Death Valley is getting close! It’s in the final stages of editing. And I brought on the amazing Luke Thoreson to help co-write! (Photo by Jud Burkett)

I was first introduced to Luke's writing when I came across his blog. His posts about buying a month-long all-you-can-eat pass at Olive Garden are so, so good. His writing is intelligent and hilarious, and he also has a deep connection with Badwater. You can check out his blog HERE.

Here's how the process went: I finished writing the book. Then I sent it to Luke. He took my manuscript and added another delicious dose of spice, sass, and humor. I seriously LOVE how it turned out.

When I asked Luke why he loves Badwater so much, he said “As four-time crew member, I think the question of why is amplified for crew members compared to the runner. Janice from accounting can at least somewhat understand someone wanting to run a race ("My niece ran a marathon!") - but when you tell her that you're going to spend 24+ hours in a van with three other people, eating your body weight in cookies and Fritos (magical scoops of deliciousness), and driving two miles at a time to hand someone a cup of Coke and a fistful of animals from the genus "gummus" (my personal favorite is "scandanvianus piscus," or what the lay person calls Swedish Fish) is a bit harder to explain. Why is Badwater week the first PTO request I make on January 1st? Because. Because of the moments looking around the crowded, chaotic registration room and seeing someone's face light as they do the one arm shake / other arm hug to another runner who provided some much needed company at mile 74 of last year's race. Because it's turning off the headlamp, walking away from the hazard lights blinking, blinking blinking, and looking up into the sky hearing the far-away howl of coyotes and appreciating how a moment can be both humbling and intimate. Because it's a chance to wear a T-rex costume and entertain/make a runner question their sanity ("But where would a dinosaur even get a light saber?"). Because the moment you set foot in the basin, you're being entrusted with someone's race, their hopes and dreams, and most importantly, their safety as they - to quote the great poet Artis Leon Ivey Jr once wrote - "walk through the valley of the shadow of death."(Okay fine, yes, it was Coolio and yes that's his real name) It's like a Choose Your Own Adventure book writ large - you make the wrong choice and suddenly you're realizing how long it takes to walk it in from Darwin. (Answer: Long. So very long.). I didn't really understand what I was getting myself into my first year crewing for Harvey Lewis, which became progressively more surreal culminating in standing around Jake's Saloon watching Sportscenter's "Summer of Champions" segment about the race (holy crap, that's me running with him in that section - that means I was on ESPN!!!!). And there wasn't an ah-ha moment where I told the rest of the guys in the van "I get it now." Badwater becomes a part of you. It's a lifestyle, it's a family, it's a feeling. And the first year that mid-July rolls around and I'm not searching the horizon for the lights of Lone Pine, that part of me will feel empty.”

NEXT STEPS: From this point, the book has a few more edits to finish. It has been sent out to a few people for some advance praise quotes. A graphic designer will work their magic for the book cover, and then it will be available for pre-order. There will be an audio book too! Until then, you can check out my first book "Nowhere Near First" on Amazon and Kindle HERE.

I CAN NOT wait to share this new book with you. 

Our Overly Revealing Family Christmas Letter

Happy holidays from the Reese family! Whether you are celebrating Christmas, New Year’s, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, or just Taylor Swift’s birthday on December 13th, we hope this letter finds you well. #shakeitoff

It has been an exciting year at our house. I had a secret goal that I didn’t even tell my family about at the beginning of the year. For 2017, I wanted to really LIVE. Not just let the days pass by. Not just survive. But really LIVE. I wanted this year to be about buying experiences instead of things. It turned out to be an amazing adventure. #sorryabouthowthatsoundedliketonyrobbinsinfomercial 

Though our consumer purchasing was minimal, we did have to crack open the check book to buy a new air conditioner. I can think of at least 7,000 things I would rather spend $7,000 on. Just imagine how many Krispy Kreme donuts that would buy! #holycholesterolbatman Here’s a little update on everyone in the house who is now enjoying $7,000 worth of cool air:

Jack and Little Debbie
Our four-legged family members remain hell raisers. Jack, the poodle, is stubborn and barks at anything that moves. This drives me CRAAAZY. Our Great Dane, Little Debbie eats as well as the humans in the house. Mainly because her head is level with the kitchen counter so she helps herself to whatever she wants when we aren’t looking. She has been a demon of wrath and terror ever since the day she was born. #calltheexorcist She gets into the garbage can and makes a gigantic mess. She barks. She snaps at you when you try to push her off the bed. #thisisntYOURbed! She is annoying and wants you to play with her when you’re in the middle of something. She likes to drink out of the bathroom sink and learned how to use the door handle to open the back door. Of course she doesn’t close the door afterward. She causes nothing but trouble. But we love her anyway. #whensheisasleep

Kylee
One day I came home from work and Kylee had made enchiladas for dinner. She didn’t know how much enchilada sauce to use so she just poured the whole can over the top which made them a tad (or more than a tad) soggy. And it was wonderful. She loves to cook but has a tough time getting things to come out right. The cookies she makes are generally on the extremes of either being dough in the middle….or hockey pucks. And yet she keeps trying. She keeps cooking. I really love that. She got a 4.0 this past quarter in middle school! This year was her second year going to Girl’s Camp which she attended with Dani. In her year-end choir concert, they did a song from Moana and the highlight was the Coldplay song Sky Full Of Stars where they turned off the lights and did a bunch of stuff with flashlights. It may have been my favorite choir song ever. #seriousgoosebumpmoment. Her big thing right now is playing the ukulele. Recently we went on a road trip to Capitol Reef National Park for the first time. Our motel room smelled like a mix between a chimney and sweaty armpits. We had a blast immersing ourselves in stunningly beautiful scenery. #worththe15hoursofdriving

Danica
Dani has the strongest sense of Christmas spirit of anyone I know. #exceptchevychase She is so good about bringing us back to the meaning of the season when life gets crazy. She has been on the high school swim team and truly loves it. She is an amazing swimmer. She loves her biology class, including the day they got to dissect a fetal pig. She is an expert at Michael Jackson Just Dance, and despite my trash talking, she destroys me every time. Earlier this year we had a daddy/daughter road trip to Death Valley which is an experience I will never forget. (Think lots of hiking, lots of photography, and lots of Dr. Pepper.) On another road trip, I took her to Horseshoe Bend. She had fun (and I use the term “fun” somewhat loosely) going on a pioneer trek with our church group. She continues to get monthly penicillin shots to combat the rheumatic fever she had a few years ago. The injection is thick like Elmer’s Glue. The tradition EVERY time is for her to hold my hand and watch the song “What Does The Fox Say” on YouTube while Mel gives her the injection. I’m sick of “What Does The Fox Say”. She isn’t.

Jackson
Jackson has had his share of health issues during the year. He has done some pulmonary function testing, lots of labs, and now gives himself weekly infusions of plasma. He actually sticks himself with 4 needles in the stomach each week, and does the infusions himself. Seriously impressive. He has worked at the finish line of a bunch of ultra races this year. Afterward, I always get comments from people about what a hard worker he is and how he “has a heart of gold”. I think it’s cool how the ultra community is so welcoming and is so good to him. And it’s cool how he really likes the people in the ultra community. For Father’s Day he surprised me with a trip to Denver to go to Cubs games. He used the money he had saved from working at races. We went to March Madness basketball games, and I got to take him on his first trip to Observation Point in Zion National Park. He plays the piano for the high school jazz band and the church choir. And he got his driver’s license. #insurancepremiumkicktothecrotch

Melanie
This year has been a big one for Mel. After finishing her Nurse Practitioner degree, she was offered a great position in St. George. She really loves her job and her co-workers. She ran the Dirty Hurty Half Marathon this year, and….wait for it….she ran 50 MILES at the Jackpot Ultra Running Festival in February. She has a love/hate relationship with running (statistically, more hate than love), so running 50 miles was remarkable. In June, Mel and I went on the trip of a lifetime to Iceland. Here is a video:


We spent 9 days driving around the whole country, eating crappy gas station food (Subway using the slogan “Eat Fresh” in Iceland is blatantly false advertising), sleeping in hostels (#hairintheshower), running in the middle of the night since it doesn’t get dark during the summer, and seeing the most breathtaking black sand beaches, glaciers, and waterfalls in the world. A few months ago we went to Seattle with Jackson to see U2 in concert. Who knew you could head bang to “Where The Streets Have No Name”. Just kidding Mel.

Cory
The highlight of my year was in October when I was playing a game of Clue with the kids and I guessed the killer, weapon, and room on the first try. I will continue to remind my family of this accomplishment every time we play Clue for the rest of eternity. #legend. In April I ran Zion 100, then a week later ran the Lake Sonoma 50 in California. Mel and I had so much fun staying in the guest house of the race directors, John and Lisa, and spending time with them, their pup Zephyr, and our friend Rocket while we were there. I ran 100 miles on the high school track. #hamster This year I set a goal to run as many miles as I could on the 3.5 mile More Cowbell Trail in southern Utah, and finished the year-long goal with 422 miles. I’m finishing up a new book about Badwater, the 135 mile race across Death Valley. I’m really happy about how it has turned out so far, and it will be coming out soon! I finished up the year with an exciting invitation from UltraRunning Magazine to run the prestigious Western States 100 next year. Can. Not. Wait.

We had some great experiences as a family. In January we went to Florida. (Based on my observations, it seems that more of the US population chose to go to Florida in January than people who didn’t go to Florida in January.) A highlight was spending a couple days at NASA and we even had the opportunity to see a rocket launch. We hiked to Red Pine Lake with only minimal complaining. We hiked to Horseshoe Bend with only minimal complaining. We went to a NeedToBreathe concert at Red Rocks Amphitheater in Denver. And in September we had a family movie night that included a trip to Taco Bell and our kid’s first introduction to Dumb and Dumber. #journalworthy

We’ve had some really cool experiences this year. And we’ve had our share of challenges. Things haven’t always gone just right. We fight. We argue. We pull our ever-graying hair out when the kids don’t clean up after themselves. We want to put our dogs up for adoption when they steal cheesecake off the kitchen table or leave the back door open. (Yes, Debbie. I’m talking to you.) But in the end, we mostly love each other. And I’m pretty good with that. Happy holidays from the Reese’s. #happybirthdaytaylorswift

Hi. My name is Cory.

Hi. My name is Cory. I used to write a blog here.

There are a few reasons I haven't been quite as active on the blogging front.

1) I've been working on a new book! I CAN NOT wait to share this with you guys. It's about Badwater, the 135 mile race across Death Valley. It's about suffering. It's about passion and heartbreak and purpose. I'm really excited about the direction it is heading.

2) I've taken a few months off life to become a groupie for Justin Bieber's world tour. I've collected Bieber posters. And Bieber bobble heads. And If I hear "Despacito" one million more times, it won't be enough.

In between Bieber concerts, I've managed to get in some running as well. My feet have taken me to some incredibly beautiful places. Like some slot canyons in Arizona:

And an amazing waterfall in Arizona.

My goal this year has been to see how many miles I can get on the 3.5 mile More Cowbell Trail loop. My year is almost up and I'm closing in on 400 miles. After that many miles, I love the trail now more than ever.

In working on the new book, I spent some time in California with ultramarathon runner and bestselling author Dean Karnazes. His calves have the circumference of a minivan.

While in sunny CA, I discovered some of the most stunningly beautiful trails I've ever had the pleasure to run.

I spent some time on the trails of Muir Woods. After being surrounded by so much red in southern Utah, I loved seeing some green.

To compensate for my extreme lack of running speed, I've tried to up my jumping game.

I got to show my son Jackson around Observation Point in Zion National Park for the first time.

And I got to show my daughter Danica around Horseshoe Bend in Arizona for the first time.

And then, because I just can't get enough Horseshoe Bend in my life, I took the rest of the family there.

A few months ago I had the opportunity to do a book signing of my book "Nowhere Near First" at the Outdoor Retailer Expo, and spent some time with the amazing people behind Tailwind Nutrition. They know me well....as evidenced by the gigantic bowls of Hostess donuts they had at their table. I really love these guys and their product.

Did you know that Justin Bieber was only 16 years old when his song "Baby" hit #1 on the charts? And he has paid $750 for a haircut? And he has more Twitter followers than the population of Canada?

Over the summer I found a rare flower in the backcountry of Zion National Park.

Picky Bars used one of my jumping pictures on the wrapper of their bar Moroccan Your World.

I did some running in northern Utah.

And in October I was asked to speak at Grand Circles Trailfest where ~600 runners from all over the country came to run the trails of southern Utah. During Trailfest, I ran the Zion section and the Bryce Canyon sections.

So I certainly haven't been slouching. I feel so fortunate to live in such a beautiful area. I think Justin Bieber's lyrics perfectly describe my love for southern Utah: "You are my sunrise on the darkest day. Got me feelin' some kind of way. Make me wanna savor every moment slowly, slowly."