Matt Coriell Used Running As A Way To Get Through The Darkness
Matt Coriell is another one of my Altra Red Team members and he will be joining me on the show today.
Life has thrown Matt some serious curve balls which caused him to turn to the sport of running.
I am looking forward to a few easy miles with Matt Coriell today.
Matt Coriell
A Shocking Diagnosis
Matt’s history with running first began with an unexpected diagnosis.
In April of 2016, his young daughter was diagnosed with kidney cancer.
The emotional and physical toll was constantly building and at the time Matt had no outlet for the stress.
When the pressure became too much, Matt went to the track to run off some anger.
With Matt’s increasingly busy schedule between hospitals, home, and work, running could easily fit in anywhere.
Now with his daughter 3 years cancer-free, Matt has increased his running frequency and distance.
What first was used as a stress reliever has made Matt an all-around healthier person.
He lost over 50 pounds in the process and can’t imagine a life without running now.
Running Through The Dark
There was a reason Matt was drawn to running after his daughter’s diagnosis.
At a young age, Matt first began running as a way to help cope with his anxiety and depression.
Though the circumstances were different the way running made him feel was the same.
Matt has been mostly injury-free aside from a stress fracture early on in his running.
Life and running have both taught him how to be more patient.
Once Matt began running 40 miles per week consistently he found himself unsure of how to continue training.
That uncertainty brought about the decision to hire a coach.
Using a coach has helped Matt to gain confidence and bridge the gap in his training.
Unexpected Setback
Currently, Matt is mere weeks out from his first 100-mile race.
Weekends over the past 2 months have been filled with back to back long runs in preparation for his big race.
Matt has loved nearly everything about all the time spent on the trails recently.
All the time spent on the trails also led to him contracting a tick-borne illness.
Swollen lymph nodes, sore joints, and abnormal bloodwork all pointed to an infection caused by a tick bite.
Matt is fortunate that antibiotics should eventually clear the infection.
The side effects of this particular tick-borne illness are extreme fatigue among other things.
This “bump” on the road to 100 miles forced him to adjust how he was training.
Matt Coriell
Managing Expectations
Matt never once questioned not going to the race after he was diagnosed.
The question then became, “what role he would play while there.”
If Matt was unable to run, then he wanted to volunteer in some way and help others achieve their goals.
The trail community has always welcomed him with open arms and it is his goal to give back in any way he can.
At the moment, Matt is still going to attempt a finish at the 100-mile race.
His one and only plan is to play it smart and adjust when needed.
While trails are Matt’s preference, he also has an admiration for road runners that can “dial” in the pace.
In His Genes
Matt grew up watching his mother and older brother run marathons.
The seed to run was planted early for Matt.
From early on in his running, Matt didn’t do things in a typical way.
He ran a 50k before running his first marathon.
Whatever the terrain or distance, Matt has found that running his own race unlocked the key to himself.
He learns something new about himself from each experience, good or bad.
Matt has also enjoyed passing along his running knowledge to others along the way.
Mentioned In This Episode:
Stay connected with Matt by following him on Instagram.
Matt Coriell went on his first run after receiving a shocking diagnosis. Running has given Matt more than he ever expected and now he is giving back to the very community that was there during his dark moments. Click To Tweet
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