SPORT NEWCOMER HITS THE GROUND RUNNING

LUCKILY COREY BERLIN DIDN’T LISTEN WHEN EVERYONE TOLD HIM TO TAKE HIS TIME. After completing his very fi rst marathon in 2020 (The Cowtown in Fort Worth) he qualifi ed for the prestigious Boston Marathon!

It all started in 2019 when his coworkers at Baylor Scott & White Orthopedic and Spine Hospital in Arlington challenged him to do something “out of the box” before his 40th birthday. They couldn’t have guessed that after agreeing to train with them for an upcoming half marathon, he would fall in love with the sport and keep on running.

“I knew Boston was the “holy grail” of marathons, so I went all in to qualify,” refl ects Corey. “Only when I was actually there, did I realize what a big deal it is. It was very emotional.” It also prepared him for the Chicago marathon, where in October 2021 he had the best race of his life, fi nishing at 2 hours and 51 minutes.

Corey knows marathoning is really a team sport. He’s grateful for the support of his two neighbors, Jeff Baker, and David Adjei, who push him on their morning runs. “I wouldn’t be where I am without them,” he says.

Corey is also grateful for “Coach” Richard Garcia, a good friend who has run over 20 marathons in as many years. Richard took Corey under his wing and has him run 60-70 miles a week80% easy runs and 20% speed work. As a physical therapist and director of rehabilitation, Corey is keenly aware of the need to listen to your body and cautions not to try running a marathon unless you can train properly.

Corey considers himself fortunate to live in Mansfi eld, where there are so many great areas to exercise. On a typical morning he’s running by 5:30 and home by 6:45, ready to pack lunches and get his boys off to school before starting work at 7:45.

With Boston and Chicago behind him, Corey looks forward to running the other four world marathon majors –New York, London, Berlin, and Tokyo. He acknowledges that besides the time commitment, his newfound passion comes with significant financial hurdles: even the mere 1% of marathoners who qualify for Boston can’t all afford to participate.

When he’s not running or working, Corey cherishes family time. His wife Stacie is definitely his biggest fan, screaming her support along each marathon course. His oldest son Bryce is in his school’s run club and recently ran his first 5K in just 23 minutespretty impressive for a nine-year-old. Seven-year-old twins Colby and Caleb love soccer now, but who knows, maybe before they turn 40, they’ll discover the joy of running.