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CoSIDA Goodwill & Wellness Committee
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Communicators Outside the Lines Feature Series
This is the next profile in a series entitled
Communicators Outside the Lines: Better Yourself, Better Your Community produced by the CoSIDA Goodwill & Wellness Committee. Read past profiles at
CoSIDA.com/CommunicatorsOTL.
WE NEED YOUR IDEAS!
If you have any ideas for this series, which will revolve around CoSIDA member volunteerism and health and wellness, please contact Goodwill and Wellness Committee chair
Megan Jameson, St. Edward's University Associate AD for Marketing and Communications, at
mhardin@stedwards.edu.
Mex Carey: 'Running has always been my avenue'
Michigan State, Associate Director of Athletic Communications
by Jenna Wilhoit – University of Dayton, Assistant Director Athletics Communications
CoSIDA Goodwill and Wellness Committee Member
Since he was young,
Michael “Mex” Carey has been a runner. While running has long been a passion of his, he now views the sport as not only a way to keep fit physically but also as an outlet to reduce stress and help with his mental health as well.
“Running has always been my avenue. I couldn’t cut it as a baseball player but I could run,” Mex reflected. “It has always been like that old hat or your favorite pair of sneakers, always there for me. But, I’ve had some challenges over the last few years and running has been an avenue for me to escape, to get out and run every day.”
He has also had a great experience with the CoSIDA Fitness Challenge Facebook group for motivation and comradery in an activity he would normally do solo.
Mex Carey with his wife and daugher
“I give a lot of credit to Jeremy Rosenthal and the people who have been involved with that initiative. It’s a great thing to do, to bring a lot of SIDs together. I’m very much a solo runner but what I like about being a part of the challenge is that it puts groups of SIDs from different divisions and different parts of the country together. You foster and encourage one another.
“This is a microcosm of the sports information world and it’s been a really good thing. It would be good for the sports information world to do that as a whole. We’re pushing and encouraging people to do things that are good for us and healthy for us. It’s getting people who otherwise may not have had the motivation or encouragement to be active to be part of something. It’s something done for the good of the organization.”
Not only is Mex a runner but he’s a long-distance runner. In fact, he has completed five marathons. His first, the Marine Corps Marathon in Washington, D.C., was a fundraiser for his late sister-in-law who passed away from cancer.
“I was about eight or nine miles in, thinking to myself, ‘what am I doing??’ And then I saw an 80 or 90 year-old woman running and I thought, ‘well, if she can do it, I can do it!’ In the later stages of a marathon, you can go through those moments but with training and mental strength you can build yourself up and do it.
“I kind of got addicted to it. I loved it so much I signed up for another one six months later and then did three more Marine Corps Marathons after that. One of the coolest moments of my life is crossing the finish line at the Marine Corps Marathon and having a full-service marine draping the medal over you and saluting you.”
When Mex first took his current job at Michigan State, he moved to East Lansing without his wife and daughter. For two years, he was commuting back and forth to Maryland and got out of his running rhythm.
“My second year here was when I got back into running. I was away from my family so running became a motivation to keep me both mentally and physically strong.
While he says his eating habits could be better, Mex and his wife do eat fairly well.
“We eat a lot of fish and chicken and mix in some vegetables. If anything, my worst habit is snacking. As you get older, you need to be careful about what you eat and what you drink. I do joke with people, I run so that I can enjoy IPAs."
And when he’s traveling with his team he brings his running stuff, and makes sure to get three to five miles in outside.
“Unless it’s a blizzard, I’m going to run outside. Traveling through the Big Ten you have some challenging weather but for the most part I prepare for the weather and have some layers with me. One of the harder things when you travel is diet.
“When you’re eating on your own, it can get a little heavy. For an entrée I would go for seafood and a vegetable. I think, though, that you can allow yourself some luxury but try to balance it out. Having the exercise component helps with that balance.”
Something Mex is planning to add into his routine is yoga.
“I’m almost 50 years old and realizing my body can’t handle the wear and tear of constantly running. I need to do other things to increase flexibility and give me other options of things to do. Yoga is something I’m definitely going to do. And I’ve also been doing some biking for an alternate way of keeping fit.”
During the pandemic, one of the most rewarding things Mex and his family have done is adopt a dog.
“For me and my wife, rescuing a dog has been one of the more fun parts of the past year. Adapting to having this crazy dog running around our house, playing with her, taking her for walks – it’s challenging but so much fun. It allows you to escape a little bit.”
And I know you all are wondering, how did Michael Carey get the nickname Mex?
“I wish there was a good story. It’s a nickname I’ve had since fifth grade. One of my friends from elementary school came up to me one day and called me ‘Mex’ and it stuck.”
Gallery: (7-28-2021) Mex Carey, Communicators OTL
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