13yrs today for Sarah
Sarah and I have known each other for nearly twenty years. In that time we have both found a path to recovery. I talk a lot about there being many ways to get to, and, stay in recovery from a substance use disorder and Sarah speaks to this through her life. On this day Sarah celebrates 13yrs in recovery from a substance use disorder.
She has completed multiple marathons. Last year she ran a 50k trail run. In the last several years she's climbed multiple mountains on the west coast. These achievements are monumental for sure, yet, for me when I think about Sarah and being a person in recovery, it is the training regimen that I know keeps her solidly in recovery.
She has created training programs through researching the best way to train through nutrition and exercise. She is dedicated 100% to the training programs she creates for herself. These training programs require her to go on runs when she would rather not, they require her to do her circuit training when I am sure she would rather rest. Yet, she never waivers from her goal of preparing for a run or mountain climb. She is steadfast in keeping true to nutritional goals to ensure she has the best chance at a strong physical and mental state when it is run day.
All of the above has taken place over the last several years. Literally, previous to about eight years ago she didn't run at all and had never climbed a mountain. Through dedication, hard work, and steadfastness she, to this very day, is breaking records of her own in her latest quest to qualify for the Boston Marathon. She is running average 8 minute miles on a regular basis for 20 plus miles at a time.
In addition to all of the above she has a strong network of friends and family who support her in all ways. As a person in recovery she values strong connections with people in her life and she is never shy about sharing the successes and struggles of life. As life will go, she has experienced a lot in her thirteen years in recovery, both good and bad. Through having a strong network of support she has never wavered from the decision she made thirteen years ago today to enter a life in recovery from a substance use disorder.
With what we are all experiencing right now....the cancellation of event after event, she also had something cancelled. A run that she has been training for to qualify for the Boston Marathon....cancelled. How did she handle it? She was disappointed, we talked about it, and she drives on. She's going to plan for the next one. That is an amazing way to handle the loss of something she has been running hundreds of miles for over several months to just have it cancelled.
She proves that there is more than one way to maintain a life in recovery. She is part of my lectures when I teach about this. I always get excited when I talk about how she uses exercise and nutrition as strong and steadfast ways to support her recovery.
I am fortunate to have her as my best friend. Her and I have seen some stuff in life together. The good, the bad, and the ugly. Life for us is something neither of us take for granted. Even with all that is happening right now in the world we do our thing and say in many ways "yeah, this sucks, but it's nothing really in the bigger scheme things".
In honor of her anniversary I am going to run with her this morning. Later today Sarah, Katrina, and I are going on a hike. Sarah has inspired me to be active to improve my physical and mental well being.
She has completed multiple marathons. Last year she ran a 50k trail run. In the last several years she's climbed multiple mountains on the west coast. These achievements are monumental for sure, yet, for me when I think about Sarah and being a person in recovery, it is the training regimen that I know keeps her solidly in recovery.
She has created training programs through researching the best way to train through nutrition and exercise. She is dedicated 100% to the training programs she creates for herself. These training programs require her to go on runs when she would rather not, they require her to do her circuit training when I am sure she would rather rest. Yet, she never waivers from her goal of preparing for a run or mountain climb. She is steadfast in keeping true to nutritional goals to ensure she has the best chance at a strong physical and mental state when it is run day.
All of the above has taken place over the last several years. Literally, previous to about eight years ago she didn't run at all and had never climbed a mountain. Through dedication, hard work, and steadfastness she, to this very day, is breaking records of her own in her latest quest to qualify for the Boston Marathon. She is running average 8 minute miles on a regular basis for 20 plus miles at a time.
In addition to all of the above she has a strong network of friends and family who support her in all ways. As a person in recovery she values strong connections with people in her life and she is never shy about sharing the successes and struggles of life. As life will go, she has experienced a lot in her thirteen years in recovery, both good and bad. Through having a strong network of support she has never wavered from the decision she made thirteen years ago today to enter a life in recovery from a substance use disorder.
With what we are all experiencing right now....the cancellation of event after event, she also had something cancelled. A run that she has been training for to qualify for the Boston Marathon....cancelled. How did she handle it? She was disappointed, we talked about it, and she drives on. She's going to plan for the next one. That is an amazing way to handle the loss of something she has been running hundreds of miles for over several months to just have it cancelled.
She proves that there is more than one way to maintain a life in recovery. She is part of my lectures when I teach about this. I always get excited when I talk about how she uses exercise and nutrition as strong and steadfast ways to support her recovery.
I am fortunate to have her as my best friend. Her and I have seen some stuff in life together. The good, the bad, and the ugly. Life for us is something neither of us take for granted. Even with all that is happening right now in the world we do our thing and say in many ways "yeah, this sucks, but it's nothing really in the bigger scheme things".
In honor of her anniversary I am going to run with her this morning. Later today Sarah, Katrina, and I are going on a hike. Sarah has inspired me to be active to improve my physical and mental well being.
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