Running for Recovery: Lived Experiences of Alcohol and Drug Addiction, Recovery, and Community Running

In the UK, alcohol- and drug-related deaths have surged in recent years. While physical activity, and running in particular, is increasingly recognized as a low cost and accessible aid to recovery, accounts of this are comparatively scarce in the academic literature. This study explored lived experiences of alcohol and/or drug recovery and the role of community running in supporting recovery. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with eight members of a newly formed sober running club in a large town in the South-East of England, which were subjected to deductive and inductive thematic analysis. Five interconnected themes were generated: 1. alcohol and drug use as coping mechanism; 2. family dynamics and addiction; 3. social support and belonging in recovery; 4. running and physical activity as recovery mechanism; and 5. self-empowerment, regaining control, and identity transformation. We conclude that the community running club functioned as a vehicle for building recovery capital, re-authoring identity, and sustaining abstinence.