I Finally Overcame My Addiction to Crystal Meth, and I'm Sober

From Meth to Marathons

By: MarathonMan

Written on February 17th, 2008

I'm a 29 yo HIV positive gay male. Nine months ago I stopped doing Crystal Meth and started training for the AIDS Marathon here in Chicago. I ran than marathon in the beautiful city of Florence, Italy Thanksgiving weekend 2007. I used to smoke it, I used to shoot it, and of course I used to snort it. I don't know about anyone else but I do know how my addiction progressed and how I changed my own thoughts so as to change my actions which led to changing my habits and now the every evolving beautiful thing we call living life. Of course this didn't happen overnight. It took me about a year and a half of getting high and not liking how it made me feel before I was able to stop doing it. The final moment for me was sitting at the kitchen table and looking through the newspaper and seeing a full page ad for the AIDS Marathon Training program and remembering how a year ago (while still getting high) that I had wanted to run the AIDS Marathon. I had even gone so far as to fill out the application but was never able to go through with it. Seeing that ad I decided I was going to go to the information meeting that next Thursday. The Tuesday before the meeting I crushed up a half gram of Meth made it into four lines and snorted them all (this was to be the last time I touched Meth). Thursday came and I went to the meeting. I'm sure I had slept by then but I was at least coming down but I went anyways. As it turned out I was the only person there at the meeting and the program director for the AIDS Marathon training program sat there and talked with me one on one. Before I left the meeting I filled out the application put down my credit card number and commited to doing the six month training. I haven't looked back and I'm all the better for it. I'm happy to say that I just turned in my application to be a running coach for the Aids Marathon training program so that I can help others in the fight against HIV/AIDS. Crystal Meth is a horrible drug for sure but I believe that if you can find some thing or someone in your life worth fighting for that's all you need to get yourself clean. Thank you for listening. Peace and Love. Sincerely, Richard

By: MarathonMan

Age: 26-30 , Male

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28 responses

cath17

Like the others Well done Richard!! I too am an addict, not Meth but Methadone! I'm waiting to go to Rehab, I hope I can make my life as inspirational as yours!! Cath

Apr 24, 2012
1 like
mathlover123

Inspiring!

Apr 22, 2012
1 like
lostgirl84

Very inspiring. Your story strikes a personal chord with me xxx xxx all the best Richard

Mar 9, 2012
1 like
tayara

-2thumbsup-

Mar 9, 2012
1 like
MommyGoneMad

That's awesome! Congrats!!! An old friend did something similar and wrote a book about it called The Long Run.

Jan 19, 2012
1 like
datbeech44

I admire your honesty n how u changed your life around. U r an amazing person doll.

Nov 10, 2011
1 like
SapientaPeto

You are beyond an inspiration.

Peace and one love.

Nov 4, 2011
1 like
curiosstud

Good for you man, its remarkable you were able to just drop cold turkey like that, really thats amazing, best of luck to you.

Oct 2, 2011
1 like
joes2001

i cant believe you quit that way. very awesome. im also quiting just about every drug, today. u have inspired me, by what u have done and what u said: that to find someone and do it for them. i have a great family. im doing it for them!

Aug 28, 2011
1 like
XXXyellowbirdXXX

Wow beautiful story congratulations on kicking meth thats one amazing feat and running a marathon you sir are on a roll =)

Aug 28, 2011
1 like
ihoeorotyy

its a hard road to pound to find out what you have always know is wrong - is wrong, i mean the meth use, as far as the use experience i have never used it or any other substance.

it does annoy me to see how far you have to decline to realize somethings do not come in a packet. so the people that are lucky enough to hit rock bottom and have a chance to rebuild and possibly fall off the wagon again until they succeed, others are not that fortunate.

A question asked already

How did you deal with the cravings and the image flashbacks and the terrible feelings?

just think of how things have been for you and family and friends as well as others that may have had a loss by your doings/addiction.

as a recovering user this story may be a way to vindicate yourself, why does it matter if you are gay with HIV, as with the use of meth you were your own worst enemy so do not sugar coat it.

i have ran 4 marathons and Richard that would mean nothing to you.

Jul 2, 2011
1 like
Octarine

You are an inspiration! Keep up the good work I am so inspired by you :)

Oct 29, 2010
1 like
SilverSurfer457

You are an inspiration! We can and will continue to overcome!

Meth free since 9-1-06

Sep 5, 2010
1 like
HeiresstoNothing

quitting and starting over is awesome.. and no offense i have succeeded in doing that a 1000 times. and have been successful. my problem is i can't ever get a year in. i have no stamina richard,. i suck. i will go 10 months and relapse for only a week. but still i freakin week.. ya know than i won't use for another 6 mo.. i have been doing this for oh 5 years now. the relapses are so freakin out of nowhere ya know.. that is what is so hard. it takes a toll on everyone in the family and of course me

but you keep rocking. maybe i was suppose to be a ballerina.. lol.. i know i wasn't suppose to run.. lol and the ballerina thing was a joke.. hae a great day.. take care.

Jul 15, 2010
1 like
HeiresstoNothing

quitting and starting over is awesome.. and no offense i have succeeded in doing that a 1000 times. and have been successful. my problem is i can't ever get a year in. i have no stamina richard,. i suck. i will go 10 months and relapse for only a week. but still i freakin week.. ya know than i won't use for another 6 mo.. i have been doing this for oh 5 years now. the relapses are so freakin out of nowhere ya know.. that is what is so hard. it takes a toll on everyone in the family and of course me

but you keep rocking. maybe i was suppose to be a ballerina.. lol.. i know i wasn't suppose to run.. lol and the ballerina thing was a joke.. hae a great day.. take care.

Jul 15, 2010
1 like
MarathonMan

First of all -- thank you to everyone for your kind words! I am approaching three years of sobriety from Cyrstal Meth and it feels great!

capriciousness - I think that everyone is different and the journey to sobriety is ultimately a personal one. That being said I found the structure of training for the marathon to be the outlet I needed. The fact that it was a fundraising event for the AIDS marathon also helped because it was something outside of myself where I was forced to give back which was helpful because addiction is such a selfish disease.

Mar 25, 2010
1 like
capriciousness

How did you deal with the cravings and the image flashbacks and the terrible feelings?

Mar 23, 2010
1 like
BlueGeorgia

Great story Richard. Very inspirational for those who are still hooked on Meth.

Thanks for sharing your story.

Mar 23, 2010
1 like
Hannah777

That's a wonderful story Richard. I'm glad that you took that route of having a big goal in front of you to help you in overcoming your addiction. Stay clean my friend. May you conquer many more more goals ahead of you.

Mar 21, 2010
1 like
jrabbit1321

Good for you Richard :)

Feb 24, 2010
1 like
layla693

Well done! My greatly loved nephew is gay HIV and was doing crystal meth. He has been clean for 12 months and I know how hard it must have been for you. I send you good wishes and loving thoughts Jane (UK)

Feb 14, 2010
1 like
Forrestgump93

You're an amazing guy, Richard. I admire you for your strength, will-power and spirit.

Feb 13, 2010
1 like
ShadowMe

all i can say is congratulations. conquering a drug and fully moving on is nearly impossible, but you did. i wish you the best of luck with all you do in luck.

Feb 10, 2010
1 like
doublecee

What a great story.

I have Emphysema, and this has had the effect to get me back to my own keep-fit programme.

Feb 9, 2010
1 like
jim168

Good man.

Now the small matter of the rest of your life.

Enjoy.....

Feb 8, 2010
1 like
Milissa31

I`m sorry to hear you have HIV but your an inspiration for all addicts to get sober and stay sober and enjoy your life in sobriety which is so great, my friend died from Aids and she quit the drugs too, she died happy.

Good luck and keep going. Milissa. milissa@live.ca & http://milissa31.blog.ca/

Dec 13, 2009
1 like
Longrun

Great job, running is it's own high and a decent one at that!

Mar 2, 2008
1 like
angbaby

WAY TO GO, RICHARD!! What a testimony!!! I love reading success stories like yours! It encourages me and I know it encourages others!

Keep up the great work and direction! Praise God!

Feb 17, 2008
3 likes

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