The Runna Podcast
Zac Clark: From 250lbs in Addiction Recovery to 11 NYC Marathons
49m
From 250 lbs in rehab to 11 consecutive Marathons in NYC: Zac Clark's addiction recovery story that raised $750,000 for mental health treatment.
At 27, Zac entered addiction recovery weighing 250 lbs, broken and searching for purpose. One morning, he walked up a small hill outside the treatment centre. Two weeks later, he ran it. That single hill became the catalyst for 14 years of sobriety and a marathon training journey that changed everything.
In this episode, Zac - founder of the Release Recovery Foundation, ultramarathoner, and former The Bachelorette finalist - sits down with marathon coach Ben Parker to share how running became his medicine for mental health recovery.
Today, Zac has completed 11 New York City Marathons in a row and leads a nationwide running community that raised over $750,000 this year through 122 marathon runners helping people access addiction and mental health treatment.
We discuss:
- His addiction recovery journey - rebuilding life from rock bottom
- Why movement became daily therapy
- His self improvement mindset - accountability and starting small
- Running tips - from 250 lbs to sub-3:30 marathon finish & 11 NYC Marathons
🎙️ Quick note:
The audio in this episode isn’t quite up to our usual standard due to a problem our studio had with the mics. Thanks for bearing with us!
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