How Running Changed My Sobriety
Personal Perspective: Living life sober, one run at a time.
Posted May 28, 2026 | Reviewed by Margaret Foley
A few months after I got sober, I decided I needed to run a half-marathon. I was riding the "pink cloud" of recovery, high on life and very enthusiastic about living free and clear of alcohol. The early days of sobriety had been so tough, and I was so thrilled to be beyond them, that it seemed easy to comprehend running 13 miles.
And run it, I did. I even set a personal record. I remember that day as a cool and crisp October morning full of feelings, with me teary-eyed and triumphant at the finish line. I was the poster child for healthy, sober living.
Now, 14 years later, I run my daily two-and-a-half miles, and my finish lines are sometimes full of gasps and wheezing. But still, I do it. I have to. It's part of my recovery.
Lots of people in recovery embrace a fitness habit when they give up alcohol. There are plenty of reasons for this. We have a new hole in our lives, an absence of drinking needs to be filled, and why not do so with something that sparks dopamine and aligns perfectly with our new, healthier path? When I first got sober, I signed up for races all the time because I needed goals . I needed to devote hours to a new habit because my calendar was no longer doused in wine, and I had a lot of time on my hands. I needed structure and routine in my life, and this was the perfect way to get there. I got a little obsessive about my times and PRs, perhaps substituting a new addiction for my old one, but athletically, so it was OK.
Now, 14 years later, my runs are not half-marathons. They are three-mile jogs around my neighborhood. And they are not as fast. This is due to menopause , which seemed to hijack my body, making it tired and wonky. My balance is off on some days. I often start my runs by muttering "Don't fall" while I maneuver the sidewalks. I also walk intermittently during my runs, which my younger self would think is inexcusable. But these days, I don't pay much attention to my fleetness or PR's. I don't even use a watch or wear the latest gear. I run, patiently and methodically, with much less speed and a lot more wheezing. But still, I do it.
My running has transformed. When I first noticed that my times were slowly decreasing, my all-or-nothing, alcoholic self struggled. "I should just quit," I would think. "If I can't keep improving, what's the point?" But after ignoring my running shoes for about a month, I realized I missed it. And I vowed to start running again, not for the goal-making or the dopamine hits. I didn't want to make running a symbol for my sobriety. Instead, this is a daily practice of my sober path. You know why? Because it is really hard.
There, I said it: Running is hard. It hurts. And there are days when I simply don't want to do it at all. And yet I still keep coming back, almost every day, because I am proving to myself with each footfall that I am worth it. I am worth the pain of the start and the hope of the finish. And for some crazy reason, despite rainy days or side cramps, I keep doing it, and I keep sober. After 14 years, I keep coming back, one day, and one run at a time.
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Dana Bowman , who teaches English at Bethany College in Kansas, is the author of How to Be Perfect Like Me, Bottled, and Humble Pie.
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This article is part of the Bringwise Psychology Journal — daily insights on human behavior, mental health, and personal growth.