Modern Athlete Magazine Issue 119, June 2019 | Page 44

ROAD RUNNING While most join the club primarily to become healthy again, there are some who have discovered that they actually have some running talent, and are now also looking to ‘make a statement or two through running’. One such runner is 38-year-old Darren Webb, who will be going for his Back- to-Back Medal and targeting a sub-9:00 finish at this years’ Comrades Marathon. He finished the 2018 Comrades in 9:58:11, earning himself a bronze medal, and is determined to claim a Bill Rowan medal this year. Unsurprisingly, Roberto says that Darren has proven to be quite an inspiration to his fellow running club members. “Darren has given others confidence that you can not only beat your addiction, but can also be ‘pretty good’ at running. So, yes, he is definitely an inspiration to many at the club.” Safe Haven and Support When Roberto formed the club, his focus was on providing a haven for addicts who were looking to regain their health. The club was therefore a very intimate place to be. In time though, Roberto is looking to expand and grow the club. “We are all about recovery from addiction, but we are not exclusive. Anyone can become a member of our club, but we do not want to lose sight of what we are about. So it is not about numbers at the club, but providing a service to those who need it. We would expect that anyone who becomes a member of the club to subscribe to that ethos.” The club has focused on looking after the needs of addicts and providing them with an outlet in dealing with their addiction through running races, and has tried to keep things relatively low-key as a result. However, the new club colours have still attracted the attention of other runners. “We are not at this point trying to drive a message out there, but rather make sure that we are looking after our brethren. But some runners at races have noticed us and spoken to us and asked what we are all about. So in time we hope to have more interest from the running community at large, which in turn will also help us create awareness and raise funds for those who are battling substance addiction,” says Roberto. To that end, he would at some stage like to be able to share his journey, and that of the club, with those in the sport. “It would be really good for the club to be able to host talks around substance abuse and to educate people about it. At this point we have not yet had the opportunity to do that, but it’s certainly something we would like to do if the possibility is made available to us. The stigma of ‘once an addict, always an addict,’ is just that, a stigma. And we need to educate the population at large about that to change this mindset. It also means we would further help in changing the mindsets of addicts who may also feel that way.” Hopes for the Future These days, Roberto continues to use running and cycling to keep himself fit and motivated, and has recently taken up the challenge of triathlons. “I am doing my first half Ironman in June. I am a bit nervous, as it is only my second triathlon after 44 ISSUE 119 JUNE 2019 / www.modernathlete.co.za my first one earlier in the year at Cradle Moon, but I am looking forward to it. I will be joined by Julia Clucas, a.k.a. Julz, the secretary of both the cycling and running club, and who does quite a bit of fundraising for the NPO. She is not an addict herself, but is a staunch supporter of helping addicts find recovery.” Looking at long-term goals for the club, Roberto says he hopes to become ‘just another member’ down the line. “Right now I am managing the club, but my vision is to see more people become involved in the running of the club. If one of the club members becomes the next club secretary or club chairperson, and drives the club forward while motivating fellow addicts to continue exercising and recovering, then that would be phenomenal! Because as I said earlier, once an addict does not mean always an addict. In fact, I liken the overcoming of addiction to something like the X-Men. You will find fully functional, enterprising and productive former addicts sitting next to you, and you would never know they once had an addiction problem. Much like the X-Men.” Show Your Support If you want to help The Recovery Foundation in any way, or become a member of their new running club, go to www.therecoveryfoundation.org.za or www.facebook.com/therecoveryfoundation. You can also contact Roberto on 074 1856474 or send an e-mail to [email protected].