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
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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].