Its just a 5k. I ran frigid 5k i was disappointed in myself. It was the slowest 5k I ever ran. This was the same course shaved 5 minutes. Thanks Stacy for your support at the finish line.

I was hoping to make it tonight but just got out of a meeting that ran long (super cool meeting though so not complaining). See y’all next week!

Hi guys I just wanted to reach out because I'm struggling bad. Today I went home after being in Utah county for a week and I found that my husband relapsed. I am so heart broken and sad. I did the only thing I could do which was to leave. It was the one of the hardest things to do to walk away. I told him I wasn't leaving him but I needed to come back up to my sister's which is a safe place. I need to keep myself safe. I told him I couldn't be around him. He's mean, he places blame he's not my husband. So why is it so hard I know I'm doing what's right but why do I feel like I abandoned him. We were supposed to get sealed in the temple, he was getting off parole in May, he was doing so good. I am just so sad, pissed, hurt, angry. I want to scream. Did I do the right thing? Did I over react?

There is a powerful truth in the phrase, “turn your mess into your message”. It sounds simple, but it carries the weight of lived experience. It speaks to the person who has been broken down by addiction and is learning how to rise with purpose. It speaks to the athlete inside the addict, waiting for a chance to step forward. Recovery is not just about leaving something behind. It is about stepping into something greater. It is about expanding your comfort zone, taking your place, and learning how to show up fully in a new identity. Just like the beginning of a race, transformation begins with a call. “Athletes, take your mark.” Those words do more than start a competition. They ask you to position yourself. They ask you to step onto the track, settle into your lane, and become present in the moment before you. In the metaphor of recovery, this is the point where you stop standing on the sidelines of your own life. You no longer watch from the edge, wondering if change is possible. You take your place. Taking your mark means accepting where you are without being defined by where you have been. It means standing in the starting blocks with honesty. You do not deny the past, but you do not live there anymore either. You acknowledge the scars, the setbacks, the chaos, and the pain, and still choose to step forward. Get Set: Blocking Out the Noise The next command is just as powerful: “Get set.” This is the moment of focus. The body leans forward. The mind sharpens. The noise around you begins to fade. In a race, everything unnecessary drops away. The crowd, the distractions, the pressure, the doubt, all of it becomes background. There is only the lane, the breath, the body, and the task ahead. That is what recovery demands too. To get set is to learn how to block the noise. It is to hush the crowd of old voices that say you are not enough, not ready, not worthy, not capable. It is to silence the negative mindset that tries to pull you backward. It is to protect your energy from people and environments that keep you stuck in survival instead of growth.

We made it. Buddy, Paul and I. We conquered the Y. We talked, enjoyed, were cold, encouraged Buddy and his fear of being up so high, but we overcame and we did it. Thanks for all those who considered coming this morning. I understand it’s a busy weekend. I’ll look at a different one next year. Until then, look to join us in May 2, 2026 for the AIIA birthday celebration fundraiser. Carterville Park, Provo. It’s a fundraiser for Addict II Athlete, run / walk / crawl, one lap, two or more. Come and join. Donations to AIIA instead of a race entry.