in the ability to start over.
I am frequently asked what the 'success' rate of your running club is. First, I think the word 'success' is difficult to define in terms of addiction recovery and homelessness. Second, our club is not a treatment provider nor do we explicitly provide social services.
Having said that, the 'success' rate of the Skid Row Running Club appears to be substantially higher than for the recovery community at large. I say this because many of our members have maintained their sobriety for long periods of time, for the first time in their life. That have found the self confidence to seize the narrative of their lives. Is it solely because of the running club? Of course not.
The best success stories always work in conjunction with other groups, or communities if you will. We are but one such community, but we are a strong one. With AA and our running club, people have two strong yet distinct communities that are there for each other.
It's with the help of these communities, that members of our running club are able to get back on their feet. Almost all of them eventually find gainful employment or return to school to learn a new trade. It takes a community of like minded people to encourage and support each other.
There are members of our club that relapse back into drugs or homelessness, but they have more resiliency. They bounce back faster and when they are ready, the Skid Row Running Club is there to welcome them back with open arms.