My names Dan and I'm an addict. In April 2019 I was fortunate enough to enter a dayhab facility ran by Recovery Connections in Gateshead. At the time I thought my life was over. I knew that I couldn't continue the way I was living but I also couldn't imagine a life without drink/drugs. They were my best friend and worst enemy all in one, the only consistent in my life and the only thing I'd ever truly loved. They were there for the good times, the bad times and the whatever else in between times but they'd long stopped working.

Rehab was the last roll of the dice for me. I'd long lost the will to live. I hated the person I was. I used to go to bed every night hoping to pass away in my sleep and wake up every morning gutted to have survived the night. I made a deal with my Mam that I would give rehab a go but when it didn't work, like I knew it wouldn't as I knew best (or so I thought), that she had to let me kill myself with drink/drugs. It was a deal I never expected my Mam to make in a million years but I can still remember her words to this day;

"DEAL! Well what choice do I have son? If I don't make the deal you're going to kill yourself anyway, at least this way I might get my baby boy back"

April 10th I will celebrate 5 years of Recovery and none of that would have been possible without Recovery Connections. They gave me hope when I had no hope. They believed in me when I didn't even believe in myself. In short, they helped lay the foundations of my Recovery that would lead me to live the life I live today. A very wise man in Recovery Connections told me early on to stop looking for reasons why it wouldn't work and start believing it could. To put the effort into my Recovery that I did my drinking/using and he promised life would get better. He couldn't have been anymore right and the life I live today is far greater than I could have imagined this time 5 years ago.

I've decided this year that I want to see what I am truly capable of. To challenge myself and see what I am capable of and while I'm doing that, raise money for the organisation that gave me my life back. I've come up with 5 challenges, 1 for every year of my Recovery.

April 13th - Ibiza Half Marathon

May 9th to 12th - Climb Mount Toukbal (Highest mountain in North Africa)

May 26th - Edinburgh Marathon

June 15th - The Wall (70 mile Ultra Marathon)

September 28th - Pilgrims Ultra (100 mile Ultra Marathon)

EDIT**

The 5th challenge will now take place October 4th and is 100x 1 mile loop of the quayside in 24 hours

When I was in active addiction I didn't live, I just existed. Now I'm in Recovery I've been given a second chance at life and I'm determined to make the most of it.

I may not know what I can achieve but I've seen what I can overcome and I will NEVER DOUBT MYSELF AGAIN!