Chattanooga, Tenn., May 23, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The story of Sunday’s IRONMAN 70.3 North American Championship Chattanooga began more than 20 years ago for Toledo, Ohio’s Todd Crandell.
Crandell has taken on mind-stretching endeavors like his own addiction recovery that would have humbled and level-set mere mortals. He has also challenged himself with competing in a key set of upcoming IRONMAN World Championships.
Formidable and legendary IRONMAN courses like Kona, Hawaii lay ahead, but Sunday’s Chattanooga race was a big challenge. Chattanooga was Crandell’s 93rd completed IRONMAN event with 1.2 miles of the Tennessee River, a rolling, hilly 56-mile bike loop between Tennessee and Georgia and concluding with 13.1 miles along the city’s riverfront. He finished in 6:01:52.
Crandell is now focused on IRONMAN Honu, Hawaii on June 4, which would be his 94th IRONMAN enroute to his personal goal of 100 IRONMAN completions.
With every mile, Crandell runs, bikes and swims farther away from the life he once lived, but closer to the countless people that he has helped in Toledo, Ohio with Racing for Recovery, his federally approved counseling practice devoted to addiction recovery.
Crandell, who overcame a 13-year addiction to drugs and alcohol, has had his hand on the pulse of a massive American problem that needs more and better trained practitioners to stem the rising tide of devastated lives. In addition to being an IRONMAN, Crandell is a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC-S) and Licensed Independent Chemical Dependency Counselor (LICDC-CS).
Crandell’s organization Racing for Recovery offers free individual counseling, an intensive outpatient program and support group meetings for those who are suffering from addictions, their families, and the community. It’s designed to be an alternative to other recovery programs, with a focus on promoting a lifestyle of health, fitness, and sobriety.
How does the marathon of addiction recovery pair with the scale of triathlons?
Data from CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics estimated 100,306 drug overdose deaths in the United States during the 12-month period ending in April 2021, an increase of 28.5% from the 78,056 deaths during the same period the year before. Additionally sobering is the fact that 85% of individuals who seek treatment for drug and alcohol addiction relapse within a year of treatment, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse.
Tackling a full-distance IRONMAN course almost seems like similar odds. IRONMAN events have a 7% to 14% DNF (Did Not Finish) rate.
By pounding towards his goal of 100 IRONMAN finishes by October 2022, Crandell hopes that his mile-by-grueling-mile ascent will be a guidelight to many fellow Americans (and their families) who struggle with drug and alcohol addiction.
Crandell’s ultimate goal is growing Racing for Recovery into an in-patient facility. Following his 100th IRONMAN, he plans to leverage that momentum and focus on taking Racing for Recovery to the next level – helping even more people by offering a place for those struggling from their addictions and their families can go to focus on themselves and face the challenge of getting sober.
Track Todd Crandell’s epic journey at Racing for Recovery and reach out if you or your family need help.
About Racing for Recovery
Racing for Recovery, of Toledo, Ohio, provides prevention and recovery services, such as counseling, speaking engagements, interventions, and court-ordered assessments and is a federally approved 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.
To contact Racing for Recovery:
• 6202 Trust Dr., Holland, Ohio 43528
• Call 419.824.8462 or FAX 419.517.0514
• Website: racingforrecovery.org
• Media contact: Whitney Rofkar; whitney@threadgroup.com
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