Meghan Bufton has some serious recovery. She's been in sobriety for over 20 years, and she's been running for just as long. Her battle with feeling "other" started in early in life.

She was raised in an affluent area of New York and always felt like an outsider. Craving control and seeking value, Meg engaged in severe restrictive eating behaviors while being a very athletic youth. This led to an extended stay at a hospital and some (borderline barbaric) psychiatric treatment.. Suffice it to say, this was more or less the beginning of what would become a long battle with substance use.

A little over 20 years ago, sobriety finally clicked. At the same time, Meg's running journey began. And in both arenas, she's seen and been through it all. Give it a listen. Her story is an inspiring one.

Follow Meg:

on TikTok @megbufton

on Instagram @meg.bufton

Mandy Tollerud joined me to share her journey of getting sober nearly 1000 days ago. Her story is a little different, and I think it's so valuable for people to hear the varied approaches to making lifestyle changes. Mandy's is such a wonderful example of this. She truly took it one day at a time.

Along the way Mandy discovered that moving her body was an incredibly helpful tool in changing her daily habits. Instead of drinking wine every night, she went for a walk. Eventually, walking became running. And like many of us, that led to a marathon.

Follow Mandy on the socials: @runner_mandy, as her journey continues through running and sobriety. She is a "Grambassador" for next year's Grandma's Marathon in Duluth, so be sure to tune in for all the training and inspiration she is sure provide along the way!

Let me introduce you to one of my favorite humans- Eamon Kearney. Fair warning though, you will fall in love with this man. He is as wise as he is charming and as warm as he is witty. I had the pleasure of meeting Eamon in person last fall, and I made sure that wasn't the only time we got to hang.

I shouldn't bury the lede.

He's been running a long time and he's in sobriety. In this episode, he tells it all. From growing up as an orphan, serving in the armed forces in Ireland, and eventually landing in Boston, Eamon shares his story of battling alcohol dependency. Moreover, we learn and talk about the feelings his alcohol use was masking, how he finally broke free, and how running played a pivotal role in the process.

He's on the road to the Indy Monumental Marathon, so be sure to follow him on TikTok @irish_sober_strider and cheer him on. You'll probably learn a little something about what it means to be a curious and compassionate human along the way.