A LONG TIME AGO-BEFORE HE'D FREEBASED OPIOIDS or robbed his best friend or checked himself into rehab for the sixth time Ammons had dreams of a future involving running.
Ammons can only shrug when asked to pinpoint the lowest point in a life filled with them. He spent a decade careening along the rock bottom, mired in what he now calls "the worst possible self-hate."
Mitch Ammons knows his story could have ended like the stories of so many buddies from his darkest years with an obituary. Instead, the longtime addict changed course in a manner that is, without hyperbole, beyond belief.
It's tough to fully grasp the scale of this turnaround until you see Ammons run-to see him metronomically cruise 4:50 miles for more than an hour or to watch him push himself to the brink of consciousness in an interval session at sunrise. Then you can absorb the way he embraces suffering-relishing the revelation of what his body can do while immersing himself in pain that must feel like a cosmic body rub compared to waking up every morning in opiate withdrawal.
People who love to run know that the simple act of putting one foot in front of the other can yield life-changing consequences. It doesn't matter if you're running toward something or from something the activity can bring you redemption and community and purpose and confidence and inner peace. It can strengthen your quads and your mental resolve.
Mitch Ammons knows these things with more clarity than most of us will ever experience. Seven years ago, he was a newbie jogger who'd not run hard since the 11th grade. He couldn't trot a half mile without collapsing. And before that, he spent a decade drowning in a sea of toxicity-smoking, injecting, drinking, popping, and otherwise ingest>ing every controlled substance you can think of and quite likely a couple more than that.
Diese Geschichte stammt aus der Issue 02, 2024-Ausgabe von Runner's World US.
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Diese Geschichte stammt aus der Issue 02, 2024-Ausgabe von Runner's World US.
Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.
Bereits Abonnent? Anmelden
Twenty-One Years Ago, He Incarcerated Was for Life. Last Year, He Ran the NYC Marathon a Radically Changed Man.
Rahsaan Thomas rounded a corner.
100 WOMEN. 100 MILES. ONE HISTORIC RECORD.
On June 3, 2023, a group of 100 women came together to reclaim the 100x1-mile relay world record. | It reminded her of what she loved about running in the first place: a tight-knit community of women.
CAN YOUR GARMIN WATCH REPLACE A COACH?
Artificial Intelligence continues to rapidly creep into seemingly every facet of our daily lives. While no amount of computer learning will ever be able to do the actual running for you, there are aspects, like coaching, where AI could have a meaningful impact. In every debate about Al, the conversation almost always includes this question: Is it better than what humans can accomplish? In the case of running, would Coach AI be better than, say, Ed Eyestone, a two-time Olympian and coach of Conner Mantz and Clayton Young, the top two men at the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials in February?
A SHORTLIVED AFFAIR WITH A WALKING BOOT
“Usually, engage in all kinds of activities when start a relationship. With you, Fiking, dancing, and running are clearly of the table.”
HOW TO (NOT) COMPETE WITH YOUR SIGNIFICANT OTHER
Our first race together was a 5K Color Run. I'm not sure why we signed up, because neither of us was a runner, but in May 2016, my boyfriend of three years, Jonathan, and I showed up to run around the parking lot at Citi Field. It was fun, but I didn't think it would amount to anything.
GAMIFY TRAINING TO MAKE IT WORK FOR YOU
Instead of sticking to an iron-clad structure and numbers, I've tailored it to what motivates me, borrowing from the community around me and learning from their training.
THIS KITCHEN GADGET IS AN UNHERALDED TRAINING TOOL
Not only would the rice cooker help me meal-prep and pile on the carbs, but it was a badge of honor, a commitment to serious training.
REASONS TO RACE BEYOND CHASING A TIME GOAL
It's the determination, joy, and pride I see shine on everyone-a unique light that seems to illuminate most when running races-that brings more meaning to the miles.
A LIFETIME JOURNEY OF FUELING MISTAKES
DURING THE 2023 New York City Marathon, Runner's World set up shop in an empty storefront on West 57th Street with Adidas and hosted three days of inspiring talks, shakeout runs, and shoe demos.
THE ACCIDENTAL JOY OF RUNNING WITHOUT HEADPHONES
I'M FUMING. I rummage through my work tote, turn my workout bag inside out, lift every notebook on my desk, go through the pockets of every piece of clothing in my zone of vision, then my tote again... It's 5 p.m. I'm standing in the middle of the office dressed for a run, but my AirPods are nowhere to be found-and I can't possibly leave without them!
