Running and Stumbling to Recovery: A Carnal Sociological Study of Change in Substance Use

Evidence suggests that exercise may be an effective adjunct to recovery processes associated with addiction; however, little research has been conducted outside clinical settings. This article is based on a Canadian carnal sociological study that investigated the evolution of the runner's habitus amongst 11 individuals in recovery from addiction through mobile methods, specifically running interviews, with data deductively analysed through conceptual categories. Running offered a lifestyle structure that supported a nonlinear healing process, fostering connections that stood in stark contrast to the disconnection that had previously characterised their lives. Findings suggest that running may offer an organising structure for those seeking to alter their use of substances, though perhaps specifically amongst those with previous histories of exercise.