Celebrating fitness, recovery, and community at the Go the Distance 5K.
In episode eighty-one of the Real Recovery Podcast, Julie and Peter bring you straight into the heart of the GTD Go the Distance 5K Run & Walk for Recovery. Recorded live at the event, this episode captures the voices, stories, and energy of participants, volunteers, and leaders who came together to celebrate recovery through physical fitness and community.
Izzy Alvarado’s vision
Founder Izzy Alvarado shares how GTD began with a simple but powerful idea—creating safe and inclusive spaces where recovery and physical activity go hand in hand. His reflections highlight how fitness can be a life-changing tool, offering people in recovery new ways to heal, connect, and grow.
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Participants share their “why”
Throughout the episode, Julie and Peter speak with runners and walkers who share what brought them to the event. Some are honoring loved ones who struggle with addiction, while others celebrate milestones in their own recovery. Each story carries a unique reminder that recovery isn’t a solo journey—it thrives in community.
The healing power of movement
From walking side by side with family to pushing through the final stretch of a run, participants describe how physical activity helps them cope, find focus, and build resilience. Fitness, as Izzy explains, becomes more than exercise—it becomes a metaphor for recovery itself: step by step, mile by mile.
Volunteers and community support
Volunteers and supporters reflect on the joy of seeing entire communities come together for this cause. The atmosphere of encouragement, from cheers along the course to heartfelt conversations at the finish line, reflects the true spirit of recovery: connection, compassion, and celebration.
Closing reflections
As the event winds down, Izzy and participants leave listeners with a powerful reminder: recovery is about showing up, moving forward, and finishing together.
Looking ahead, we invite you to join us at the Oregon Recovers Walk for Recovery on September 27th. The Real Recovery Podcast will be there in person, and we’d love for you to stop by our booth, connect with Julie and Peter, and share your own experiences. Your stories are the heart of what we do, and we can’t wait to capture more voices of hope and resilience at this incredible community event.
#RealRecoveryPodcast #GoTheDistance #RecoveryJourney #5KforRecovery #CommunityHealing #FitnessAndRecovery @GTDGoTheDistance
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From the streets to service, Lance’s story shows how faith and giving back can transform lives.
In episode 80 of the Real Recovery Podcast, we welcome Lance Orton, whose powerful testimony is a beacon of resilience and redemption. Once caught in addiction and homelessness, Lance found healing through faith, mentorship, and recovery. Today, as part of City Team, he dedicates his life to helping others find hope and a path forward.
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From Struggles to a Turning Point
Lance’s story begins with years of addiction and time on the streets. He reflects on the pain and hopelessness that defined his early years, but also on the pivotal moments when he realized that change was possible. For Lance, faith became a foundation for healing and direction.
The Power of Mentorship and Community
A critical part of Lance’s journey was the guidance of mentors who supported him during his most vulnerable moments. Their encouragement helped him believe in himself when he struggled to see a way out. This support system was vital in keeping him grounded and committed to recovery.
City Team: Meeting Needs, Offering Hope
Lance shares how City Team not only provided him with practical help like food and shelter, but also the spiritual and emotional support he needed to rebuild his life. Today, City Team continues to serve countless individuals who are walking the same difficult path Lance once traveled. Their programs provide holistic support, focusing on recovery, stability, and long-term transformation.
Living a Life of Service
Now in a leadership role, Lance is giving back to the very community that once carried him through his darkest days. By serving others, he has found lasting purpose. His reflections remind us that recovery is not only about personal change, but about becoming a source of strength for others.
Lance’s story is a testament to the power of faith, resilience, and community. From the streets to service, his journey with City Team illustrates that no one is beyond hope, and that serving others can bring meaning and healing. His message resonates with all who are seeking a way forward: transformation is possible.
Listen to Lance’s incredible story by visiting this link. To explore more inspiring recovery journeys, check out our blog post.
Looking ahead, we invite you to join us at the Oregon Recovers Walk for Recovery on September 27th. The Real Recovery Podcast will be there in person, and we’d love for you to stop by our booth, connect with Julie and Peter, and share your own experiences. Your stories are the heart of what we do, and we can’t wait to capture more voices of hope and resilience at this incredible community event.
#RealRecoveryPodcast #AddictionRecovery #CityTeam #FaithAndRecovery #RecoveryJourney #HopeAndHealing #CommunitySupport #SobrietyStories @CityTeam
How love, faith, and resilience transformed chaos into recovery and healing
In this second part of her story, Amber is joined by her husband, Bo, to continue the journey that began in episode 78. Together, they open up about finding each other in the depths of addiction, the separation of prison time, and the resilience it took to build something real. Their conversation is raw, honest, and filled with the kind of hope that only comes from walking through the fire.
Meeting in Chaos
Amber and Bo first crossed paths during Amber’s last relapse, in the middle of a life defined by chaos, drugs, and survival. Despite the darkness around them, they both felt an immediate sense of safety when they were together. What began as a connection in addiction soon revealed the foundation of something much stronger.
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Building Through Separation
When Bo was incarcerated, the relationship faced its greatest test. Instead of falling apart, Amber and Bo used that time to communicate through letters and visits, laying the groundwork for a healthier partnership. Amber shares how she reached her breaking point in jail, dropped to her knees, and asked God to guide her, marking a turning point in her recovery.
The Power of Structure and Support
Both Amber and Bo highlight the role that structure and community played in their healing. Oxford House became a place of accountability and consistency, providing the framework they needed to sustain recovery. They also speak about the importance of individual growth before being able to build something lasting together.
A Family and a Mission
Now parents and leaders in the recovery community, Amber and Bo are committed to breaking generational cycles of addiction. Bo reflects on his role as Executive Director of Oregon Recovers, emphasizing the need for advocacy, community power, and hope. Their story shows how resilience, faith, and honesty can change not just individual lives, but the lives of entire families and communities.
Amber and Bo’s journey reminds us that recovery is not just about abstaining from substances but about building a new way of life. Their story of love, struggle, and resilience offers hope to anyone who has felt lost in chaos, proving that healing and transformation are possible when we walk the path together.
Looking ahead, we invite you to join us at the Oregon Recovers Walk for Recovery on September 27th. The Real Recovery Podcast will be there in person, and we’d love for you to stop by our booth, connect with Julie and Peter, and share your own experiences. Your stories are the heart of what we do, and we can’t wait to capture more voices of hope and resilience at this incredible community event.
Listen to Bo’s Story here: https://mdcr1.com/29
Listen to Amber & Bo’s story here: https://mdcr1.com/79 Read the full blog post here: https://mdcr1.com/79b
#RealRecoveryPodcast #RecoveryJourney #AddictionRecovery #FamilyHealing #Resilience #OregonRecovers @4DRecovery
A story of childhood trauma, addiction, and the first steps toward honesty
In this episode of the Real Recovery Podcast, we begin the first of a two-part conversation with Amber Brison. Amber takes us back to her childhood, opening up about the chaos, abuse, and instability that marked her early years. Her raw honesty reveals how trauma shaped her identity, led her to seek escape through substances, and pulled her into destructive cycles of relationships and survival.
Amber’s Background and Early Struggles
Amber grew up surrounded by instability and abuse. From a young age, she felt unsafe in her home and carried trauma that would follow her into adulthood. These painful beginnings created patterns of self-doubt and survival that set the stage for her struggles with addiction.
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Turning Points and Coping Through Substances
As she grew older, Amber began using substances as a way to silence the pain of her past. Drugs and alcohol became both an escape and a trap, pulling her further away from her true self. Her story illustrates how trauma and addiction often go hand in hand, feeding each other in a cycle that feels impossible to break.
Cycles of Destructive Relationships
Amber reflects on how her relationships mirrored the abuse she had already experienced. Instead of healing, she found herself caught in cycles of toxicity, further deepening her sense of loss and disconnection from who she was.
Facing the Breaking Point
By the time she reached her lowest points, Amber describes feeling like she had completely lost herself. Yet in these moments, there were also glimmers of truth—moments where she recognized the need to face her reality and begin a journey of accountability. “Recovery begins when we tell the truth — even when it hurts.” — Amber
Amber’s story in part one is not yet about the victory of recovery, but about the courage to confront pain and speak truth. Her willingness to share openly reminds us that healing often begins in the darkest places. Part two, airing next week, will continue her journey and reveal how she began to rebuild her life in recovery.
#RealRecoveryPodcast #RecoveryJourney #AddictionRecovery #TraumaRecovery #HopeAndHealing #SobrietyStories
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