MANSFIELD — Scott Drozda’s life changed for the better about three years ago.
While he was going through a challenging divorce, he decided to start running.
“I fell in love with running. I started running every morning. It changed my life,” he said. “It helped me clear my head of negative thoughts and it helped me with stress levels and implement a more positive attitude throughout the day.”
Drozda said at that time he also decided to stop drinking alcohol, and found a study that said those looking to overcome addiction have more success with a regular exercise routine.
“If a person is trying to get sober — whether in-patient/out-patient or a 12-step program, their odds of getting sober after a year is about five percent,” Drozda recalled from the study he read. “With exercise, after a year, the odds went up to 80 percent.”
Drozda said he immediately thought about the opioid crisis and wanted to be part of the solution.
About six months ago he began the Mansfield Misfits Running Crew, a sober running club. The club welcomes all levels of fitness.
The club meets at least once a week. Drozda said he picks up clients at drug treatment centers to go on runs.
He is also working with a Catalyst Life Services rehabilitation program to help clients implement transportation to the runs and training programs.
Right now, because the runs have averaged less than 10 people per run, Drozda and the misfits join other running clubs.
“Saturdays we run with the Park Run club in North Lake Park,” he said. “We’ve also joined the YMCA run club — great group of people in both clubs.”
Drozda said one of the benefits of running with those in his club are the number of new friends he’s made.
“You meet new people. We try and be welcoming to others. Not everyone is 100 percent sober. A term I hear a lot is ‘sober-curious,'” Drozda said. “They want to implement a healthy lifestyle and this is part of it.
“Others want to support sober people and their lifestyle.”
