Local man, Gary, running 131 miles to tackle
shame of addiction
Published: May 21, 2021
Gary Rutherford, founder, and programme director of ARC Fitness, is running five marathons in five days to raise awareness of ARC's new 'No Shame' campaign.
On top of the 131 miles that he'll be running on 24th— 28th May, Gary will also be wearing a 22lb weight vest to symbolise the heavy burden of shame that often acts as a barrier to recovery.
On top of the 131 miles that he'll be running on 24th— 28th May, Gary will also be wearing a 22lb weight vest to symbolise the heavy burden of shame that often acts as a barrier to recovery.
The Derry/Londonderry based addiction recovery service was first launched in 2019 by Gary, a registered mental health nurse and a qualified personal trainer.
The non-profit organisation seeks to give individuals, who are recovering from addiction, the opportunity to focus on improving their mental and physical wellbeing through physical activity, professional support, and re-connection with community.
The group's 'No Shame' campaign, that is officially launching on 15 March 2021, will seek to change the conversation that surrounds addiction and challenge the existing stigma, shame, discrimination, and blame that can often stop someone from seeking the support that is available to them.
Gary said, "We're thrilled to be launching our 'No Shame' campaign and are excited at the potential breakthrough that we believe it could be for anyone struggling with substance misuse.
I myself suffered from addiction for the better part of 15 years and one of the biggest barriers for me in seeking out the available support was shame. It felt like a weight around my neck that constantly kept me down. Breaking that shame was such a vital step in my journey to recovery.
Our hope is that through 'No Shame' we can humanise addiction, empower individuals on their journey to sobriety, and spread messages of hope to show that recovery is possible, one step at a time."
Further to Gary's five marathons, other elements of the campaign include a new podcast, The Recovery Position, that launched on 5th March and consists of a series of hard-hitting chats on addiction and recovery, coupled with some mirth and positivity; and also 'Thoughts from the Arena', a series of video-based conversations between five men who have battled addiction. The series will focus on their personal experiences of getting sober while they also share some of the obstacles and pitfalls they faced along the way.
If you're interested in learning more about ARC, the 'No Shame' campaign or would like to partner with ARC's, visit https://arcfitness.co.uk/.
