Racing for Recovery by Todd Crandell and John Hanc, paperback, 288 pages, Breakaway Books (2006), ISBN: 189136961X
The tale of the drug addict who went to rehab, recovered, and wrote a highly embellished account is now an all-too-familiar one. "Racing for Recovery" is different in a very important way: This is the true story of Todd Crandell's journey from the depths of addiction and depression past sobriety and beyond to become an Ironman triathlete and role model, through the creation of his non-profit foundation, Racing for Recovery. In his teens, Crandell was a promising high school hockey player on his way to a professional career. By his early 20s, he was a homeless, starving, drug-and-alcohol-addicted ghost of himself. After several difficult encounters with rock-bottom, he found the courage to rise from the ashes, and quit with no further ado. He found that athletics, along with support from his family, helped him to overcome his addiction. Soon after, Crandell found himself addicted to something much healthier: triathlons. He has now completed several Ironman triathlons (a 2.4 mile swim, a 112 mile bike ride, followed by a 26 mile marathon run). In addition, Crandell is giving back by helping others overcome their addictions. In 2001 he founded Racing for Recovery, which helps people use athletics and other positive endeavors to prevent or escape drugs. In addition to community support groups, the organization holds yearly 5K races around the United States of America. "Racing for Recovery: From Addict to Ironman", is a mesmerizing, inspirational tale of self-destruction and resurrection, written by Todd Crandell and John Hanc, a writer for Newsday and Runner's World, and author of "The Essential Runner" and "Running For Dummies".
