One Grateful Runner’s Appreciation to the Sport of Running

I grew up in Neenah, so I’ve always been aware of the Community First Fox Cities Marathon Presented by Miron Construction because it’s been going through my hometown for a long time. However, I never understood runners. In fact, I’m ashamed to say, I used to actually make fun of runners, but then I became one.

My name is Tate Whitlinger. I was a high-performing tennis player and had always played sports that were highly competitive, so I never understood the appeal of running. It seemed so solitary, and where was the competition?

Then in 2016, after years of struggling with drug and alcohol addiction and almost losing my life on two different occasions, I got sober and took up running. During my almost three months in treatment, I realized I needed something to fill the void left behind from using drugs and alcohol. Someone suggested running, and I was willing to try anything, so I gave it a chance.

The first time I tried running after treatment, I ran one mile, and it was so hard, but it changed me. I was out of breath. But I did it. From that, I learned that I could do hard things. So, I did it again and again and again. I kept at it until I could do one and a half miles, then two miles, then a 5K. During the summer of 2016, I ran all the 5Ks in the Fox Valley. I was drawn to running because I felt safe, accepted and welcomed into the running community. I had never known a sport like that before.

Running is never about who the winner is. I’ve learned that it is not a sport about me, it’s about WE. Runners have this mentality that we’re all in this together, so we lift each other up to be better and finish the race together. Sobriety is a lot like this, too. It’s a community of people helping each other grow and win together. I learned very quickly I could not stay sober on my own; I needed the help of others to succeed. I’ve become a better runner with the help of others, and now I try to pay it forward through a running organization I started called “Grateful Runners,” a running community for those overcoming addiction.