Community walkers, runners embrace National Recovery Month with 5k

FARGO, N.D. (KVRR) — Runners Against Destructive Decisions and community walkers are letting it all out on the south Fargo streets for a 5k.

“This is the fun stuff, right? You get to see lots of different people celebrating recovery. Running was an important part of my early recovery journey. It’s near and dear to my heart. We really want to give people avenues to get in whatever form that might be and running can be a very positive experience, or walking. Whatever it might be,” said Patti Senn, the Clinical Director at Soul Solutions.

It’s the first year hosting this fun run or walk as part of National Recovery Month.

People from any background are encouraged to join.

“So, with the running group, RADD. I’ve actually been running with them for about ten weeks, now. I joined the group long before then. I just got out of prison recently in March out of a bootcamp program. Every other day we’d run five miles. So, I saw this group pop up on Facebook and I wanted to continue to find coping mechanisms that are healthy in my life. So, I hopped in the group and have been running ever since,” says Jonathan Goodrun.

It’s a way for everyone to work out their physical muscles to gain peace mentally.

“It feels good. Every time I run, I run, really, for my mental health. I’m doing that for my mental health. Just being able to have that alone time with myself and I go through my mindfulness techniques while I’m running. It’s really good to get out here with a group of people who love to run, too because it brings out the competitiveness in me,” Goodrun said.

They raised money for Fargo Runners Against Destructive Decisions and Soul Solutions Recovery Center.