Giving Tuesday W/Coach BluGiving Tuesday W/Coach Blu
Addict II Athlete Podcast
Coach Blu shares the story of how Addict II Athlete began, explains the Giving Tuesday Project Elf initiative, and talks about movement, service and community as tools in addiction recovery. The conversation highlights free support, family involvement and redefining identity beyond the label of addict.
1:40:43•2 Dec 2022
Giving Tuesday with Coach Blu: From Addiction to Athletes and Project Elf
Episode Overview
- Project Elf uses donations and unwrapped toys to help families in hardship provide Christmas for their children.
- Addict II Athlete grew from a small couch-to-5K group into a wider recovery community focused on sport and service.
- The programme is built on an erase and replace idea: remove addiction and replace it with healthier pursuits, relationships and goals.
- Language is key; participants are encouraged to move away from the label addict and see themselves as champions and teammates.
- All groups and gym use at the home base are free, welcoming both people with addictions and their loved ones to heal together.
“"Movement equals healing."”
What drives someone to seek a life without alcohol and addiction? This Giving Tuesday special with Coach Blu Robinson offers a mix of raw history, heartfelt gratitude and a very practical invitation to give back. The episode centres on Project Elf, the Addict II Athlete initiative that uses donations to provide Christmas for families who’ve fallen on hard times, many connected to the team.
Rather than just asking for money, Coach Blu flips the script: he talks openly about how uncomfortable fundraising feels, then asks people to donate unwrapped toys so parents in recovery can give their kids a real Christmas morning. Alongside that, you’ll get a sweeping origin story of Addict II Athlete. Coach Blu talks about being “done” after a crushing job rejection, turning it over to his higher power, and then getting a surprise call offering him a therapist role.
He shares his own shift from addiction to movement, recalling the first time a mountain bike and a quiet canyon became his new coping tool. His simple mantra sums it up: “Movement equals healing.” He also explains the “erase and replace” idea – if you erase addiction, you have to replace it with something of greater value: health, service, family, and genuine team connection.
You’ll hear how a handful of clients training for a small 5K grew into a statewide community with chapters, peer coaches, a minor league for kids, and even meetings inside prison.
For anyone in recovery, supporting someone in addiction, or working in the field, this episode paints a clear picture of what Addict II Athlete is about: free, community-based support, no one called an “addict”, and a strong focus on turning “your mess into a message.” It might leave you asking yourself: what could you replace your own struggles with today?
Do you want to link to this podcast?
Get the buttons here!
More From This Show
The latest episodes from the same podcast.
Related Episodes
Similar episodes from other shows in the catalogue.