No Excuses with Ultra Runner Justin BlaisNo Excuses with Ultra Runner Justin Blais
Addict II Athlete Podcast
Coach Blu Robinson talks with ultrarunner and chef Justin Blais about using mountains, long races and honest self‑reflection to support his recovery from addiction. Justin shares stories of DUIs, jail, DNFs and hard‑won coping tools that link endurance sport with sustainable sobriety.
58:13•2 May 2022
No Excuses: How Ultramarathons Help Justin Blais Stay Sober
Episode Overview
- Big physical goals can reinforce recovery by proving you can endure discomfort and stick with commitments.
- Accepting a DNF can be healthier than pushing to injury, showing growth beyond "at all costs" addictive thinking.
- Breaking anxiety into "Can I act on this right now?" helps reduce fear and keeps both recovery and racing manageable.
- Openly wearing recovery identities at races can spark private conversations and support others who are struggling.
- You don’t have to love running; simply getting outside, walking and joining a community can lift mood and support sobriety.
“If I can struggle for 15, 20, 25 years with the mental anguish and the pain that comes with being an addict, I can put up with 30 hours of freaking anything.”
What drives someone to seek a life without alcohol? This episode follows ultrarunner and executive chef Justin Blais as he swaps DUIs and jail cells for mountain summits and 100‑mile races, showing how grit on the trail mirrors grit in recovery. Coach Blu Robinson chats with Justin about how the White Mountains of New Hampshire became his first real "meeting room".
Instead of sitting in basements, Justin started ticking off 4,000‑foot peaks, using long solo hikes to quiet his mind and reset his life. That passion soon escalated into ultras, where he went from never having run a 5k to attempting 100‑milers and piling up more than a dozen ultra‑distance events in his first year.
Justin talks honestly about multiple DUIs, prison time on a federal charge, losing his marriage and home, and sitting in a county jail bunk asking, "What am I actually afraid of?" He explains how breaking anxiety down into "Can I do anything about this right now?" became a simple but powerful tool that fed both his sobriety and his racing mindset. As he puts it, "If I can struggle for 15, 20, 25 years with the mental anguish...
I can put up with 30 hours of freaking anything." There’s plenty here for anyone who thinks they're "not a runner". Justin stresses that he doesn’t even like running – he loves the adventure, the community, and the chance to wear an Addict II Athlete shirt that sparks conversations mid‑race about addiction, recovery, and hope.
He shares stories of strategic DNFs, choosing to stop rather than get injured, and how that choice shows the difference between addictive "at all costs" behaviour and healthy limits in recovery. If you’re curious how big goals, fresh air and honest conversations can support sobriety, this chat might nudge you to lace up, walk a little further, or simply ask yourself what challenge you’re ready to tackle next.
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