Running LightRunning Light
Addict II Athlete Podcast
Ultra runner Ben Light shares how fear, consistency and community shaped his journey from reluctant runner to extreme endurance athlete. Coach Blu links Ben’s experiences to recovery, showing how small daily choices and self-belief can transform both fitness and sobriety.
57:45•30 Nov 2020
Running Light: Fear, Faith and Ultra Miles with Ben Light
Episode Overview
- Fear is often learned and self-imposed, but it can be reversed by gradually testing and expanding personal limits.
- Surrounding yourself with driven, supportive people can shift what you believe is possible for yourself.
- Consistency is "king": small daily actions, repeated over time, build the mental and physical strength needed for big goals.
- Failure does not define identity; it can be treated like a wrong answer in a maths problem—rework it, learn, and try again.
- Each person has responsibility for how they respond to others, and choosing positive, non-judgemental reactions creates powerful ripple effects.
“We can create our own life. We can create the life that we want to live. The first thing is you need to have faith and believe that that's possible.”
Curious about how others navigate their sobriety journey? This episode of Addict II Athlete brings ultra runner Ben Light into the spotlight, as he chats with Coach Blu Robinson about fear, discipline, and doing hard things for the right reasons. Ben openly admits he once thought running six miles was "stupid" and insists he was more of a powerlifter than a natural runner.
Yet, over time, that same guy ended up pacing almost 100 miles at the Tahoe 200 and stacking extreme races like 200-milers and back-to-back endurance projects. His story stays grounded in very human beginnings: needing to lose weight, feeling terrified of bigger distances, and wrestling with the classic "I'm not ready yet" mindset. You’ll hear Ben talk about how fear is learned and how it quietly builds barriers in everyday life, whether that’s running, parenting, work, or recovery.
He explains how surrounding himself with experienced runners, reading Dean Karnazes, and joining group runs slowly shifted his limits: "If they can do it, maybe I can do it." That same mindset is exactly what many people in recovery will recognise. Coach Blu ties Ben’s racing adventures back to addiction recovery, highlighting how consistency, small daily choices, and a willingness to "just show up" create massive change over time.
Ben’s coaching test is simple but brutal: run three miles six days a week for four weeks. No missed days. If someone can do that, he knows they’re serious. The episode speaks directly to anyone who thinks, "I’m not really an athlete" or "that goal isn’t for people like me." With plenty of humour, honest stories of failure, and practical examples, it shows how replacing fear with faith in yourself can reshape both fitness and sobriety.
It might leave you asking: what’s the next small step you’re finally ready to take?
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