From ‘functional alcoholic’ to ultra marathon, Coast to Coast athlete

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Steve Alexander has gone from alcoholic to athlete.

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Steve Alexander has gone from alcoholic to athlete.

READER REPORT: My first hangover was at 13 years old.

It was a decent start, and daily drinking celebrating a good day’s mahi was the way. It was accepted and encouraged in the late 1980s down south where I was born and raised. 

That daily habit (harmless though being just beer, right?) gradually became more and more embedded. 

Early to mid-week it was just a couple. Mid to late-week and weekends I increased the volume and variety. Gin Thursdays, whisky Fridays. 

I drank enough to lose recall of the night before, conversations, money spent, and people you were with. 

Into my 20s and 30s I was drinking every day, even when genuinely sick.

READ MORE:
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* How do I stop myself finishing a bottle of wine?
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I was successful in my work and my family aspect on the surface. I was into a corporate career environment in my early 30s, flying round the motu. 

Business trips and hotels were hosted, paid for and looked after for 15 years, and every day I was drinking without fail. Never hungover at all, right? Hair of the dog every time.

I was becoming that guy – “This guy’s a legend, don’t get stuck with him. He’s good for 12 beers before dinner”… etc. 

At 44 years old, I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, was 91kg, had extreme blood pressure, and was considered a highly functional alcoholic by my doctor’s reckoning. I stopped drinking completely that very day. 

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Fast-forward to today, I’m three and a half years stone-cold sober, 67kg, sugar-free and running six days a week. I’ve even got me a running coach (beer carbs are outrageous, so I learnt!)

I’ve done five ultra marathons, I was the 2023 Coast to Coast mountain run third place getter, and I’ve done a few other wee running things. 

My life is so wildly different, positive and exciting, and full without alcohol. It’s difficult to explain.

I had brand new sober experiences all over again at Christmas, New Year, birthdays, funerals – all the events we normalised drinking and getting drunk.

Being sober in the mornings I still find absolutely amazing. The mental turmoil I endured drinking, or more so after drinking, was outright dangerous. 

I drink gallons of sparkling water and black coffee now, and yes, I’ve lost contacts through stopping drinking. But it’s all part of the cleaning process. 

I’m 48 in September. I’ve never been so fit and so healthy in mind and body due to kicking the booze to touch.

Mindset is massive in this journey. 

Stopping drinking isn’t giving anything up. It’s what you’re gaining that is the true prize. 

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