Recovery Isn't a Marathon, It's a Decathlon!
Wes Arnett, Author
Tom O'Connor, Publisher
Author Wes Arnett is a regular contributor to our Vital Voyage Blog. He also sits on our Editorial Advisory Board.
According to Wes Arnett:
Recovery from substance use disorder and mental health challenges is often misunderstood as a single transformation—like crossing a finish line or flipping a switch. But anyone who has been on the path of recovery, or walked alongside someone who has, knows the truth:
Recovery is not one event—it's a whole series of them. It's not a sprint, it's not a marathon. A better analogy in my mind is that recovery is a decathlon.
Decathlon
A decathlon is a ten-discipline track and field event competition that tests strength, speed, agility, endurance, and mental toughness. Just like recovery, it demands preparation, resilience, and the willingness to show up repeatedly, even when we're tired or discouraged.
The phrase "Recovery Isn't a Marathon, It's a Decathlon!" emphasizes the multifaceted and complex nature of the addiction recovery journey.
A decathlon analogy in recovery encompasses:
Multidisciplinary Approach: Recovery from addiction demands a variety of skills and approaches, akin to the ten distinct events in a decathlon. It involves physical, emotional, social, and spiritual aspects of healing.
Diverse Challenges: Each "event" in the recovery "decathlon" represents different challenges, such as managing cravings, repairing relationships, developing coping mechanisms, rebuilding life skills, and maintaining long-term sobriety.
Unique Skills: Different stages and facets of recovery require the development of specific life skills, which include self-awareness, communication, stress management, and problem-solving.
I've recently seen several posts describing recovery as a marathon and not a sprint, which got me thinking about my recovery and how it's neither of these. I see many more powerful parallels between being a decathlete on the path of recovery, as opposed to a marathoner, and what that perspective can offer those in healing and those who support them.
No Single Event Defines the Athlete
The decathlon is diverse—so is recovery. In a decathlon, no single event defines the athlete. A decathlete has to move between events with vastly different skill sets: running sprints, throwing javelins, leaping hurdles, pacing through long-distance runs. Likewise, recovery is made up of many other "events": navigating cravings, healing relationships, building new habits, finding purpose, addressing trauma, rebuilding trust, managing emotions, and reconnecting spiritually or socially, just to name a few.
Each one of these events requires different strengths. And no one is good at all of them from the start. But the goal isn't to be perfect—it's to keep showing up and growing across the board.
One bad event doesn't end the whole competition. In a decathlon, you might fall in the hurdles or underperform in the high jump. But that doesn't mean you've lost. The total score comes from all 10 events. One bad moment doesn't disqualify you. In recovery, a relapse, a conflict, or a setback does not erase progress. It's part of the race. What matters is what happens next—how you reflect, reset, and re-engage.
Recovery, like the decathlon, requires a team. No decathlete succeeds alone. Behind them are coaches, trainers, nutritionists, and mental health professionals. Each one supports a different aspect of performance and well-being. In recovery, having a support system is just as essential: sponsors or mentors, therapists, medical professionals, recovery coaches, peers, and family. These are your sideline team. Leaning on them isn't weakness—it's wisdom. You don't train for ten events alone.
The decathlete trains between events—so does someone in recovery. In competition, the decathlon takes two days. But training takes years. The most important work happens between events, not just during them. Likewise, the most potent moments in recovery often occur in the ordinary, daily spaces: choosing a healthy coping strategy instead of an old habit, texting a sponsor instead of isolating, and practicing honesty in a relationship. Recovery is a lifestyle, not a moment. You train for it in the quiet choices just as much as the major ones.
Recovery requires pacing—and so does the decathlon. Try to sprint every event, and you'll burn out by event five. Try to carry yesterday's mistake into today's race, and you'll lose focus. Recovery demands the same thing from us: pacing, patience, and presence. Some days are sprints, like making it through an intense craving. Others are endurance events, like rebuilding long-term trust. You don't need to win every event—you just need to stay in the game.
Recovery Body
There's no single "Recovery Body"—only recovery strength. Decathletes don't all look the same. Some excel in throwing, others in running. But all of them are strong—just in different ways. In recovery, people bring different stories, strengths, and struggles. Some come with deep trauma. Others have long-term physical consequences. Some have mental health challenges. There's no "ideal" recovery profile. The key is developing recovery strength over time—emotionally, mentally, spiritually, socially.
The finish line keeps moving—and that's okay. In the decathlon, the goal is clear: complete all ten events with strength and integrity. In recovery, the finish line shifts. You reach one goal—then another arises. Recovery deepens. New life seasons emerge. You grow. You don't "finish" recovery; you become someone who lives in recovery, and that identity becomes stronger than any substance or mental health challenge ever was.
Being in recovery means becoming your version of a decathlete. Being someone who dares to keep going, the humility to ask for help, and the commitment to keep showing up—event by event, challenge by challenge. We won't be perfect, but we don't have to be. We just have to keep moving forward. One event at a time, one day at a time. That's how we recover and how recovery wins.
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Wes Arnett works as the Category Manager of Recovery Coaching for Recovery.com. He is a Certified Peer Support Specialist, Certified Parent Peer Support Specialist, CCAR Recovery Coach Professional, and Facilitator. If you want to learn more about Wes, please visit his website at https://www.wesarnett.com/
Wes earned a Bachelor of Science (BS) degree in Zoology and Chemistry from Humboldt State University and a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
