Racing for Recovery™, the addiction prevention and recovery organization founded by Sylvania native Todd Crandell, Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC-S) and a Licensed Independent Chemical Dependency Counselor (LICDC-CS), is a pillar in the Toledo area.
Heather Radosti, affected by addiction for six years before she came to Racing for Recovery™, is a mom to a child with special needs. Radosti struggled with addiction while working to provide her child with a comfortable life. Racing for Recovery™ welcomed her along with her son. “That was the beginning of (feeling like) ‘I want to live,’” Radosti explains.
Crandell was Radosti’s counselor, helping her through the recovery process. As Racing for Recovery™ advocates the benefits of fitness with addiction recovery, Radosti participated in grueling runs to help center her mind.
Literally, racing for recovery
Crandell, The Original Sober Triathlete SM, supports clients’ recovery both mentally and physically. After participating in over 75 IRONMAN Triathlons, he was asked if he was shooting for 100. This inspired Crandell to meet that goal and write his fifth book: 100, capturing the essence of how Crandell, testing the limits of his body, mind and spirit through completing over 100 IRONMAN events since 1999, found the strength to rebuild his life and empowers others to do the same. He has now completed 113 IRONMAN events to date.
RELATED: Racing for Recovery
Crandell’s first documentary, Running With Demons, showcases his personal journey. A fourth documentary project, scheduled to premier in 2024, is a testament to his enduring physical, mental and emotional struggles while sustaining sobriety and committing to serving others.
Providing meaning through jobs
The mission of Racing for Recovery™ is to prevent all forms of substance abuse by promoting a lifestyle of fitness and plant based health for all those affected by addiction. Part of the mission includes rehabilitating clients by providing some job opportunities. Not all of the staff at Racing for Recovery™ went through the program, but some like Chef Dean Orner are part of that rehabilitated staff. Racing for Recovery™ is a plant based facility with a fully plant based kitchen where Chef Dean Orner serves proper nutrition for mind, body and soul along with the education on how that food benefits all individuals, especially those in recovery. Recipes are available in Todd’s fourth book, Do NO Harm: Discovering the Truth and the Power Behind a Compassionate Lifestyle.
Another staff member is Shane Metternick, now a case manager, who came to Racing for Recovery™ in 2020 for help to overcome his 15-year battle with addiction and self-destructive behaviors. “Being able to help other people to utilize the services we offer (allows me to be) a positive role model in their lives while showing them recovery is possible and fulfilling,” Metternick said, adding, “I know that there is a purpose and a use for what I went through in my addiction.”
Crandell is most proud of the success stories of those who have gone through recovery and are continuing sobriety. However, he still deals with the opinions of others concerning his own addiction as well as from his success. Crandell strives to be an inspiration and servant to those struggling like he did, but wants people to understand how far he had to come to get to where he is today. “It’s not the damn race; it’s what it takes to do the race, and why I’m doing the race,” Crandell quips.
Racing for Recovery™, 6202 Trust Drive. 419-824-8462. Racingforrecovery.org
