ST. PAUL, Minn. — While some people run to win, many participate in the Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon simply hoping to cross the finish line no matter how long it takes.
One of those racers was 41-year-old Travis Beebe. He competed in his first marathon ever, a milestone that didn’t seem possible a few years back.
“I’ve been training for the last four months for this marathon, and it’s been really helpful in a lot of areas, a lot of support,” said Beebe.
Beebe is a recovered drug addict, who in his sobriety journey became addicted to something much healthier: running.
“It kind of gets me going, you know, taking care of my body, which was something I clearly wasn’t doing before,” he said.
Beebe wasn’t alone on the course. He was running alongside his mentor, Ruth, the entire time. They connected through the running club called Mile in My Shoes, which meets twice a week and helps people coming out of addiction, incarceration and homelessness find a healthy outlet.