The Runna Podcast Zac Clark: From 250lbs in Addiction Recovery to 11 NYC Marathons
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Nov 28, 2025 Zac Clark, the founder of the Release Recovery Foundation, shares his inspiring transformation from a 250-pound individual struggling with addiction to a dedicated ultramarathoner who has completed 11 NYC Marathons. He discusses how a simple hill in rehab sparked his running journey, emphasizing movement as therapy. Zac highlights the importance of accountability, self-improvement, and how running helped him rebuild his life while raising over $750,000 for mental health treatment through his foundation.
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First Run Changed Everything
- Zac woke up in rehab, walked a small hill for weeks, then decided to try running up it and never stopped improving.
- That single hill became the catalyst for his recovery and lifelong running practice.
Surgery Triggered The Spiral
- After college Zac had brain surgery and was introduced to opioid painkillers, which triggered years of addiction.
- That medical episode and ensuing opioid use pushed him into the five-year spiral he later recovered from.
Running As Daily Medicine
- Zac calls running one of his most important relationships because it repeatedly gives structure, purpose and joy.
- For him the sport provides daily medicine beyond physical fitness, shaping life and opportunities.