Welcome to this website and podcast.

My name is IRA. I’m a recovered alcoholic of 2 short years. I love to run and I am hosting this site for recovered alcoholics who love to run and/or runners who may be potential or real alcoholics.  I have a wonderful home group that studies The Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions every Tuesday night at 8pm and I have an active sponsor who is 82, has 36 years of sobriety and lives and breathes AA. In spite of the above mentioned, this does not mean I am immune to a slip or to alcoholic insanity or death; it just means that for today, I am doing the best I can to practice AA’s Twelve Steps, Traditions and Concepts in my life.

 I do not represent AA in any way nor do I pretend to have any real answers when it comes to alcoholism; I am simply one grateful alcoholic trying to create a forum through which to pass the AA message of hope on to others still suffering.  It is very important to me to practice this venture anonymously, not out of fear or embarrassment as some people outside of AA may assume, but because of AA’s Traditions 11 and 12 which state:

Tradition 11) Our relations with the general public should be characterized by personal anonymity.  We think AA ought to avoid sensational advertising.  Our names and pictures as AA members ought not be broadcast, filmed or publicly printed.  Our public relations should be guided by the principle of attraction rather than promotion.  There is never need to praise ourselves.  We feel it better to let our friends recommend us.

Tradition 12) And finally, we of Alcoholics Anonymous believe that the principle of anonymity has an immense spiritual significance.  It reminds us that we are to place principles before personalities; that we are actually to practice a genuine humility.  This to the great end that our great blessings may never spoil us; that we shall forever live in thankful contemplation of Him who presides over us all.

So given the above, my real name is not IRA. I am just another anonymous recovered alcoholic to the outside world and to this online world, but in AA, I have a first and last name that I share freely with my alcoholic brothers and sisters.  I ask that people respect this anonymous stance, but also want you to know that if you need my help as one alcoholic talking to another, I will gladly and gratefully share my true identity with you as well as my experience, strength, and hope.