In this episode of The Alchemy Podcast, host Doug Cartwright sits down with Charles P. Sales, entrepreneur, golf-tech founder, marathon trainee, and 15 years sober. They dive into running as a doorway to flow and mental clarity, the inner dialogue that pushes you through pain, and Charles’ journey from opioid addiction and homelessness to long-term recovery and leadership in behavioral health.
Charles opens up about treatment, AA, plant medicine (including ayahuasca), love and partnership, fatherhood, and his current goals, like chasing a sub-3 Tokyo Marathon and building an AI golf-swing coaching app. It’s a raw, uplifting conversation about discipline, service, and redefining what “being helpful” looks like in everyday life.hip, and practical prospecting strategies (like cold-calling agents) that actually work.
Timestamps of Key Moments
02:05 — Welcome: Doug introduces Charles P. Sales; vibe set for a flowy convo
03:00 — Running origin: From zero marathons to training with a South Jordan running gym
05:00 — Picking a race: Why Tokyo Marathon, local marathons
06:30 — Training leap: Second half marathon PB by 10 minutes; age-group win
08:10 — Runner’s high? Doug’s take vs. Charles’ “pleasure comes after”
09:20 — The first 3 miles: Pain, settling into flow, “raw-dogging” runs (no music)
11:15 — Mind mechanics: Daydreamy “other place,” clarity on long efforts
14:30 — Micro to macro: What the hour-long run teaches about long life challenges
19:15 — 15 years sober: Milestone run (15 miles), unexpected wave of emotion
20:40 — The dream: Older self in an attic potential wasted, catalyst to change
22:30 — Misconceptions of addiction: Innocent starts; the opioid era context
27:05 — AA in practice: Sponsors, home group, service, spirituality
28:45 — Meeting formats: Topics like resentment, amends, taking inventory
30:10 — Treatment entry: Homelessness, reverse intervention, 72-hour flight to Utah
33:40 — Withdrawals: Hot/cold, no sleep, body misfires; meds then stopping meds
35:10 — White-knuckle window: 4–5 brutal days; lingering regulation for a year
36:30 — Post-rehab rebuild: Returning at 1 year to say thanks
37:45 — Career lift-off: Hired at the center; nine years to Director-level impact
39:30 — Staying in Utah: Community, recovery ecosystem, outdoor culture
42:40 — Partnership model: Space for “all-in Charles,” opposite recharge styles
44:10 — Same team energy: Loyalty, consideration, intentionality
45:30 — Plant medicine chapter: Sister’s psilocybin shift from clinical depression
48:50 — First psilocybin: Therapeutic container; next-day feeling of deeper God connection
50:05 — Ayahuasca call: Costa Rica; Rachel’s nudge vs. Charles’ fear
51:15 — Night one: Meeting God as Mom; seeing life through her eyes
53:00 — Releasing resentment: Purge, empathy, committing to tell her
57:10 — Integration > ceremony: Living the love without the medicine
58:15 — Running as stabilizer: Embodiment without destabilization
59:30 — Current stance: No near-term plans; grateful, not dependent
1:00:40 — Service ethos: “Be helpful” as organizing principle (without arrogance)
1:03:10 — Connection in a noisy world: Simplify, show up, touch grass
1:04:15 — What’s next—work: AI golf swing coach app; partnering with real
1:06:30 — Giving back: Consulting in behavioral health & recovery
1:07:15 — Dad life: Being present with two daughters; savoring being “the coolest”
1:08:10 — Closing: Gratitude, chapter shifts every 5 years, embracing the unknown
1:09:20 — Wrap: Off-mic reflections; “hour and ten” flyby; dots connecting from 2010 to now
Follow Doug:
- IG: @doug_cartwright
- Join the Alchemy Accelerator: HERE https://www.alchemysalescoaching.com/
- Subscribe to my YouTube Channel: HERE
Follow Charles:
IG: @charlespsales
TikTok: @charlespsales