Shawn Goertz is a 49-year-old recovering addict and cancer survivor.  After a 20-year addiction he has been sober since 2007.  On any given Thursday in the spring and fall you can find Shawn and his girlfriend, Andrea marking the trails of Three Creeks Conservation Area near Columbia, Missouri for that evening’s trail run.  Trail running has been a lifesaver for him.  To his local community, Shawn is an inspiration. His kindness, understanding, motivation, and ability to bring people together has helped many find their love of the trails. Shawn supports others in their efforts and has improved the lives of those around him.   Shawn currently lives in Missouri with his dog Opie and spends time hitting the trails with his ultra-runner girlfriend, Andrea.

This was such an open, honest conversation about the struggles of addiction and much more.  Shawn’s story is one of hope and giving back.  We talk about how he made his way from prison to trail running. We also talk about how giving back to the trail running community has impacted Shawn’s life.  He shares the struggles of dealing with injuries and slowing down on the trails. Shawn shares the touching story of his emotional Lake Tahoe Ultra where he spread his Mother’s ashes, it was a full circle moment for him.  I wrote down many things he said but one thing I can’t stop thinking about is “we can only keep what we have by giving it away”.  We will be cheering Shawn on in everything he does. I think you will be too!