Opioid addiction almost destroyed me
After years of hiding his substance abuse, Ken Rideout finally confessed to his wife. It was the start of a difficult and rewarding journey, which led to athletic success in his 50s
TL;DR
- Ken Rideout developed an opioid addiction starting with Percocet for ankle pain, escalating to OxyContin and other medications.
- His addiction led to financial and personal difficulties, including hiding his substance abuse from his wife, Shelby.
- Rideout confessed his addiction in 2010, which was a turning point for his sobriety.
- He found a path to recovery through intense training in running and endurance sports.
- At 54, Rideout became one of the fastest marathon runners globally in the 50+ category, with a personal best of 2:28:25.
- He views getting sober as his greatest life accomplishment, surpassing his athletic achievements.