WHEN ADDICTION SETS THE PACE.

Byline: RONNI ROSS

They may seem strange bedfellows, but running and addiction can go hand in hand.

Alcoholics and drug addicts have long been said to display obsessive-compulsive behavior, and those same traits are commonly found in athletes, especially long-distance runners.

For some, that addictive drive creates a determination that leads to a healthy and successful athletic career.

For others, maintaining a disciplined running schedule aids in their recovery from drug and alcohol addictions.

And for still others, running serves as the catalyst that helps those with deadly addictions - often those in denial - realize their need to seek help. Indeed, running can mask an underlying addiction.

Such was the case for one 43-year-old West San Fernando Valley man, who requested anonymity.

``One of the caveats of alcoholism is denial, and for me, the denial was my running,'' he said. ``I was running a lot and drinking, but because I could get up and run 15 miles in the morning, it was proof to me that I wasn't an alcoholic. I may have been hung over for the first few miles, but I could run through it.

``Then, of course, after a long run, I deserved a few beers. In a warped way, my running helped me get sober because I got to drink more; I got to go down even farther.''

His companion drug was cocaine, and as he sank deeper into the addictions, he finally quit running.

A series of calamities followed his decision - including a marriage that ended in divorce and the loss of several jobs - until one day he decided he'd had enough of his destructive lifestyle. He checked himself into a rehabilitation hospital for 28 days, and it was there that he was introduced to Alcoholics Anonymous.

``They had half an hour of exercise time at the hospital each day, and there was this little walking path, so I started running around it. It was only about a 16th of a mile long, but I'd try to run a couple of miles,'' he said.

While in the hospital, he struck up friendships with two other men who were also former runners, and, once released, they all started running together.

``Running just seems like a natural part of recovery. It's almost like meditation on the move. I feel like I have God's ear when I'm out there,'' he said. ``A guy at a meeting I went to told me that my running even helps him. He said, `You're no longer running away from something, you're running toward something.' ''

But while running can help recovering addicts, runners must be careful not to trade one addiction for another.

Because running can become an obsession in itself (see related story), most professionals agree that the key to avoiding an addiction to exercise is to keep it in perspective and maintain a balanced lifestyle.

``If your need (to run) becomes the focus of your life, then it has taken over your life,'' said James Henderson, a mental health consultant who is also a recovering alcoholic.

``When you are running compulsively, you are running away from your problems, avoiding them. But eventually, unless you face yourself, the problems will catch up with you, no matter how far or fast you run.''

Distance running can be a form of escapism, Henderson said.

Chris, a 40-year-old finance executive (who asked that his last name not be divulged), had to learn that lesson under difficult circumstances. A gifted runner, he botched a chance to qualify for the 1984 Olympics because he was so hung over he couldn't run.

Despite struggling with alcoholism from the time he turned 17, Chris managed to juggle running and drinking throughout high school, college and the years following - and still maintained good enough performances at track meets to be invited to the Olympic Trials.

``I was at the peak of my career in running, and the night before the trials I went out to dinner with a couple of other runners and they were going to have a beer,'' he said. ``They didn't have a problem like I did, but I thought maybe I could have a beer, too. I remember having one beer, then opening another. Then the next thing I remember was waking up on the floor in my hotel room the next morning with all my clothes on.''

He awoke 45 minutes before the meet. ``I showed up and ran, and completely humiliated myself,'' he said.

He began to drink with a vengeance after the Trials episode.

Within a few years, Chris had stopped competing entirely but was still in denial. Finally, while sitting alone in his office in December 1986, depressed because he couldn't find anyone to go bar-hopping with him, he said he had a spiritual awakening. He stopped drinking and has been in AA ever since.

His drinking problem was soon under control, but his obsessive personality remained.

``I quit running because I thought that if I couldn't compete, there was no point in running,'' he said. But after awhile, he began to miss it, and resumed running for fun.

``Even though I don't compete, I still love to run; it is my first love,'' he said. ``It's a stress-reliever, and I use it to meditate and think through problems.''

Chris has come full circle: He used running to mask his alcoholism, then he quit running and got sober, and now he's uses running as a healing tool.

Running did more for the West Valley man than assist him in his recovery. It also played a role in helping him meet his wife.

At one AA meeting he wore a Santa Monica Marathon T-shirt, and one of the female attendees said, ``Oh, I know that race.'' The two began dating and running together. He ultimately proposed to her on her birthday, giving her a pair of running shoes with an engagement ring hidden inside one.

``We are really fortunate because we can support each other. We really understand each others' needs,'' said the wife, 32, who has overcome her own struggles with addiction and compulsive behavior. She ran her first marathon at age 15 but began drinking the next year and didn't quit until after college.

``He needs to go to his meetings and he needs to run, and I understand that,'' she said of her husband.

Both have been sober for a decade, and although they have thrived as distance runners, they say they try not to get too carried away with it. In addition to having successful careers, they also have a 3-year-old daughter.

``Life is good,'' said Chris. ``Running is a big part of it, but it is only a part of it. I just feel like my life is a gift, and I've never felt better. But I don't think you have to run to be in recovery.''

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Jon Gerung / Daily News