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The ice man runneth: Overcoming addiction one step at a time

Paweł Durakiewicz holds three barefoot running world records, including a half marathon on ice and snow, but breaking records is only part of his story.

Please note, this clip contains discussions around alcohol abuse and suicide. If you’ve been affected by anything discussed or need support, you could speak to a health professional, or an organisation that offers support. Details of help available in many countries can be found at Befrienders Worldwide, via their website befrienders.org.

The advent of training shoes has made barefoot running less common. Some even claim it has health benefits. It even has world records. Paweł Durakiewicz holds three of them, including a half marathon on ice and snow, but breaking records barefoot is only a small part of Pawel's story.

Seven years ago he was on the verge of death through a deep addiction to alcohol, where he could barely function and was contemplating taking his own life. After deciding to turn his life around, he co-founded the Diamond Soul Foundation, a charity which supports people in their recovery from addiction and also organises free one-week camps in Sicily for underprivileged children.

He told Sportshour’s Shabnam Younus-Jewell about his road to recovery and why he decided to take on a rather frosty challenge.

Photo: Paweł Durakiewicz completes his world record attempt by running a half marathon on ice and snow. (Credit: Paweł Durakiewicz/Diamond Soul Foundation)

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6 minutes