More than running: five years of Speed Freaks
Five years ago, Speed Freaks began as a un group in Otautahi, establishing 6 months later in Tamaki Makaurau.We were interested in a straightforward question: why does running help people experiencing addiction and mental health challenges?
Rapid growth
At first, our focus was on short runs and on proving the concept through research. Since then, Speed Freaks has grown rapidly in response to demand from the community. We now have bases in Ōtautahi,,Tamaki Makaurau and Te Tai Poutini, with pilots planned for Wellington and work under way to explore opportunities in Nelson and Marlborough.
The numbers give some sense of that growth. Last year we
- Held 1,456 sessions nationwide
- Recorded 9,830 attendances
- Welcomed 1,581 individuals.
But the real development has not simply been one of scale.
Clear foundation
Running remains our foundation because it offers a powerful way to understand recovery. Both are journeys of discovery and purpose. Both involve hurdles, unexpected setbacks and days when progress feels difficult. Sometimes there is a stone in your shoe that needs attention before you can continue. At other times, you need an aid station: a place to pause, take stock, receive support and prepare for the next part of the journey.
These metaphors are now used intentionally by our peer team. Our Peer Navigators draw on the language of running to provide wraparound support and help people manage the reality that recovery is rarely linear. This gives us a practical, accessible way to talk about challenges without pretending there is one route or a simple finish line.
Growth in peer support
Our peer-support workforce has become an important part of the organisation. We have developed a pathway through which people can move from participating to volunteering and, from there, into paid peer-support roles. This includes internships supported by MSD and placements for people studying towards a Level 4 Health and Wellbeing qualification.
That pathway matters. It recognises lived experience as something of value and creates opportunities for people to use what they have learned in service of others. It also strengthens the support available within Speed Freaks by ensuring it is grounded in an understanding of the recovery journey.
Growing community
Our community has broadened in other ways, too. Volunteer coaches are pivitol in our programme and grow the understanding of recovery in our local community. Whilst sharing running with adults, whanau and tamariki are also becoming involved. This is fostered through our relationship with parkrun and the introducation of childrens t shirts
Growth brings its own questions
One is how we protect the identity and integrity of Speed Freaks while allowing each local group to develop a character that reflects its community. We have clear guidelines and expectations to keep groups aligned with our co-operative model. Much of that accountability comes from the community itself, although our staff step in when something does not fit with the way we work.
We welcome the opportunity to work with other NGOs that want to integrate Speed Freaks groups into their programmes. The service is free for individuals, while organisations can contribute towards the costs involved. Collaboration can help extend access without losing the community-based model at the heart of our work.
More to come
As we consider the next five years, our priority is to return to the fundamentals while continuing to develop what movement can offer. We are exploring additional trauma-informed movement approaches that can be added to our aid-station box over time. Running will remain the base, but there is room to introduce other mind-body options that support mental wellbeing.
We also want practitioners and participants to share their stories through the Speed Freaks YouTube channel. Statistics help describe our reach, but stories show what movement can make possible in someone’s life. They capture the connection, purpose and change that sit behind every session and every attendance.
Speed Freaks has grown considerably in five years, but our direction remains grounded in the same simple idea: movement can help people find connection, navigate recovery and discover a renewed sense of purpose. Our task now is to protect that foundation while thoughtfully expanding the ways people and communities can take part.
