Paul Wozniak Opens Up About His Alcoholism, Creates Documentary Part 1 [VIDEO]

I am many things.

I am a husband. I am a broadcaster. I am a writer. I am an athlete. I am grateful. I am amazed at our existence. I am a DJ.

I am also an alcoholic in recovery. Many of the things above are possible because of the word 'recovery' in the last sentence. I was an alcoholic while I was many of those things, but it wouldn't have continued that way. The way my situation was unfolding, I most likely would have done things to screw up my marriage, get fired, my writing was waning, and I would have been way too drunk to DJ anyone's wedding, because I would have been the drunk guy instead of a professional who runs the room. I would have just been an alcoholic.

I decided I didn't want to just be an alcoholic. I decided that I wanted to be all those other things and more. I still want to be a father, an adventurer, a successful, wealthy entrepreneur, and I want to continue to be grateful, amazed and humble. I knew that I could pick one, or all the others. For people like me, we can't have both.

When I was drinking, it was my only focus, and 10% of the population knows exactly what I mean. I looked at that, and I decided that I had to make a change, because having alcohol and partying as my main and only focus seemed pretty lame to me.

I am also a storyteller. After I got sober, I realized there was a story here. Well, here it is.

My thanks go to all the businesses and people that helped me create The Redemption Race. I couldn't have done it without them.

Star Painter Productions and Drew Bankston

Drew did it for a very small return. He worked very hard and patiently with me, and I am so glad to call him my friend.

Star Painter Productions Website

Advanced Healthcare Physical Medicine and Dr. Nathan Irwin

Dr. Irwin loves to work with athletes, and he is the one who kept me healthy through the intense training that it took to pull this off. I was able to see him for adjustments, spinal decompression and massage as much as I needed. And I needed a lot.

Advanced Healthcare Physical Medicine's website

The Fort Collins Club, Todd Heenan, Wendy Mader and Theresa Rudel

Todd Heenan supports me in everything I've ever asked for his help on, and this was no different. In addition to allowing us to use the Fort Collins Club as a shooting location for the interviews, he worked out a deal with his best personal trainers to be in the documentary, and to have them help me prepare for this challenge.

Fort Collins Club Website

Theresa Rudel

Theresa Rudel has been an athlete all of her life and she helped me with my balance, strength and coordination. She is an amazing trainer who helps people of all walks of life achieve all kinds of goals.

Wendy Mader and T2 Coaching

Wendy Mader is a record setting, champion triathlete ( 2008 Ironman Overall Amateur World Champ), and an amazing coach. She teaches pros how to be better and takes newbies from nothing to racers with no problem. She worked on my conditioning, running technique and speed. She set me up on an email system, and like clockwork the new workout would be there...every day. It seemed like too much sometimes. :)

Wendy Mader's Coaching Website

Post Paradise, Nick Duare and Amy Marie

I needed great music, specifically a great workout track, and Dani Grant from Spokesbuzz hooked me up with Nick Duarte and Amy Marie from Post Paradise. I have since become a big fan of their music, and even bigger fans of their giving hearts. I listened to a couple things from them and settled in on the cello heavy Bach inspired rock track Interlude: Bach Cello Suite that acted as sort of a linker from the first half of their their great record The New Normal to the second. But I needed it to be longer. I needed a little something here, a little something there, and I needed Nick Duarte to do it. He did, and it makes the workout montage look and sound great!

My wife

I put a lot of time into the shooting and editing of this documentary, not to mention training every day. Sarah supported me the whole way, and has encouraged me to work through the idea of releasing something of such a personal nature.

If you notice, the documentary was shot a few years before it was posted. Part of that is because editing is difficult. Mostly, it was because I was afraid to put it out there. She pushed me through it, which I think says a lot for her courage.

Check out her website, the Blissful Seed.