From Alcoholic to Athlete: Matt Scoletti’s Powerful Story

Matt Scoletti has been through the depths of addiction and has emerged as an inspirational endurance athlete and motivational speaker. His powerful story of finding redemption through feats of endurance is one that resonates with people from all walks of life. This is Matt Scoletti’s journey from alcoholic to athlete. 

Hitting Rock Bottom

In his own words, Scoletti reflects on hitting rock bottom with alcoholism: “It was one of those moments where I just looked in the mirror and I’m like, who have I become? I was 60 pounds overweight. I was unhealthy. I had no confidence, and I realized that it was my fault.” This pivotal moment in 2011 after being an alcoholic for 10 years made him realize he had the power to change his life. He started competing in physique events, but eventually relapsed into drinking again after meeting his then-girlfriend. It wasn’t until July 22, 2016, that he got sober for good.

A New Passion

Scoletti found a new passion and sense of purpose in long distance running. As he explains, “I’m an obsessive person, so I’m like, okay, what else can [I do]? Let’s keep this thing going.” His running achievements are extraordinary, stemming from an obsessive drive to push his limits. In 2019, he ran his first marathon in Pittsburgh. He did this feat while wearing an 11-pound weight vest to honor the 11 victims of the tragic Tree of Life synagogue shooting. As Scoletti shares, “I wanted to do something to prove that love wins in the long run.” He still considers it one of the most emotional moments of his entire life because of his love for Pittsburgh. 

Endurance Feats

His endurance feats only became more extreme from there. Just two weeks after that first marathon, he ran another one. And in August 2020 during the Covid-19 pandemic, he ran 21 marathons in 21 consecutive days, often waking up at 2am to get his marathon in before work. Scoletti acknowledges pushing himself too far at times, like when he tore his Achilles tendon towards the end of those 21 marathons, an injury that sidelined him from running for over a year. He recalls, “I was definitely a mental head case for that year, and I was struggling big time to find this new identity of who can I be now?”

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Obsessive Drive 

Throughout the lows, Scoletti’s obsessive drive never wavered. After recovering from his Achilles surgery, he ran his first Ironman triathlon just three weeks later. This marked a powerful comeback both physically and mentally. “It was almost like this new version of myself was emerging at that finish line because I was solo, and I had this comeback,” he shares.

Motivational Speaker 

Today, Scoletti has found his voice and power in spreading his story far and wide as a motivational speaker. He weaves his battles with alcoholism, divorce, injuries, and other setbacks into every speech. As he explains, “I think anybody who’s going through whatever it is, there are ways to get out of it. And I go through this framework of how I reverse engineered getting out of it.”

The Secret Goal 

Scoletti’s story is one of hitting rock bottom and then summoning the courage, grit, and obsessive determination to reshape his identity. Matt has gone from being an overweight alcoholic to an endurance animal and motivational speaker. His journey shows that no matter how dark things may get, there is a path to emerge stronger than ever on the other side. Matt’s journey from alcoholic to athlete has inspired many to make a change for themselves. 

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