Happy New Year - and welcome to the first Clean Break Chats episode of 2026.

In this conversation, Rich and Andy reflect on what 2025 really taught them: that success isn’t measured by a bank balance, but by the joy, gratitude, connection, and meaning you’re building day-to-day. They talk honestly about alcohol-free life over Christmas (what felt easy, what still shows up), the “placebo” rituals of special occasions, and the tricky, nuanced question of moderation - especially when alcohol has been part of your identity.

They also explore one of the most powerful tools in any change journey: creating a gap between stimulus and response. Because when you think you’re craving alcohol, you’re usually craving a feeling - relaxation, connection, excitement, relief - and you can learn to meet that need without pouring a drink.

From there, the chat opens up into running, coaching, and what’s ahead: why process goals beat destination goals, why community race-weekends (like Valencia and Benidorm) matter so much, and what 2026 might look like when you “remove what isn’t important” before piling more on.

Andy shares what stepping into 50 feels like (spoiler: it’s not fear - it’s fuel), why the gym suddenly matters for the next challenge, and how he’s thinking about productivity, accountability, and building strength to match big endurance dreams. Rich talks marathon plans, focus, and doubling down on what matters.

If you’re doing Dry January - or just feeling that “new year reset” energy -this one will help you simplify, refocus, and start building momentum.

Mentioned in this episode

• FREE 28-day Alcohol-Free Challenge (code: FREEMAKEACHANGE) - https://portal.take-a-cleanbreak.com/alcoholfreechallege
• Group coaching: £75/month (weekly running + mindset call + weekly alcohol-free call) - https://portal.take-a-cleanbreak.com/memberships
• 1:1 coaching: from £150/month - https://portal.take-a-cleanbreak.com/memberships
• Free discovery call (30 mins) to figure out the best option for you - https://calendly.com/rich-cleanbreakcoaching/clean-break-coaching-30min-discovery-call