Ex-addict who spent more than £3,000 a month on drugs and wanted to die completes ultramarathon through Arctic Circle

An ultramarathon runner who recently completed a 143-mile self-sufficient race across the Arctic Circle has described how he spent 14 years addicted to Class A drugs, and could not watch a movie without taking acid, before hitting rock bottom and turning his life around.

Kyle Evans, 37, who now runs his own company helping people through endurance sport, said he “hated himself” and “wanted to die” after his drug addiction spiralled out of control and he lost “everything”, including his job as a boxing coach, apartment and car which was repossessed.

Kyle, from Pietermaritzburg, South Africa, became a personal trainer earning more than £3,300 (80,000 rand) a month, but was living out of a bag as he spent more than £3,000 of his salary on drugs.

One day in May 2017 Kyle hit rock bottom, and after “falling to his knees and praying” he went to his nearest Alcoholics Anonymous meeting and pleaded with one of the sponsors to help him.

After attending 90 AA meeting in 90 days, Kyle managed to turn his back on addiction and has since gone from strength to strength.

He now runs ultramarathons and launched his own business during the Covid pandemic, which has trained more than 500 people and turns over about £80,000 annually.

In February Kyle completed the Ice Ultra, a 143-mile (230km) five-day race across the Arctic Circle, in Lapland, Sweden, where temperatures drop to minus 40C, to raise money for the Quiver Foundation, which, according to its website, “invest in life transformation by giving individuals the opportunity to overcome their obstacles to a healthy and financially sustainable life”, and help others overcome addiction.

“I couldn’t go watch a movie without taking acid or mushrooms,” Kyle told PA Real Life.

“At one stage I was charging my phone at a KFC to buy drugs because I had nowhere to go.

“I started off on ecstasy but I took so much that it stopped working.”

Kyle grew up in a “broken home” in Pietermaritzburg, a small town outside Durban, South Africa, and started drinking alcohol at the age of 11.

“I think from a young age, I picked up that if you feel angry or upset you can drink and it will make you feel better,” he said.

“I remember getting hold of a bottle of alcohol and passing out drunk at the age of 11.”

It did not take Kyle long to move on to “harder substances”, including class A drugs like cocaine, ecstasy and, later, crystal meth.

“At 15, I was (a) full blown addict and I carried that addiction for 14 years,” he said.

Kyle managed to hide his growing addiction at school behind being a top-tier water polo and rugby player.

After finishing high school in 2004, Kyle started working at a boxing gym in Johannesburg, while taking copious amounts of drugs at the weekend.

But things soon went wrong and Kyle would spend the next three years living out of a bag, sleeping on friends’ couches and in “shady hotels”.

“I lost my job,” he said.

“They repossessed my car. I lost my apartment and ended up couch surfing, owning just one bag and moving around.”

Kyle’s boss tried to help by letting Kyle sleep on the boxing gym floor, before suggesting he move to Cape Town to escape his toxic lifestyle.

There he began working as a personal trainer and soon built up a solid client base, but never stopped taking drugs.

He worked hard during the week to maintain his addiction, earning about £3,320 (80,000) rand a month, £3,112.50 (75,000) rand of which he spent on drugs.

“I was using but I was very functional,” said Kyle.

“I could have lived in an apartment but I was spending all that money you know.”

In May 2017 Kyle was living in a cheap hotel when he hit rock bottom and suffered a mental breakdown.

“I just fell on my knees and started praying,” said Kyle.

“I was like, I can’t do this any more, I’m done. I just hate my life. I want to die.”

The next day Kyle went to an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting and begged one of the sponsors to help him.

“He said the day you don’t do what I say is the day I stop helping you,” said Kyle.

“And then he just told me to go to 90 meetings in 90 days, no matter what.

“I couldn’t miss a meeting.”

This allowed Kyle to “get away” from his toxic life and, after completing the 90 days, he threw himself head first into work.

Shortly afterwards he met his now wife, Jenna, 30, and the couple moved to Dubai in early 2018 when an opportunity came up.

It was in Dubai that Kyle, who continued working as a personal trainer, discovered ultramarathon running.

One of his clients was an ultra runner and laughed when Kyle, who weighed 19.6 stone, suggested he could complete the race.

“He just laughed at me because I was so muscular,” he said.

“I messaged my wife asking her to book me a ticket and she was like, ‘Is this for you? It’s a freaking ultramarathon’.

“It completely changed my life.”

Kyle and Jenna moved back to Cape Town two years later when the Covid pandemic struck.

Unable to meet his clients indoors, Kyle began training in the mountains and three months later, in September 2020, set up his own coaching business, Mindset Movement, that helps people change their lives through endurance sports.

He now has three employees, including his wife, turns over about £80,000 per year, and has helped about 500 people over the past three years become more resilient.

In 2020 Kyle signed up for the “jungle ultra”, a 143-mile race through the Amazon jungle, but the race was postponed because of Covid.

He planned to do it this year but decided to swap the tropical jungle for the “ice ultra” instead.

The self-sufficient race, which cuts across the Arctic tundra, where temperatures can drop below minus 40C, is designed to push runners’ endurance to the limit.

Kyle set off on February 20 with new equipment and supplies, including food rations, and finished on February 24 in 11th position.

“The airport lost my bag with all my gear, so I actually did the race with brand new shoes,” he said.

“I didn’t get enough supplies so day four I ran out of food and was on rations, and that’s a 65km (40.3 miles) day.

“That got real.”

He said the race was “harder than expected” and that he considered pressing the panic button at one point because he was so cold.

He said: “I remember thinking I can’t believe it’s over because you are just fighting the whole time.”

Kyle took part in the race to help raise money for the Quiver Foundation, a charity which helps transform people’s lives.

He has set up a fundraiser on GoFundMe for £4,500 which has soared past £3,000 and is being match-funded by an anonymous donor.

“When I heard about the Quiver Foundation, I was like, these people know what they are doing.

“If I can help people who were in my position, or worse, then I need to do that.

“This is much more than just about running.

“I’m planning on doing a lot more stuff and it’s always going to be for the Quiver Foundation.”

To support Kyle and the foundation, visit: www.gofundme.com/f/Quiver-Foundation.

For mental health support, contact the Samaritans on 116 123, email them at jo@samaritans.org, or visit samaritans.org.