What I Have Learned From Running a Marathon and a Business
What does running a small business and running a marathon have in common?
Pretty much everything.
There are multiple things around a Marathon, probably the very first one is why anyone would like to run one. My whole life has been around playing sports from soccer, tennis, volleyball, basketball, archery, swimming, and my beloved rugby. Most of them have running as part of the base conditioning to succeed in the sport, to build stamina, speed and resistance. Running became my base training for any of those, at the beginning it was almost close to a need to improve to play the sport. Overtime I started to like it, kind of my “solo” time to be with myself and relax.
During the last decade I have been planning to run a Marathon, started the training 2 times and for multiple things I didn’t run it.
As you could read between the lines, I said planning, but never committed to or set it as a goal. Well, this time I committed myself, paid the dues and marked on my calendar. So now it got out of the plan, to become an actual goal. I knew where I wanted to go, and when, but missing the how to get there.
With the goal, the when and what, was time to plan and schedule the training. This became my how to achieve my goal, 18 weeks of training with a calendar and a schedule of distances. So, I took a marathon training program and did my best to stuck with it.
Here is where the real life begins, I set my goal of running a Marathon (Atlanta Publix Marathon) on the 28th of February, training for 18 weeks with a clear schedule. And having the holidays (thanksgiving, Christmas, new year, vacations) and work schedule including some travel (not as big as was before the pandemic) I needed to work around it. Between all, I managed to train in different cities, hotel gyms, in the beautiful Alaska winter (I run outside, and a great experience), in North Carolina, Virginia and in my hometown in Atlanta. In between my training I had 2 stops, one because I felt on the ice and twisted my ancle (switched running for cycling for 1 week) and then just 3 weeks before the marathon my Achilles tendon got inflamed and bothered to run. Workarounds are important, things will happen, not every single time thing will go according to plan. But I made it to the starting line.
My personal goal was to run it at least in 3:59 and I did it in 4:05. Quite close, but not where I wanted to be. And now I have setup a 2nd Marathon as my redemption marathon. To Achieve at least 3:59:59
The Marathon is quite close to running a business: you have a goal, a plan and you must workaround the issues to get where you want to go. Family and friends will support you all the way in, others will say you are nuts, and others just to wish you good luck and wait for the results. While running, you are pretty much by yourself. Technically there are hundreds of people going the same route, with different goals and motivations, some will cheer you up in the road. But in the end it is you going on to reach your goal, when you are close by where friends and family are waiting to see you… it is a magical moment, you smile, it gives you that extra kick and you keep on going.
The last couple of miles are hard, but you keep going, you can see again people cheering everyone running, you spot your family and that smile comes back to your face. You keep on going, and you made it. Your first marathon is now an experience and a goal that you achieved.
After the race, and talking about it with my friends and family, it was time to rest for a couple of days to start training for the 2nd Marathon or the next goal. Same happens in business. It is a long road, with ups and downs, people cheering you up, and you have to keep on going. Keep on training and keep on with the workaround.
Almost a year ago we launched Baggual’s first product, the Glasskin on Kickstarter. We made our goal and deliver them to all the supporters (thank you guys!). I have learned a lot during this time, improved quite a bit our site, and it is time to setup a new goal and working in new prototypes.
Let’s keep on running ahead, new things and challenges are coming! While I have been writing this, I just kept a smile thinking about all of you reading these lines and your support to keep on going.
Thank you guys!
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