I have a confession to make: 7 years ago, running was absolutely not my thing.
I hated it. Genuinely, truly hated it. Then, as a family, we started running 5Ks for charity. My goal was simple — finish. Just finish. And I did, with what I’m told was a very painful expression on my face, lungs burning, legs going numb, quietly wondering if this might actually be the end of me.
But something kept me going: the people around me. My husband and children by my side, the crowd cheering runners to the finish line. It was, despite everything, inspiring.
Then 2 years ago, one 5K became a 10K, Last year 10K became a half marathon — and somewhere along the way, I stopped surviving runs and started genuinely enjoying them. What I didn’t expect was how much the journey would make me realise the similarities with leadership in the work context.
The Cycle That Changed Everything
What I’ve come to think of as the Prepare → Perform → Adapt → Recover cycle didn’t come to me from a business book. It came from lacing up my trainers twice a week and figuring out, gradually, what it actually takes to cross a finish line feeling strong rather than broken.
Here’s what each stage looks like — on the road, and at work.
- Prepare
When I signed up for my first half marathon, my chief cheerleader — my husband — told me I needed to run at least three times a week. That wasn’t going to happen 2 was the maximum I was prepared to do! So I found a training app that built a plan around two runs a week instead, and I followed it as religiously as life allowed.
The lesson wasn’t just about finding a plan. It was about finding the right plan — one that was honest about what I could realistically commit to, that built gradually rather than too steeply, and that gave my body time to learn what it needed.
I’d learned that lesson the hard way after my 10K, where my training schedule was far too ambitious. I didn’t prepare properly, and I felt every bit of it on race day.
In leadership, preparation is just as easy to underestimate. We’re asked to show up — for meetings, presentations, difficult conversations, big decisions — often without stopping to ask: What do I actually need to be ready for this? What’s realistic given everything else I’m carrying? How do I need to show up? Am I building my capability gradually, or trying to skip steps?
Good preparation isn’t about doing more. It’s about doing the right things, at the right pace, consistently.
- Perform
Race day has its own energy. And one of the things running has taught me is how much of performance is about presence — being aware of what’s happening around you in real time and making smart decisions within it.
What’s the terrain like? Is it steep, uneven, wet? Who’s around me, and how are they moving? What is my body telling me right now? ( water, food, pain??)
That in-the-moment awareness is what separates a good race from a great one — and it’s exactly what separates a good leadership performance from a great one too. Walking into a big meeting or a high-stakes presentation, the questions shift but the principle stays the same: What’s the energy in the room? What do these particular people need from me today? What do I need to be at my best right now?
Performance isn’t just execution. It’s reading the situation and responding to what’s actually in front of you.
- Adapt
You don’t run a steep hill the same way you run flat ground. If the surface is wet or uneven, you adjust your footing. If the wind picks up, you conserve energy differently. The conditions are constantly changing — the skill is in noticing and responding, rather than pushing on regardless.
The same is true in leadership. Different stakeholders have different needs. Different moments call for different styles. A communication approach that works brilliantly in one context can fall completely flat in another.
The feedback loop matters here too. Running taught me to pay attention to the signals my body was giving me — and to actually do something with that information rather than ignore it. In leadership, that means being genuinely open to the feedback you’re receiving, asking how it’s landing, and being willing to change course when something isn’t working.
Adaptation isn’t weakness. It’s intelligence in motion.
- Recover
After a long run, recovery isn’t optional — it’s where the progress actually happens. Stretching, sleep, nutrition, time with the right people. When I skipped it before a recent trail race, I felt it in every part of my body. It was not a pleasant experience.
Leadership is the same. After a major milestone, a difficult project, or an intense stretch of work — how are you recovering? What are you doing to wind down, recharge, and come back ready? Who are you spending time with? What are you doing that has nothing to do with work?
Recovery is also, crucially, the beginning of the next cycle of preparation. It is also about reflecting on the last preparation and preformance What did you learn from this ? What would you do differently? What does your next “training” plan need to look like?
Rest isn’t a reward for hard work. It’s what makes the next performance possible.
The Bigger Picture
Consistency produced results I didn’t think were possible for me. I went from someone who dreaded running to someone who can cover 20K and genuinely mean it when I say I enjoy it.
That shift didn’t happen overnight. It came from cycling — repeatedly — through preparation, performance, adaptation and recovery. From showing up regularly, listening carefully, and being willing to adjust when something wasn’t working.
Whether you’re building your fitness or building your leadership, the principles are remarkably similar. The finish line changes. The cycle doesn’t.
I work with executives and leaders to develop exactly these kinds of capabilities. If this resonates with you, I’d love to hear what it brings up — feel free to get in touch. info@whenyoumakeithappen.com or book a discovery call to see how I can help you achieve your goals.
