Seven Majors. 10,600 km. What Endurance Running Taught Me About Building a Company

This week, I crossed the finish line in Boston. It took five years and more than 10,600 kilometres of running to get there — and it completed my journey through all seven World Marathon Majors: Chicago, New York, Berlin, London, Tokyo, Sydney, and Boston.

From the outside, people see the finish line. From the inside, it looks different. It looks like early mornings before work, training weeks of 50 to 100 kilometres, and running during business trips in unfamiliar cities. It looks like dark roads in the rain, and recovery from injury that starts with short walks before it becomes running again. My first Major was Chicago, on my 40th birthday. At that time, completing all seven felt almost unrealistic. Most big goals do.

The strongest lesson marathon running gave me is that progress is not linear. There were periods when I could not run at all. Recovery started with short walks, then pain, then stopping again, then trying again — not fast, not inspiring, but real. The same is true in business. Some things go as planned. Some take much longer. Some turn into something completely different. But consistency compounds over time in ways that intensity alone cannot.

I do not believe long-term results are built on exceptional moments. They are built on discipline, systems, recovery, and the ability to keep moving forward under imperfect conditions. Adapt the path. Stay committed to the goal. That is what 10,600 kilometres taught me — and it is how I try to lead.