For a lot of people , leadership and running a marathon feel like distant dreams - admirable, inspiring ; for some maybe even glamorous. But also slightly out of reach. That's exactly how I felt just a few years ago.
Then, I started running - and around the same time, I joined a Toastmasters club. What began as two separate pursuits quickly began to feel like one. I realized that the path to becoming a better runner and a better leader share a lot of similarities.
And both, it turns out, are more achievable than we think - and yes both deeply satisfying. Let's visit how running and leadership are similar and how these skills may help you in your professional and family life.
You have to know yourself.
To run well, you first need to understand what kind of runner you are - your pace, strengths, and limits. Leadership is no different. Are you a motivator? A planner? A silent executor?
Knowing your leadership style is the first step to using it effectively - whether you're managing a team at work or guiding your kid help navigate career opportunities.
Pacing oneself
My first marathon attempt ended up with a bad cramp at 25km mark. The reason? I was too excited and in that excitement I may have sprinted too hard at the beginning of a marathon, and I burned out right after the halfway mark. When I eventually was able to complete my first marathon, I did it only because by then I had learned to pace myself - slow and steady at the beginning before hitting your target pace may be after that 15k mark.
Likewise in leadership, going full throttle without pacing your energy, time, or goals can exhaust not just you but also your team and may be also your family members.
Pacing yourself in the workplace might look like managing a long-term project with steady progress rather than chasing instant wins. In the family, it could mean knowing when to push and when to pause - for e.g., when I was teaching my 7 year old to cycle, knowing when to push him and when to empathize I thought was the key.
Training is key
No one becomes a marathoner by accident. There's a plan - a schedule, techniques, and deliberate progress. The same goes for leadership. It's built through roles, challenges, and responsibilities.
Whether you're leading a product team or organizing a community event, leadership is learned by doing. My experience as a Toastmaster taught me this - just like I needed long runs to prep for race day, I needed repeated experiences to grow as a leader.
Coaches and Mentors help you get better.
Even elite runners have coaches. Why? Because the outside perspective often reveals what we can't see ourselves.
As a leader - at work or home - having a mentor can help you see blind spots, refine your style, and gain clarity. Whether it's a senior colleague, a wise family member (in my case my father), or a trusted friend, mentorship sharpens your leadership edge by forcing you to broaden your thinking and help you focus on the goal that you are pursuing.
Discipline is the key
I am sure you are not reading this cliched phrase for the first time - but I feel this phrase is most underestimated. No runner succeeds without daily discipline. Haruki Murakami, the famous novelist, runs 10 kms everyday as a daily routine to better his finish time.
Leadership is no different. Discipline is what helps you show up early for that team meeting, follow through on your commitments at home, or lead with consistency even when motivation dips. It builds credibility, both in professional settings and within your family.
The First Step
In both running and leadership, there's always room you can choose to go to - the room for improvement. You can always run farther, climb higher, and lead better - by setting clearer goals, planning smarter, or motivating more deeply.
But none of this happens unless you take the first step. Run that first mile. Volunteer for that first leadership role. Facilitate that first family conversation. These are the small starts that will eventually help you become that long distance runner- or that strong and charismatic leader you always wanted to become.
Take the step. Become a better you - at work, at home, and within.