This weekend, my wife and I took part in the RUNMATE 2024 race.
That’s how the organizer describes it…
A race around Lake Geneva, taking paths, roads, and trails. The runners are divided into 26 relays ranging from 4 to 15 km. While one teammate runs, the others go to the next relay point in a van to wait for and encourage them.
Our team, “Fast Furious Feet,” was composed of 7 runners during the day and 5 at night.
The team at the start.
220 km of running without sleep: 13 lessons to boost your life and your business
1/ A recipe for burnout.
“It’s fun and cool,” that’s the mindset I had last year when I participated for the first time.
What my wife didn’t know yet was that besides being “fun and cool,” it’s extremely hard.
Compared to other races we’ve done, it looks easy on paper.
But after two editions, I still find it very difficult. And I think I’ve found out why.
An explosive trio.
- Racing for more than 20 hours without sleep
- Be constantly on the move. When you’re not running, you’re figuring out how to get to the next relay point on time, cheering on your teammates…
- Put in a lot of effort in bursts. Run, stop for a few hours and start again.
In which projects could you remove one of these components to avoid burnout?
2/ Physical fatigue impairs our mental capacity
When we got home, our group of 6 couldn’t make simple decisions.
- Do we take the train or keep our rental car?
- What’s the best way to get our children back from our relatives’ homes?
What mechanisms can I put in place to recognize when I’m tired and avoid making important decisions?
3/ Specialization helps.
One of the complexities of this race is getting to each relay point on time with your van to make the runner changeover.
This year, we had Jan with us. His job was to take us from one point to another.
We were much more efficient than last year.
In what area of my business can I create specialization by delegating or recruiting?
4/ There’s no point in starting too fast.
“I burned my legs on the first relay” is a phrase I heard a lot.
If you want to last, it’s better to conserve your energy.
5/ Slow down to speed up
A few years ago, I did “Jungfrau”, a mountain marathon in Switzerland.
I was surprised to see that many experienced runners were power-walking rather than running on the very steep climbs.
RUNMATE has a lot of elevation changes. Apart from the elite who can run fast even on steep climbs, power-walking uphill allows you to burn less energy while being as efficient as an average runner who will try to jog.
Where in my work could I walk instead of run and still be more effective?
6/ Why do we do it?
Depriving ourselves of sleep, going out at 3 a.m. in the cold to take an uphill relay in the middle of the forest. Certainly not for the price – I like pickles – but still…
Not even for the fondue offered at the end.
- To prove to ourselves that we can do difficult things
- To get out of our comfort zone
- To better appreciate our cozy bed afterwards, a practice the Stoics call “voluntary discomfort” (See A Guide to the Good Life: The Ancient Art of Stoic Joy by William B. Irvine).
Every challenge I’ve overcome has left me with good memories afterward.
What could I do to get out of my comfort zone?
7/ Motivation to stay in shape
The older I get, the harder it is to maintain my ideal weight.
This kind of challenge forces me to go running even when I don’t feel like it and helps me stay in shape.
To push myself forward in my challenge to learn German this year, I’ve scheduled the first coaching session for a German-speaking client for early January.
What challenge could you take on to help you complete a project that’s close to your heart?
8/ Alone or in a team?
In a team, all decisions are more difficult; everyone has their opinion, which sometimes creates tension.
But none of us would have managed to run 220 km alone…
“Alone, we go faster. Together, we go further”
-African proverb
Where can I create a team, a community to go further together?
9/ Breaking it down into small pieces helps
26 relays of 4 to 15 km. Sounds easier than 220 km.
One relay at a time. And little by little, we complete the full loop around the lake.
How could I break down my big goals into small relays?
My method for succeeding quarter after quarter…
10/ Our past does not predict our future
Last year, I suffered terribly during a relay in the middle of the night.
I was forced to walk for the most part.
This year, I was apprehensive. But I learned from my mistakes, changed my diet, and my relay went very well.
Florence, my wife, had the same experience. She took the hardest relay two years in a row. This year, she passed it with flying colors, whereas last year, she was completely exhausted.
What have I put aside for fear of failing?
Illustration by Jun Han Chin
11/ Trust does not exclude control
I followed a runner for over a kilometer downhill. He looked like a pro. He was running well.
But he still took a wrong turn. We had to go 1 km uphill to catch up.
And it’s not his fault, it’s mine.
Trust does not exclude control.
Where in your life should you not blindly follow?
12/ I’m not a leader
Florence was our captain for the past two years, and she brought us safely to the finish line each time.
She doesn’t give big speeches to motivate the troops.
She doesn’t take center stage.
What she does
- She takes the hardest relays.
- She covers the greatest distance
- She’s always ready to help, support, and encourage
- She’s always in a good mood.
We’re all leaders in our own way.
Where can I take on more responsibility to help others?
13/ We’re often stronger than we think
We all thought during the race.
“I can’t take it anymore”.
And yet, we all managed to take the next relay.
Tetanized legs come back to life after the first two kilometers.
Where can I push myself further?
Conclusion
You don’t need to run a 220 km race to benefit from this reflection.
All we have to do is push ourselves out of our comfort zone to learn and grow.
Which point resonated most with you?
See you soon.
Dror
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