The Runs That Almost Didn’t Happen

What Running Teaches Us About Life and Business

As runners across the world enter their tapering weeks before the Chicago Marathon

, I find myself reflecting on the marathons I’ve run and the lessons running continues to teach me. There’s something special about the runs that almost didn’t happen—moments that test our resolve, much like life and business do.

Summer running is always a challenge for me, and this past summer was especially brutal. One morning, I had a speed workout scheduled, and even at 6 AM, it was already 75 degrees. I had absolutely no desire to go. The thought of facing those conditions and hitting the paces my coach had set made my chest tighten. I felt overcome by frustration because I didn’t know if I had it in me. I was fatigued, both physically and mentally. My mind filled with excuses: “It’s just one run,” I told myself.

But then another voice inside me spoke: this wasn’t just about the run; this was about discipline. Who would I be if I didn’t show up? What kind of runner, what kind of person, would I become if I gave in?

So, out the door I went.

The humidity wrapped around me like a suffocating blanket and those first few steps were as brutal as I had imagined. Every muscle in my body resisted. But then, something shifted. As I pushed through the discomfort, I realized this run was going to make me stronger—not just for today, but for the runs that lay ahead. I kept telling myself, “If it doesn’t challenge you, it won’t change you.”

And even though the run was as grueling as I had expected, something remarkable happened by the end. The reward wasn’t just physical—it was emotional. I felt proud. Proud that I didn’t let the excuses win. Proud that I chose to do the hard thing when it mattered. In that moment, I realized it’s not the easy runs that shape us, it’s the ones we almost don’t do.

The runs that almost didn’t happen are like the cold calls we almost didn’t make for fear of rejection. They’re like the networking events we almost skipped because of social anxiety, or the raises we almost didn’t ask for. It’s those pivotal moments where we feel stuck, hesitant, and doubtful, but on the other side is growth and courage waiting for us.

Whenever you find yourself in an “almost” moment, know that a new version of you lies on the other side. The you that pushes past fear, discomfort, and doubt. And the you that avoids these moments? Well, that’s the version of you who ends up wondering “What if?”

So, the next time your alarm goes off for a run or an opportunity arises, and you're tempted to hit snooze, remember: those runs that almost didn’t happen? They’re the ones that define us. In life and in business, it’s not just about showing up on the good days. It’s about showing up when it’s hardest—because that’s when transformation begins.

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