What Ultra-Endurance Taught Me About Leading Complex Business Change

Shaun Walsh

12.05.2025 | 5 MIN

What Ultra-Marathon Training Taught Me About Leading Complex Business Change and Running a Business.

Leading major business and technical change, whether it’s a digital transformation, operational shift, or large-scale financial reform, rarely comes down to one heroic effort or one individual being the hero. Success is built long before the pressure hits, shaped by preparation, resilience, and the ability to bring people together when it matters most.

That lesson has never been more clear to me than during my current journey training for the Lakeland 50 Challenge, a 50-mile ultra-marathon through the Lake District, alongside tackling the Leeds Marathons and tacking on the Apex Everest Challenge.

Training for endurance events isn’t my full-time role. Like many clients managing complex programmes, my path is filled with high peaks and low valleys; long stretches of stability followed by intense, demanding phases that feel like they will never end. There are moments of wondering if I can actually do this, frequent times when imposter syndrome creeps in, frustration bubbles up, and the shame of not feeling fast, strong or good enough whispers in the background. The inevitable comparison to others can create a fantasy that they’re breezing through, while I’m battling every step.

Whether you’re climbing mountains or navigating business change, instinct and effort alone aren’t enough. Without preparation, trusted guidance, and visibility of progress, risks escalate, and recovery becomes far harder than prevention. The obstacle often becomes the way, and as I’ve learned repeatedly, the map is not the terrain.

Perform Partners in Ambleside Lake District

Learning the Hard Way: Wingin’ it Won’t Work

Every run, climb, and tough interval session in my training has surfaced unexpected challenges and opportunities to be humbled, but also grow.

Some days, everything clicks: ideal weather, steady progress, and strong legs. Other days, it’s a battle against fatigue, poor conditions and tough terrain.

At times, I’ve bought the wrong shoes and paid the price. I’ve pushed too hard and need to step back. I’ve poorly fueled and crashed on challenging runs.

And I’ve questioned myself: Am I really capable of this? Am I falling behind? Am I too old!….Am I going to die! These moments are hard, but they are also where growth lives.

Sound familiar? Change programmes are much the same.

When things are going well, it’s easy to feel in control. But when markets shift, regulations tighten, or key people leave, momentum can slip away.

Teams become fatigued without checkpoints, milestones, and understanding when to push or taper and recover. Change fatigue creeps in, morale dips, and even the most committed people can lose direction.

I support customers with this, helping leaders and teams overcome change fatigue, soothe the inner critic, and reconnect with the purpose behind their work.

Building Resilience and Rhythm Into Change

We help leaders design change journeys that reflect the reality of enduring challenges. Like endurance training, this means building:

Checkpoints and milestones to assess and adjust progress
Ramp-up and taper periods to manage energy and focus
Recovery strategies to prevent burnout and keep teams fresh

Business transformation is not a sprint. It’s a journey that demands rhythm, reflection and resilience; keep in your Flow Zone.

Just like in training, pushing through difficult phases comes from real data, expert guidance and support. When sh!t hits the fan, the groundwork and the team around you makes all the difference.

It’s Not the Finish Line, It’s About the Why

For me, this year’s challenges – Leeds Marathon, Lakeland 50 and Apex Everest Challenge – are all milestones; they are not the end destination.

The true destination is emerging along the way, it’s about growth and purpose. When runs get hard or training feels overwhelming, I remind myself why I started.

In business change, it’s no different.

Projects are waypoints. The real destination is always tied to the business ‘WHY’ and without this, when setbacks test the team, motivation can vanish.

Helping organisations connect people back to the why is critical. It holds everything together when the going gets tough.

Change is inevitable and continues to teach me. Our role is not to avoid it, but to influence it, to shape how it plays out and make an impact that matters. Nothing is achieved in isolation or sustained by stepping on others. It’s the collective effort, the shared journey, and the positive difference we make to those around us that defines real success.

Final Thoughts: Prepare Like an Endurance Athlete

Mistakes and setbacks happen. I will continue to fall, want to stop, question myself, but also strive to learn from the tough lessons.

With a growth mindset, more experience, expert guidance, and recovery built in, I’ll do my best to stay on track while adapting to the real realities of the situation and environment.

Business change follows the same pattern.

Success comes from preparation, rhythm, reflection, and reconnecting people with purpose when momentum dips. When your storm hits or the mountain steepens, you’ll be glad you invested early in clarity of the journey ahead, with resilience and support.