Climbing and Running
7 marathons. 7 continents. 7 years.
Leadership attributes in climbing and running
February 28, 2009 by Mitch Lewis · 4 Comments
As someone who has done marathons on all seven continents and climbed the highest summits on five of the same seven continents, I’ve had time to reflect about how the challenges related to business and my own performance are intertwined.
While some areas are easy to identify (life is a marathon for example), the whole end-to-end process of setting goals, planning and preparation, teamwork, high endurance, overcoming great adversity, celebrating success (but not too soon) and taking the learnings to be ready for the next challenge. Lastly, but the most important, is the ability to have fun during the journey and be able to laugh (and to laugh at oneself!).
Ed Viesturs, a famous mountaineer who has climbed the world’s fourteen 8,000 meter peaks without oxygen, was asked about the difference between running a marathon (or ultramarathon) and climbing a mountain. He talked about how when you cross the finish line in a race, that’s it. You’re done. On the other hand, when you summit a big mountain, you are only halfway done – and as he points out – more deaths occur on the descent than on the ascent.
When it comes to successful business and marketing campaigns, it all comes down to setting goals, preparation and training - just as it is for climbing and running. After I had run just my second marathon in Stockholm in 2002, I decided to pursue the (what seemed impossible then) the goal to run the seven continents. This was my big goal. If I did not know where I was going, how could I get there? I had to have a timeframe; I wanted to complete my goal within a four-year period. The amount of preparation that went into this venture included a lot of logistics – especially around work schedules and family.
Of course, the training that went into this is never enough – just ask any runner, climber or other athlete. Nevertheless, I trained as best I could with a plan and within my own abilities.
The goal remained the same: be one of about 150 (at the time) persons in the world to be a member of the “Seven Continents Club“.
There is an element of teamwork in running – though not nearly the same as in climbing where it is definitely a life or death proposition based on who you are roped up with. Mostly though, it is a sport where others can help push your own individual achievement through training, support during races, and specific advice.
High endurance and overcoming adversity are part of the training routine and to prepare you for the big runs. One of the things I’ve learned over the past several years is the need to “start slow and finish fast”. Slow in this case does not mean walking, it does mean maintaining a pace that is sustainable for 26 or 31 or 50 miles, or two marathons in the same week, or three separate long runs in the course of 24 hours. It is incredibly satisfying to pass literally a hundred or more runners in the second part of a race – people who have gone out too fast, without a plan and not able to finish strong.
Adversity comes in the form of physical injuries or health, weather, equipment, or other challenges along the way. I’ve run races in the rain, snow and extreme heat and humidity. I’ve ended up with both hyponatremia and hypothermia – both of which were preventable, though somewhat inevitable while running in Antarctica or Singapore. I’ve started with injuries or picked them up along the way, but thankfully, none of them prevented me from finishing a race.
Celebrating success (but not too soon) is central to coming back to the goals at hand. I’ve been fortunate enough to raise my hands in sheer happiness while crossing the finish line in sixteen marathons, ultras and triathalons in the past six years. I’ve have also started celebrating too early (collapsing in pain at about mile 18 in Antarctica) and have had to focus on the goal at hand – finish.
Evaluating honestly and openly about the learnings from a race or a training run is important to progressing to the next level. I’ve learned how to dress better, eat and drink right, pace myself, train the right areas, and mental strength. My early marathons were run at times in the 5:30-5:50total time range. In December of this year, I was able to achieve a personal best of 3:54 in the CIM Marathon in Sacramento (despite being several years older 
)
Finally having fun and the ability to enjoy the journey and to laugh at myself along the way is the most important. I’ve run big parts of races with a big smile on my face and enjoying the whole experience, views, camaraderie and achievement – while continuing to push myself. I’ve had to laugh at myself when I’ve tripped and nearly done a somersault, but to keep going.
I’ve given several talks at work about the relevance of climbing and running to projects, development schedules and campaigns. I work hard to be a leader that empowers people to stretch themselves for a common goal and cause. I encourage the team to have the right preparation and education while being ready to make adjustments in direction as times dictate. For anyone that has worked in the IT or Telecommunications industry for the past two decades can attest, overcoming adversity and being ready to take on the next opportunity, is just part of the job.
Those companies and organizations that can adapt, execute, learn and have fun while doing so are the winners today and will be the ones that survive and thrive during the current economic situation throughout the next years.
I’m always looking to the next challenge and opportunity, and running has made me a better asset to the company by being able to put energy and endurance into everything I do, while meeting immediate targets. The ability to see a team that I am leading and personally contributing to reach its goals is an immense satisfaction that I look forward to for many years to come.
Dear Mitch,
After reading on the internet that you have comp;eted marathons on all seven continents and summited five of the seven summits , I am most impressed. Do you intend to climb Vinson Massif and Mount Everest to complete the double continental grand slam. If you do intend to make the final two ascents I wish you the best of luck , and successful summiting, but even more importantly getting back down the mountains alive and in good health. From reading your article you obviously have all the ingredients necessary to accomplish such a goal, these include determination, combined with patience,courage,but not foolhardiness , persistance and stamina, and athe capacity to put in the long hard hours of training. Yuo also show the ability to look after yourself and a good understanding of your chosen sports, both of which are vital.
I believe that you have the ability to fulfil your dream. Do not overestimate the final two mountains , as confidence is important. Confidence is not arrogance . Arrogance is a dangerous trait to have and it is very different to confidence. Even more importantly do not underestimate the mountains. People who underestimate mountains usually pay a heavy price , often with their lives. Remember that if you are unable to reach the summit on the first attempt that the mountain will always be there to be climbed at a later date. Safety is more important than success, there are plenty of bold climbers, and there are plenty of old climbers , but there are very few old, bold climbers.
My advice for Mount Everest is, firstly and most importantly go with a team that has a good reputation .At altitude drink plenty of water, dehydration thickens the blood and aggravates the effects of altitude sickness. Never be in a hurry at extreme altitudes. Moving fast at extreme altitudecan aggravate high altitude sickness. Physical fitness can be an asset at extreme altitudes , contrary to what many books say, but physical fitness is an asset at high altitude when and only when the body is acclimatised enough to that altitude to be able to increase the effort without getting altitude sick. Physical fitness will not increase the rate of acclimatisation. Also important is hygiene. Always take a supply of purrell or some other brand of alcoholid hand wash and wash your hands with it before eating and after going to the toilet. Also put your trekking boots in a separate pack, do not stuff them in directly against your clothes in your pack. If you can avoid stomach and intestinal bugs in a third world country your chances of success will be much higher. It is difficult to recover from the effects of a bug at very high altitudes. Finally although the ability to endure adversity is important as plenty of adversity has to be faced on Mount Everest, it is also important to make yourself as comfortable as possible and suffer as little adversity as possible. A good comparison would be with a champion boxer who must have both the abilty to take plenty of hard punches and the ability to avoid getting punched very often .
Remember Proper prior preparation prevents piss poor performance.
I wish you the best of luck and every success.
Kindest regardfs and all the best
John Gluckman
Dear Mitch,
After reading on the internet that you have comp;eted marathons on all seven continents and summited five of the seven summits , I am most impressed. Do you intend to climb Vinson Massif and Mount Everest to complete the double continental grand slam. If you do intend to make the final two ascents I wish you the best of luck , and successful summiting, but even more importantly getting back down the mountains alive and in good health. From reading your article you obviously have all the ingredients necessary to accomplish such a goal, these include determination, combined with patience,courage,but not foolhardiness , persistance and stamina, and athe capacity to put in the long hard hours of training. Yuo also show the ability to look after yourself and a good understanding of your chosen sports, both of which are vital.
I believe that you have the ability to fulfil your dream. Do not overestimate the final two mountains , as confidence is important. Confidence is not arrogance . Arrogance is a dangerous trait to have and it is very different to confidence. Even more importantly do not underestimate the mountains. People who underestimate mountains usually pay a heavy price , often with their lives. Remember that if you are unable to reach the summit on the first attempt that the mountain will always be there to be climbed at a later date. Safety is more important than success, there are plenty of bold climbers, and there are plenty of old climbers , but there are very few old, bold climbers.
My advice for Mount Everest is, firstly and most importantly go with a team that has a good reputation .At altitude drink plenty of water, dehydration thickens the blood and aggravates the effects of altitude sickness. Never be in a hurry at extreme altitudes. Moving fast at extreme altitudecan aggravate high altitude sickness. Physical fitness can be an asset at extreme altitudes , contrary to what many books say, but physical fitness is an asset at high altitude when and only when the body is acclimatised enough to that altitude to be able to increase the effort without getting altitude sick. Physical fitness will not increase the rate of acclimatisation. Also important is hygiene. Always take a supply of purrell or some other brand of alcoholid hand wash and wash your hands with it before eating and after going to the toilet. Also put your trekking boots in a separate pack, do not stuff them in directly against your clothes in your pack. If you can avoid stomach and intestinal bugs in a third world country your chances of success will be much higher. It is difficult to recover from the effects of a bug at very high altitudes. Finally although the ability to endure adversity is important as plenty of adversity has to be faced on Mount Everest, it is also important to make yourself as comfortable as possible and suffer as little adversity as possible. A good comparison would be with a champion boxer who must have both the abilty to take plenty of hard punches and the ability to avoid getting punched very often .
Remember Proper prior preparation prevents piss poor performance.
I wish you the best of luck and every success.
Kindest regards and all the best.
John Gluckman
Hows the Everest/Vinson planning coming along?
Best wishes from the two of us in UK
Hi Sam! Planning on Vinson Dec 10 and Everest May-June 11. Should be good timing work-wise and getting settled in here at Microsoft . hope to plant their flag on the summit!