
Episode 59 From miles to milestones: Finding rhythm - the pace of leadership
From The Tom’s Life Lab Podcast by tomslifelab
April 8, 2026 · 2 min · Episode 59
About this episode
Tom reflects on the importance of pace in both running and leadership, emphasizing the need to recognize and respond to one's natural rhythm.
In this third episode of Tom’s life lab, Tom reflects on a simple but often overlooked idea in both running and leadership: pace. While training for the Manchester marathon, he’s following a structured plan; Some days focused on speed, others on distance, and some simply about getting the miles done. This particular run didn’t start well. The first mile felt heavy, his breathing was laboured, and nothing seemed to click. But instead of forcing it, he stayed with it. Gradually, his breathing settled, a rhythm emerged, and the run began to feel smoother, eventually even enjoyable. It’s a reminder that not every run, or every day, is meant to be fast. In leadership, there’s often pressure to operate at full speed all the time. But in reality, sustainable performance comes from knowing when to push, when to maintain, and when to slow down. This episode invites a shift in perspective, from constantly driving forward to learning how to recognise and respond to your natural rhythm.
People in this episode
Host: Tom
Topics covered
- leadership
- running
- pace
- sustainable performance
Keywords
- marathon
- training
- performance
- perspective
Mentioned in this episode
Places: Manchester
More episodes of The Tom’s Life Lab Podcast
- Episode 61 From miles to milestones: The finish line · April 22, 2026 · 2 min
- Episode 60 From miles to milestones: The quiet miles · April 15, 2026 · 2 min
- Episode 58 From miles to milestones: Running through resistance · April 1, 2026 · 2 min
- Episode 57 From miles to milestones: In flow - when leadership feels effortless · March 25, 2026 · 2 min
- Episode 56 Presence in life & leadership series: Staying present in difficult conversations · March 18, 2026 · 3 min
- Episode 55 Presence in life & leadership series: Managing our energy · March 11, 2026 · 2 min
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