This past weekend, more than 11,000 people participated in the Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon. Among them were two first-time marathon runners and colleagues at The Bailey Group—Founder and CEO Leigh Bailey and Operations and Accounting Manager Kaylee Thomsen.

The daughter of a record-breaking high jumper and track and field coach, Thomsen has participated in foot races since she was 5 years old; Bailey took up running in 2005 as a way to reduce stress. Both completed half marathons and felt a nagging desire to take their running game to the next level. Earlier this year, Thomsen initiated a conversation with Bailey about signing up for the Twin Cities Marathon together. “It seemed less daunting to take it on with someone else,” she said. Bailey agreed. “I thought, if she is willing to make the commitment, so am I,” he said.

Though the two trained solo, they checked in about their early morning and weekend runs nearly every day for the past four months. They also shared resources and tips to help with the training process, and they kept each other accountable. Both felt that having the race in common helped them to understand and appreciate each other more. And the process of training for and running the marathon provided some valuable leadership lessons:

1. Competition is healthy. Though the two didn’t compete against each other, both are competitive by nature. For Bailey, tackling his marathon goal was about achieving something that many of his friends had already crossed off their bucket list. Thomsen’s family challenged her after she completed a half marathon. “You never do anything halfway,” they teased. Those influences inspired both runners to push themselves further and to work harder.
2. Planning is crucial. Training for a marathon requires a serious commitment of time and effort. Both Bailey and Thomsen followed a detailed plan. For Thomsen, it was addictive. “Every week I was running further, taking myself to the next level,” she said. “It allowed me to expand my perception of what I was capable of, both physically and mentally.” Bailey said trusting the process was important for him. “You don’t ever run the full distance in your training, so at some point you just have faith and believe that the plan will work and what you have done will be enough to get you through.”
3. Self-discipline is everything. Both runners had the same end goal—finishing the race—and concluded that the only way to get there was to practice self-discipline. Bailey’s strong achievement drive kicked in and got him out of bed on weekend mornings when he couldn’t bear the thought of lacing up his running shoes. Thomsen viewed self-discipline as a muscle, so she exercised it daily to make it stronger. “Greatness is built on doing one thing over and over,” she said.
4. What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. From Bailey’s perspective a marathon is not unlike many of the challenges experienced in life. “There are times when it’s painful and you feel like you might not be able to go on,” he said, “so you tell yourself you have to keep going—even when it’s hard—and you learn that you can endure significant discomfort and make it through difficult circumstances.” Thomsen agreed. “It teaches you that you can rely on yourself to get through any situation.”
5. Never stop having fun. Finding joy in life is essential, even in the midst of a momentous physical and mental feat. Thomsen summed up training for a marathon as her best decision of 2015 and race day ranks at the top for her as well. “I loved the whole experience,” she said. “I had a grin on my face the entire time.” Bailey expressed his elation on the final leg of the race by singing along to John Denver’s “Take Me Home, Country Roads” at the top of his lungs.