Karin,

Great post!

As both a CEO and ironman triathlete, a lot of what you shared resonate with me. My athletic journey has certainly lessened a lot of the pressures experienced in work. There are a couple of key benefits that leaders can expect when pursuing a concurrent athletic career. First, the lessons they learn by pushing themselves both physically and mentally tend to normalize a lot of the other pressures they face. After a 20+ hour training week, most minor irritations are just that... pretty minor. The other attraction is that it provides is an outlet that they have direct control over. This benefit can't be overstated. In a era of constant change, leaders need areas where 'personal' progress is quantifiable on a daily basis.

Mark