Running Taught me a lot Recently

By Femi Royal

… small changes can have compounding effects even quickly

Can you imagine the feeling at the finishing line?

A few years ago, I couldn’t last five minutes on a treadmill. Not because I lacked motivation but because my body was failing me. A routine heart rate test in 2019 had to be stopped early, and I was facing health issues serious enough to almost claim my life. Fast forward to last Sunday: I ran 21.1 kilometres and finished my first half marathon in 2:01:36. That gap between almost giving up and finishing strong is where I learned the true meaning of continuous improvement otherwise known as constant small changes.

As a Digital technology professional in the UK’s public sector, I spend my time analysing systems, improving processes, and driving incremental change. But running has taught me something no framework or methodology ever could: progress is not theoretical, it is lived, step by step, under pressure, when it would be easier to stop. Continuous improvement is not a concept you understand in meetings; it’s a discipline you prove in motion.

L-R: Jan 31 Park run result and March 21 result — Almost 11 minutes difference.
My journey restarted in the last week of January with a simple decision: show up to Parkrun. My first attempt at a 5k run was done in 32 minutes, finishing 119th out of 200 — average at best. Five races later, I ran my most recent parkrun 5k race in 23 minutes and finished 26th. No miracle training plan. No sudden breakthrough. Just small, consistent adjustments: slightly better pacing, more controlled breathing, a stronger final push. In the world of digital delivery, we call this iteration. In reality, it’s much simpler: consistency compounds faster than talent.
What makes this transformation meaningful is how far it stretches from where I started. Today, I can run 15km comfortably, but there was a time when even a few minutes felt impossible. The real shift wasn’t just physical, it was identity. I stopped seeing myself as someone recovering and started behaving like someone improving. That distinction matters. Because once you change your identity, your actions begin to align and once your actions align, your results follow.

Race day itself was far from perfect. There were moments where my legs felt heavy, where my pace dropped, and where doubt tried to negotiate a way out. But this time, I didn’t stop, I adapted. I managed the discomfort, adjusted my effort, and kept moving forward. Crossing the line at 2:01:36 wasn’t just a personal best; it was evidence that progress compounds, consistency beats intensity, and most limits are simply outdated assumptions we haven’t challenged yet.

I also wasn’t alone in that lesson. My friend Danny ran the same race with a knee injury, against medical advice, and still finished few minutes behind me. While I wouldn’t recommend ignoring professional guidance, what Danny demonstrated was undeniable: resilience is not about perfect conditions, it’s about commitment when conditions are far from perfect. Sometimes, the real performance isn’t in how fast you run, but in your refusal to quit.

This experience has reshaped how I think about continuous improvement, not just in running, but in my work and in life. You don’t go from 32 minutes to 23 minutes overnight. You don’t go from failing a treadmill test to finishing a half marathon in one leap. And you don’t transform systems, careers, or organisations through intention alone. You improve by showing up, making small changes, learning quickly, and repeating the process relentlessly. Because over time, those small steps don’t just change your performance, they change your belief in what’s possible.

Footnote

I am still trying to hit my unbelievable £1000 target with about 19% to hit the target. I decided to go this far to honor my late mum’s memory, Mrs Comfort and to join support Royal Berkshire Charity to help people struggling with reproductive health issue to access the best care possible.