Leadership Lessons from the Austin International Half Marathon

Jessica Smith
Jun 25
6 min read

In April 2022, I met some of my best friends in Athens, Greece and ran my first half marathon. Experienced runners will tell you that once you run one race, you usually catch the “race bug” and immediately start thinking about the next one.

Since then, I’ve run one half marathon every year—except 2025, when I injured my knee skiing.

This year felt different because of that injury. I started training almost five months in advance to make sure my knees were strong enough to handle the distance again after the over-rotation tear from the year before.

Race day finally came.

Two hours and sixteen minutes later, I crossed the finish line with a personal record.

But even with the PR, the race itself was full of lessons.

So instead of one big leadership takeaway, here are the lessons the race gave me—one mile at a time.

Mile 1 — Trust Your Own Pace

Fifteen minutes before the race started, everyone lined up behind pacers based on the time they hoped to finish.

I lined up behind the slower pace group because I didn’t fully trust myself yet.

But once the race started and I finally broke away from that group, everything changed.

Sometimes leadership starts with trusting your own rhythm instead of borrowing someone else’s.

Mile 2 — Always Find the Beauty

It was freezing that morning.

And when I say freezing, I mean freezing by Austin standards. This past winter we maybe had five days total where temperatures even hit 30 degrees—and race day happened to be one of them. So even with all the training, my body simply was not used to running in that kind of cold.

My legs felt stiff almost immediately.

But around Mile 2, shortly after the race started, I looked up and saw the sunrise breaking across the course and suddenly everything shifted. For a few minutes, instead of focusing on how cold I was or how far I still had to go, I was just present in the moment.

And honestly, it helped me keep going.

That mile reminded me that there is beauty everywhere if we are willing to look for it—even in difficult moments.

Mile 3 — Let People Make Space for You

At one point I drifted slightly outside the running lane and a car started coming through.

Before I even fully reacted, the runners around me adjusted their own positions to create space for me.

People talk a lot about “taking up space.” But that moment reminded me that sometimes you do not have to force it.

Sometimes if you move forward confidently and stay your course, the people around you naturally adjust.

And sometimes leadership is less about demanding support and more about trusting your community enough to let them show up for you.

Mile 4 — Comparison Is a Distraction

There was a woman in a peach sports bra who kept passing me…then falling behind…then passing me again.

Eventually I started doubting myself.

Wait…am I slowing down? Am I speeding up too much? Should I adjust my pace?

Without even realizing it, I started changing my race based on someone else’s.

And that was the problem.

Leadership gets dangerous when you become so focused on what everyone else is doing that you lose connection to your own rhythm, strategy, and pace.

Mile 5 — Words Create Energy

There is something unexpectedly emotional about strangers cheering for you.

Handmade signs. Random encouragement. People yelling things like “You’ve got this!” and “Power up!”

None of those people knew me personally.

But their words still mattered.

Leadership is the same way. Small moments of encouragement often carry more weight than we realize.

Mile 6 — Borrow Strength When You Need It

By Mile 6, I was starting to feel tired.

Then I saw six little girls standing in a row with their hands stretched out waiting for high fives.

And let me tell you something—I hit every single one.

It gave me an immediate burst of energy.

Sometimes leadership is not about pretending you are strong all the time.

Sometimes it is about being willing to reach back toward the people and moments that help refill you.

Mile 7 — You Can Regulate More Than You Think

Long-distance running is much more mental than physical.

Once you train for a race, your body can usually do it. The bigger challenge is managing the stories your brain starts telling you along the way.

Your muscles tighten. Your legs get heavy. You become hyper-aware of every discomfort happening in your body.

And if you are not careful, your brain starts building a narrative around that discomfort.

I realized during the race that leadership often works the same way.

You have to acknowledge what is happening honestly without letting it completely take over your mindset.

“Yes, my legs feel tight.” “Yes, I’m tired.” “And yes, I can still keep going.”

Mile 8 — Refuel

At some point, water stopped being enough.

I had to grab the terrible-tasting electrolyte drink they hand out during races—the one I normally avoid.

But the truth was simple: water alone was not going to get me to the finish line.

That mile reminded me that leadership requires the same honesty.

Sometimes what sustained you earlier in the journey is no longer enough for where you are now.

Mile 9 — Notice the People Who Keep Showing Up

There were people standing along the course holding the same signs for hours.

Cheering for strangers. Smiling. Encouraging people they would never meet again.

That kind of consistency is easy to overlook.

Leadership is not only about making space for the loudest voices or the people who naturally command attention.

It is also about having the awareness and gratitude to notice the people who quietly keep showing up over and over again.

Mile 10 — Let People Encourage You

Around Mile 10—arguably one of the hardest parts of the race—my Apple Watch rang.

It was my baby boy, Sebastian (he is actually 10 so far away from a baby age but will always be my baby).

At that point I was exhausted. You have already run far enough at mile 10 to feel completely drained, but you still have several miles left to go.

I answered and immediately told him, “Sebastian, I’m tired.”

Without hesitation he said:

“Mom, you can do this. Lock in and just keep running.”

And honestly? It hit me emotionally right there in the middle of the race.

The little boy I spend so much time encouraging was suddenly encouraging me.

And somehow, just hearing his voice gave me another burst of energy.

That moment reminded me how powerful encouragement can be—especially from the people who know and love us best.

Sometimes leadership is not about being the strong one all the time.

Sometimes it is about allowing yourself to be strengthened by others too.

Mile 11 — Be Honest About What You Need

Before the race, I told myself I was completely fine not having family waiting for me at the finish line.

That turned out to not be true.

At some point during difficult seasons, most of us need encouragement from people who love us.

There is strength in being honest enough to admit that.

Mile 12 — Protect Your Inputs

Near the end of the race, my playlist stopped working correctly and my music switched onto auto shuffle.

Suddenly songs I did not choose—and honestly did not even like—started playing while I was trying to finish strong.

It was surprisingly distracting.

Instead of focusing fully on the race, I found myself frustrated and fumbling with my watch trying to fix the music. Eventually I had to pull out my phone and completely restart the playlist.

That moment reminded me how much our environment and inputs affect our mindset.

Leadership gets harder when we allow too much noise, distraction, or negativity into our mental space—especially in moments that require focus most.

The Finish Line — Wait for Your People

After I finished, I waited almost an hour for my sisters to cross the finish line.

And honestly? I would do it again without hesitation.

Never stop cheering for the people you love.

Even when it costs you time. Even when it requires patience. Even when you finished first.

Because leadership is not just about how you perform individually.

It is also about who you are still standing beside at the end.

Final Thoughts

Leadership lessons do not always show up in conference rooms.

Sometimes they show up one mile at a time.

In trusting your pace. In regulating your mindset. In allowing people to support you. In protecting your focus. And in continuing to move forward even when your body and brain are both telling you to stop.

A half marathon teaches you very quickly that endurance is not just physical.

It is mental. Emotional. And deeply connected to the people around you.

Some miles feel powerful. Some feel uncomfortable. Some require you to lock in and simply survive the moment you are in.

But you keep running anyway.

And maybe that is one of the most important leadership lessons of all.

You Got This!

Jess