Your Pace. Reflections on Trail Running, and AI Empowerment
Your Pace. Reflections on Trail Running, and AI Empowerment
Recently, I participated in a trail-running race at a popular local festival. This was my second time joining the 15 km race involving two steep peaks and two water stations along the way. I started to love trail running the past two years, developed the interest from my decade-long passion for road running. I took it up to spice up my training, strengthen different muscle groups, and embrace the unknown challenges of the trails.
Trail running is definitely at another level compare to road - not only offering the breathtaking scenery and countenance with nature (like meeting clans of kangaroos) but also for its unpredictability. Unlike road running, where surfaces are even and predictable, trail running involve rocks and pot holes, which demands adaptability and a heightened awareness of the terrains. However, it also comes with risks, such as injuries from missteps or overexertion. To enjoy it fully, intentional training and preparation are crucial.
Building Systems for the Long Run
Over the years, I’ve learned that running - especially long-distance running - isn’t just about setting a goal and hoping to achieve it. It’s about building the systems that make success possible. When I first started running as a couch potato, I couldn’t even sustain 10 minutes. I had to build my endurance step by step: one minute of running, one minute of walking, gradually increasing the running intervals until I could sustain a full 10 minutes. Over time, this steady approach allowed me to run longer distances and find joy in the process.
“We don’t rise to the level of our goals; we rise to the level of our systems” - James Clear in Atomic Habits. I learnt that regardless running or life in general - is about creating consistent, incremental improvement to toward goals. The result will be the snapshot of our current system.
This principle also applies to Generative AI (GenAI). GenAI is not a silver bullet or a shortcut to guaranteed results. Being probabilistic rather than deterministic, it provides possibilities rather than certainties. Its value lies not in individual moments of brilliance but in its ability to enable and elevate a well-designed system. Much like running, GenAI technologies require thoughtful integration into workflows, deliberate training and people enablement, and continuous improvement to yield meaningful outcomes.
Listening to the System: Adaptability in Running and AI
In running, I’ve learned to listen to my body - to recognize signs of fatigue, tensions on my muscle, monitor my heart rate, and adjust my training based on how I feel. This observability is critical, especially when facing the risks of injury. For example, I once strained a tendon in my heel because I overtrained my calf muscle without considering the impact on the rest of my leg and foot. I optimized locally on one muscle group, but increased the stress and pressure of the nearby tendon and muscle. That experience reminded me of the importance of system thinking - understanding how every part of the system (in this case, my leg and foot) interacts and contributes to overall performance.
The same principle applies to systems that use GenAI technology. GenAI is an enabler of systems excellence, not a standalone heroic capability. Its strength lies in its ability to integrate into workflows, rapid adaptability to context, and amplify the existing efforts. However, for GenAI to be effective, it requires end-to-end analysis of the current state such as value stream, pinpoints where the challenges are, emulate that if GenAI is applied to a particular challenge, identify which supporting areas also need to be elevated. Just as over-optimizing one part of a system (like focusing on my calf only) can lead to imbalances (straining my tendons), using GenAI without considering the broader consideration can create unexpected constraints or unintended consequences.
Excellence Is a Habit, Not an Act
In running, reaching personal record comes from consistent effort. “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit” - Aristotle. This resonates deeply with me in running. Training isn’t about one-off intensive workshop; it’s about the discipline of showing up regularly and iterating on what works.
Similarly, GenAI achieves its potential not through one-off implementation but part of the rhythm of the business in continuous learning and improvement. GenAI excels when it is treated as an enabler of systemic innovation. Beyond program delivery, to take advantage of GenAI requires systematic pursue of excellence.
Celebrating Milestones and Incremental Growth
One of the joys of running is celebrating progress. Whether it’s completing a 5K, 10K, or a marathon, every milestone or deserves recognition. These moments keep me motivated and remind me how far I’ve come. For me, running isn’t about winning or ranking over others - it’s about continuously improving my personal best.
In the world of GenAI, we should adopt a similar mindset. Instead of viewing GenAI as a tool to outperform DORA’s elite performers, we should celebrate its role in enabling incremental growth in the system. When GenAI helps an organization to brainstorm better solutions for the market segment, generate content, or automate repetitive tasks, it’s not just a milestone for technology but a demonstration to the strength of the systems we’ve built around it.
What GenAI Can Learn from Trail Running
Trail running has taught me valuable lessons that extend beyond running alone. Here’s how these lessons apply to GenAI:
Focus on Systems, Not Just Goals: Goals provide direction, but systems drive progress. Whether in running or AI, success depends on building habits, workflows, and systems that enable continuous improvement.
Adaptability is Key: Be willing to adjust your approach based on feedback. In running, this means listening to your body; in applying GenAI, it means building observability early, understand what the metrics are saying, and evolving system and process (and culture) proactively.
Celebrate Progress: Whether it’s completing a race or successfully deploying an GenAI system, recognize achievements along the way. Incremental growth matters more than momentary wins.
Avoid Over-Optimization: Focusing too much on one metric - like one muscle group in running or local optimization in GenAI - can lead to imbalances. Strive for holistic improvement and alignment with long-term goals.
Generative AI as an Enabler: GenAI should not be seen as a standalone or heroic capability. Instead, it should be viewed as a system enabler - a technology that supports broader system workflows and collaboration.
Final Thoughts
Running has transformed my mind and body. It has taught me to embrace the habits, pace myself, and celebrate along the journey. Similarly, GenAI is not about instant gratification or quick wins; it’s about building systems that enable creativity, innovation, and operational excellence.
Whether you’re running trails or integrating GenAI into your organization, the principles are the same: intentional planning, continuous improvement, and celebrate in the process will carry you farther than you ever imagined. So, what’s your pace? Are you building the systems that will empower you for the long run? Whether it’s for your personal growth or the systems you create, remember: progress is a journey, not a destination.