Last weekend I was on the Cornish coast, somewhere between Mousehole and Land’s End, learning a lesson I didn’t particularly want – but probably needed. I went into the Arc of Attrition knowing it would be hard. I didn’t go in expecting to stop. Yet 58 miles in, in the dark, battered by Storm Ingrid, I made the call to record my first ever DNF.
This edition is shaped by that experience – not as a dramatic race report, but as a reflection on limits, decision-making, and what actually counts when things get uncomfortable.
The Arc of Attrition – Knowing When to Stop
At 4am, with my knee deteriorating fast, the questions became very simple. Could I continue? Yes. Would I finish? No. And was pushing on likely to cost me more than the race itself? Almost certainly.
This wasn’t about toughness. It was about judgement.
I’d designed this challenge to find my edge – a swim further than I’d ever gone, nine consecutive 100-mile bike days, and then 100 miles of technical coastal running in brutal conditions. Storm Ingrid delivered 50mph winds, sideways rain, and trails that felt closer to obstacle courses than footpaths.
By the time I reached Land’s End, I knew the next section was remote, exposed, and unforgiving. Continuing would have been about ego, not outcome. So I stopped.
It didn’t feel like failure. It felt like clarity. Painful data, but data nonetheless.
What I’ve Been Reading
I re-read Awaken the Giant Within recently, and it landed differently in the context of the Arc. Robbins talks a lot about standards – what we tolerate, what we expect, and what we decide in moments that matter. Endurance, whether in sport or business, isn’t about constant intensity. It’s about making good decisions when motivation fades and friction rises.
TED Talk I’ve Found Interesting
This talk reinforces something the race made very clear: performance isn’t just physical. A positive mental state doesn’t come after success – it creates the conditions for it. When things are hard, the way you frame the moment often determines how well you move through it. Watch it here.
What I’ve Been Watching
I loved the patience in this series. Nothing is rushed. Progress comes from methodical work, teamwork, and respect for the environment you’re operating in. Watching it after the Arc was a good reminder that sustainable progress usually looks quieter than we expect. Watch it here.
Quote of the Week
“Sometimes stopping is not quitting – it’s choosing to continue another day.” – Unknown
Tech I’ve Found Useful
One of the lessons reinforced last weekend is that energy is finite. SocialBee does a good job of reducing unnecessary drain – helping you plan, reuse, and stay consistent without constant attention. Less effort, more return. Always a good trade.
The Trusted Team
The Arc of Attrition is brutal precisely because it strips things back to essentials: movement, fuel, decisions, and support. Business isn’t that different.
The 2.0 version of my Entrepreneurial Happiness book tackles what happens when entrepreneurs carry too much for too long – when passion quietly turns into pressure. The answer isn’t grinding harder; it’s building a better support structure. Systems, people, and habits that remove unnecessary strain so effort compounds rather than depletes.
Just like an ultra, longevity comes from pacing, perspective, and knowing when to adjust.
Last weekend reminded me that limits aren’t enemies – they’re information. The real skill isn’t pretending they don’t exist but listening to them early enough to make a better next decision. The Arc of Attrition didn’t give me the ending I’d imagined, but it gave me clarity. And that, in the long run, might be far more valuable.
Until next time.
