Running
Running has become more than a physical practice for Tom Willner—it's a proving ground for the resilience and endurance he teaches. Every training run, every race, every moment of pushing through fatigue mirrors the larger philosophy he brings to his speaking and music: that transformation happens one step at a time, and that showing up consistently matters more than any single performance.
For over a decade, Tom has pursued running across road, trail, and ultramarathon distances, not just to test his physical limits but to deepen his understanding of what it means to endure. The lessons learned at mile 20 of a marathon or hour five of an ultramarathon inform how he approaches challenges in every area of life—from recovering after cancer to helping others find their own path through adversity.
Running as Philosophy
Tom's approach to running reflects the same principles he applies to life and work:
Progress is incremental. No one wakes up ready to run 50 kilometers. Endurance is built through countless training runs, early mornings, and the willingness to start from wherever you are. Tom teaches that the same principle applies to any meaningful goal—whether it's recovering from illness, learning a new skill, or leading organizational change.
Setbacks are part of the journey. Injuries happen. Races don't go as planned. Weather turns. Tom has learned to treat these disruptions not as failures but as opportunities to adapt, reset, and try again. This resilience—the ability to recalibrate and keep moving forward—is central to everything he does.
The long view matters most. Running isn't about one fast mile or one perfect race. It's about building a practice that can be sustained across years and seasons. Tom measures success not in podium finishes but in consistency, growth over time, and the ability to show up even when progress feels slow.
Community and solitude both have value. Some of Tom's most meaningful runs have been alone on trails at dawn, providing space for reflection and clarity. Others have been surrounded by tens of thousands at major races, drawing energy from shared purpose. Both experiences teach something essential about the balance between individual effort and collective support.
The Journey So Far
Tom has completed over 50 races across a wide range of distances and environments, from fast road 5Ks to grueling 50-kilometer ultramarathons. His racing experience includes:
Road Racing: Mile, 5K, 10K, 15K, 10-mile, half marathon, and marathon distances, including repeated participation in Atlanta's iconic AJC Peachtree Road Race.
Trail & Ultra Endurance: Trail half marathons, trail marathons, and multiple 50K ultramarathons—races that demand not just physical stamina but mental fortitude and adaptability to challenging terrain and conditions.
Among his most significant milestones: a marathon personal best of 3:49:15 at the Kiawah Island Marathon and the successful completion of multiple 50K ultramarathons, each requiring over five hours of sustained effort and focus.
Tom's results have been consistently competitive across events of all sizes—from small, intimate trail races to national events with 40,000+ participants. He typically finishes in the top 10-20% overall and maintains strong performances within his age division, demonstrating that showing up prepared and focused yields results regardless of the field.
The Numbers
For those who appreciate the metrics, here's a snapshot of Tom's personal records across distances:
These times reflect years of consistent training, strategic racing, and the understanding that personal records aren't endpoints—they're mile markers on a longer journey.
What Running Teaches
A stress fracture discovered mid-race led to months in a walking boot—and taught Tom that resilience isn't about ignoring limitations, but about adapting and showing up anyway.
Every run teaches something. Some days, it's about pushing through discomfort. Other days, it's about knowing when to ease back and let the body recover. Tom has learned that the same intelligence applies to life beyond running: knowing when to push, when to rest, when to recalibrate, and when to simply trust the process.
The parallels between running and the work Tom does as a speaker are profound. Both require preparation, presence, adaptability, and the willingness to be uncomfortable in service of growth. Both demand honesty about where you are and commitment to where you're going. And both remind us that endurance—whether physical, emotional, or creative—is built through practice, patience, and the courage to keep showing up.
Running has taught Tom that resilience isn't about never struggling. It's about learning to move forward even when the path is hard, the pace is slower than you'd like, and the finish line feels impossibly far away. It's about trusting that each step matters, even when you can't yet see the progress you're making.
These are the lessons Tom brings to audiences, teams, and individuals seeking their own breakthroughs—lessons learned not in a boardroom or on a stage, but on roads, trails, and quiet mornings when the only choice is to lace up and begin again.
Looking Forward
Tom continues to run not because he's chasing records or accolades, but because running remains one of his most honest teachers. It keeps him grounded, focused, and connected to the simple truth that meaningful work—whether crossing a finish line, composing a song, or helping someone find their way through a difficult season—requires showing up, doing the work, and trusting the process.
For Tom, running is both practice and proof: that transformation is possible, that resilience can be cultivated, and that the journey matters as much as the destination.
