As the founder of a company called Being at Full Potential, part of my job description is to keep stretching myself in new ways, embrace challenges, and continuously strive to unlock more of my own potential.
Earlier this year, I embarked on such a journey when I accepted my son’s invitation to run my first ever marathon in Berlin. What began as a personal challenge quickly evolved into something far more meaningful, something that would transform the relationship with my 20-year-old son, Oscar, in ways I could not have anticipated.
The plan he laid out for me would result in finishing the race within 3 hours and 35 minutes. At first, I resisted. In my mind this target was completely unrealistic. But as any great coach would do, he encouraged me to focus on the process and not so much on the end result. He reassured me that if I trusted him and followed the detailed 16-week training plan he laid out, everything would fall into place.
Week by week, we worked together, building up my mileage, speed, and endurance, as well as refining my diet and sleep. As I focused on each step of the plan, something unexpected began to happen. Not only did I feel my physical and mental strength growing, but I also began to see my son in a whole new light. The dynamic between us shifted. I found myself leaning on his incredible wisdom, trusting in his ability to guide me toward a goal that seemed out of reach.
By week 12, something else shifted. What had seemed an impossible task (running 42.2KM within 3h35mins) no longer felt out of reach. I started to believe that his ambitious time goal might actually be possible!
Come race day, I was ready. The Garmin watch, now my favorite accessory, indicated that I was “peaking” (ie, the best possible condition for the race). In fact, the marathon time it predicted for me was even faster than the ambitious plan I had been training for. With my son and his friend cheering me on, I was hitting all the right marks and feeling amazing. The energy from the crowd was electrifying, and I was soaking up every high-five along the way.
But then, around the 35-kilometer mark, I hit the infamous “wall.” I couldn’t stomach another energy gel, my head pounded from the noise, and all I wanted was silence. I had to slow down, even walk at times. The first aid stations, with their stretchers, looked far more appealing than the finish line.
In my mind, I was failing—failing myself, and worse, letting my son down. But somehow, I kept moving forward, one step at a time, until finally, I crossed the finish line. I had completed the race in under 4 hours, but in that moment, I was too physically and mentally drained to feel any sense of accomplishment.
It wasn’t until later that evening, when I had a moment to reflect, that I realized the true value of the experience. Yes, I had finished, and yes, I had hit the wall—but more than anything, I had grown as a father, a runner and a student of “Full Potential Living.”
What stayed with me the most was the journey I had shared with my son. Surrendering to his wisdom and allowing him to take the lead was a profound role reversal—one that allowed him to step into his brilliance as a coach and me to rediscover a deeper connection with my son. What started as a physical challenge became a way for us to bond on a completely new level.
This marathon also reminded me why we all need coaches—people who can see possibilities we might not yet be able to envision. It reinforced the importance of trusting the process, even when it feels uncomfortable. Most of all, it showed me that the greatest breakthroughs often happen when we’re willing to let go and allow others, even our children, to guide us toward our full potential.
Oh, and by the way, Oscar is taking new clients. If you’re looking for a coach who can unlock your running potential, and maybe even help you discover something deeper along the way, feel free to reach out and experience his coaching magic for yourself!
