Racing to Success: What Ironman Taught Me About Data, Resilience, and Business Growth

Thank you for reading my latest article Racing to Success: What Ironman Taught Me About Data, Resilience, and Business Growth

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Last weekend, over 2,000 athletes lined up to participate in Ironman Wales. Known for its brutal difficulty, not everyone would have crossed the finish line. With a grueling 180km bike ride that includes 8,870 feet of elevation gain and a marathon run that piles on another 2,289 feet, Ironman Wales is consistently ranked as one of the world’s toughest triathlon events. Even the 3.8km open water swim feels like it’s uphill.

A few years back, I was fortunate enough to complete this Ironman, crossing it off my bucket list. As someone who has always thrived in competitive sports — starting with running, then progressing to cycling — triathlon was an inevitable step for me. Training for Ironman Wales and other triathlon events, I was inundated with data. Metrics like heart rate, sleep quality, anaerobic vs. aerobic effort, stroke length, run cadence, and watts per kilogram flooded in, making it a challenge to extract meaningful insights from the noise. But when race day finally arrives, you focus on controlling the variables that are within your power — things like rest, nutrition, and training consistency — and let go of what you can’t control, like weather conditions or a mechanical failure on the bike.

In many ways, sport is a powerful metaphor for life. We learn to “control the controllables.” Through endurance sports, I’ve discovered a lot about myself — my mental toughness, resilience, and ability to adapt when things don’t go as planned. These are not just lessons for sport; they’re highly transferable to business and life. When a race doesn’t go your way, you pivot, adjust, and move forward. The same holds true in the corporate world, where navigating challenges requires resilience and adaptability.

Recently, I had a conversation with Snowflake about our work with Australian Football League (AFL) teams and how they’re leveraging data to gain a competitive edge. The use of data in sports is fascinating, from improving fan engagement to player performance analysis. For instance, AFL teams are now using both quantitative measures — such as GPS data that tracks distance run, speed, and positioning during matches and training — and qualitative metrics, including players’ self-reported wellness and coaches’ evaluations. These insights are then used to tailor training programs, manage player load, and even personalize fan experiences.

This brings to mind Amazon’s “Just Walk Out” technology, which has transformed how fans interact with stadium concessions. In an effort to reduce long queues, Amazon allows fans to simply grab the refreshments they want and leave, with the transaction happening automatically. This not only improves the fan experience but also boosts stadium revenue by speeding up the process. It’s a perfect example of how technology and data can be harnessed to enhance customer satisfaction in real-time.

In many ways, the data you gather in a triathlon is similar to the data collected in business. Think of it like training for Ironman: as an athlete, you’re constantly collecting information — heart rate, pacing, nutrition, and recovery. Over time, patterns emerge, and you begin to understand which variables you can tweak for better performance. In business, especially when working with vast amounts of data like that from AFL teams or Amazon’s retail operations, it’s all about identifying key insights amid the noise. With all the available data, the challenge lies in filtering the actionable insights from irrelevant information and using that to make informed decisions that drive outcomes, whether that’s boosting fan engagement or improving operational efficiency.

Sport, in general, offers countless metaphors for life and business. It teaches perseverance, how to handle adversity, and the importance of long-term vision — qualities that are essential both in the boardroom and in everyday life. Much like in an Ironman, where no single data point guarantees success, in business, it’s about consistently analyzing performance, making adjustments, and showing up prepared, regardless of the circumstances.

In my daily work across industries like finance, retail, and pharmaceuticals, the environment may be different from the world of sports, but the principles are the same. You focus on what you can control, learn from setbacks, and keep pushing forward. Sometimes, like in sports, you even get a pleasant surprise — like the signed jersey I recently received from one of the AFL teams I’ve had the pleasure of working with for the past two years.

At the end of the day, whether you’re racing in Ironman Wales or pushing forward in a business challenge, the journey is filled with opportunities for growth. The data you collect — whether from your body or your business — serves as a compass, guiding you through adversity and towards success.

To stay up to date with the latest business and tech trends in data and analytics, make sure to subscribe to my newsletter, follow me on LinkedIn, and YouTube, and, if you’re interested, stay ahead in the tech job market with my latest book, Future-Proof: Navigating the Next Generation Tech Job Landscape. I break down how emerging technologies like quantum computing and AI will reshape the industry. Get your copy here on Amazon.

About Adam Morton

Adam Morton is an experienced data leader and author in the field of data and analytics with a passion for delivering tangible business value. Over the past two decades Adam has accumulated a wealth of valuable, real-world experiences designing and implementing enterprise-wide data strategies, advanced data and analytics solutions as well as building high-performing data teams across the UK, Europe, and Australia.

Adam’s continued commitment to the data and analytics community has seen him formally recognised as an international leader in his field when he was awarded a Global Talent Visa by the Australian Government in 2019.

Today, Adam is dedicated to helping his clients to overcome challenges with data while extracting the most value from their data and analytics implementations. You can find out more information by visiting his website here.

He has also developed a signature training program that includes an intensive online curriculum, weekly live consulting Q&A calls with Adam, and an exclusive mastermind of supportive data and analytics professionals helping you to become an expert in Snowflake. If you’re interested in finding out more, check out the latest Mastering Snowflake details.