Nik Marsh

@RoryStewartUK Fingers crossed I’ve got a copy waiting at home for Fathers Day. I dropped enough hints. 😜

So grateful to be at the top of the Sunday Times paperback list for #PoliticsOnTheEdge - thank you to everyone who has bought it - 🙏 - particularly to everyone who has used to raise questions about this bizarre election. Look forward to hearing more of what you think. 💭

Something so liberating about an early morning trail run on the coast path. #lovepembs

@LeggettMatthew @marathonDsables Indeed. A bit more Ivy the Terrible than Cuddles & Dimples, as it always is. Super brutal and an amazing challenge. Thanks for your interest.

@NikJMarsh @marathonDsables Carrying a sleeping bag & jacket you don’t need isn’t nice. Sounds like this year was a beano!

"It was a success!" ✨ The adventure has just come to an end! You can now find a summary of the adventure and the new features on this 38th edition of the MDS Legendary in Ian Corless' article. 👉 Read the article: iancorless.org/2024/04/25/mar…

@LeggettMatthew @marathonDsables That is a lot. As I say, changes by new organisation seem to be better placed to keep people in the race, especially during hotter days. Must have been nice to be able to sleep on sleeping bag, we had more extreme changes in temp and constant sand storms to deal with.

@NikJMarsh @marathonDsables Wow. I did 2023 and drop off was 35%!! That was a scorcher (sleeping on top of sleeping bag mostly) #MDS

@LeggettMatthew @marathonDsables Was super low around 60 out of 850 staters, so 7%-ish. Having done it before I would mostly put it down to new organisation and changes they made re. water distribution. Route was pretty tough and it got reasonably hot (not the hottest though).

@marathonDsables What as percentage of DNF this year please?

@marathonDsables Was a super well run event - congratulations to all involved!

Brutal but brilliant in equal measure!Hard to put into words how big a test of physical and mental resilience MdS is.

@AlexandreRiley Wow! Looks like it could be from a NY deli. 😋

If you're ever in the City (of London) get yourself over to Dom's Subs at Ludgate Circus. Oh my!

One powerful thought for the day…

With just over a week to go until we fly to Morocco, heat acclimation is in full swing. After surviving my first ever yoga session, held in a bouncy castle heated up to 37c, I am pretty sure I can handle anything the Sahara throws at me. 😅@hotpodyoga @marathonDsables

Always a bit of a debate as to whether a 9hr drive is going to be worth it for just a long weekend. Time to check-out of work and into the hills, and maybe even a sea swim to blow away the cobwebs. 8.2c in there though 🥶.

@adviser3point0_ @AshleaFinancial @AbrahamOnMoney Thanks for inviting me on. Hopefully the discussion is of some use to firms in a similar position.

Great fun talking to @AbrahamOnMoney about my career so far and @AFPLimited. My first ever podcast - not sure I'll be making a career of it 😅

@AlanJLSmith Great post Alan. Congrats on the race also. Sounds like an awesome event.

𝟏𝟗 𝐋𝐢𝐟𝐞 𝐋𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐤𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝟖𝟏𝐤𝐦 𝐚𝐜𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐀𝐫𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐜 𝐂𝐢𝐫𝐜𝐥𝐞: I've just returned from competing in one of the toughest endurance tests: the Arctic Circle Rat Race. 81 kilometres across deep snow in northern Finland and Norway by fatbike, cross-country skis and snowshoes. I learned so many lessons about myself and life in general. Here are some reflections; I hope you find them helpful: 1. 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐬 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 In business, as in extreme adventures, it pays to spend the time and effort to be as prepared as possible. Do your research, take your time, and leave nothing to chance. 2. 𝐃𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐛𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞. I’ve climbed many mountains, including Kilimanjaro, but this was by far the toughest physical experience of my life. But I did it, and I know that I could do it again. Challenges are an inevitable part of life, and sometimes, you need to be able to rely on your determination and resilience. 3. 𝐆𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐭 𝐎𝐮𝐭 I spent hours on end making slow progress across sometimes knee-deep snow. It was a huge effort to take a few steps; however, slowly but surely, I made progress one small step at a time. Sometimes, small, mundane, repetitive tasks seem pointless, but they compound over time. Keep moving forward. 4. 𝟗𝟎% 𝐨𝐟 𝐬𝐭𝐮𝐟𝐟 𝐝𝐨𝐞𝐬𝐧’𝐭 𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫 Sleeping in a tiny tent on the snow at minus 18 degrees tends to focus one's mind on what's truly important! Social media, 'likes', tweets, trolls, and insults - none of it matters in the end. Think about how you spend your time and aim to focus on what really matters. 5. 𝐏𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐝𝐢𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭 Our group comprised a diverse bunch from across the world - USA, Australia, Europe, and the UK. I'd never met most of them before, yet we all formed strong bonds, helped each other, and formed lasting friendships. Despite what you read in the media, it’s in our DNA to be kind and help our fellow humans. 6. 𝐌𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐆𝐚𝐩 When you’ve done 21 km across the snow and know you still have 10km to go before you stop for the day, it’s easy to feel despondent. In those moments, I’d turn around, see my footsteps stretching back as far as I could, and remind myself of how far I’d already come. Look back on the last few years and remind yourself how far you've come. 7. 𝐅𝐢𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐋𝐢𝐟𝐞 In business and in life, your health and fitness are vital. Things come at you fast, and you’ll need plenty of energy to handle the inevitable challenges. ‘If you don’t make time for wellness, you may have to make time for sickness’ 8. 𝐄𝐧𝐣𝐨𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐣𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐲 When I crossed the finishing line, I received a heavy bronze medal with ‘Arctic Circle Rat Race Finisher’ on it. It felt great to receive it, but I knew it was mainly symbolic. The real prize was the experience itself. In our rush to reach the finish line, we should remember to stop and ‘smell the roses’. Life is a journey that should be savoured one day at a time. 9. 𝐁𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐤 𝐢𝐭 𝐝𝐨𝐰𝐧. If you’re ever faced with a huge, seemingly impossible task, break it down into small steps. Setting off on a fatbike through deep snow early on Saturday morning, with so much ahead of me, felt overwhelming. But I knew if I made it to the first pitstop in 11km, I could take a break and prepare for the next stage. A journey of 1,000 miles begins with one step 10. 𝐓𝐞𝐚𝐦𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐦 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤 The Rat Race support crew was world-class and was there to help and support us on every step of the journey. Sometimes, I needed them to fix a broken ski or grab a hot drink to warm me up, and they never let me down. Surround yourself with the best people you can find - you will need them from time to time. 11. 𝐘𝐨𝐮’𝐫𝐞 𝐧𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐨𝐨 𝐨𝐥𝐝. The group ranged from people in their twenties to some well into advanced middle age! I was the race's oldest finisher, which gave me a sense of quiet satisfaction. Never think you’re too old to start a business, learn a new skill, or embark on a huge challenge. Age is just a number. 12. 𝐓𝐫𝐮𝐞 𝐆𝐫𝐢𝐭 I was certainly not the fittest, best equipped, or most experienced of the group. The only way I was going to complete the race was through sheer tenacity and determination. I knew that if I avoided injury, I would grit my teeth and keep moving toward the finish. In life, having grit will get you anywhere you need to go. ‘Hard times create strong men. And women’ 13. 𝐀𝐩𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐦𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞. When you’re trying to sleep in a tiny tent at -18 degrees and a gale blowing outside, you tend to appreciate the small things we often take for granted. A hot drink, a warm meal, and a good night’s sleep will solve most of your ‘problems’. 14. 𝐅𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐲 𝐢𝐬 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 I couldn’t really articulate why I signed up for the Race, but I knew that deep down, I wanted to make my children proud of their Dad. When I returned and hugged them tightly, the look on their faces was worth every step I took across the ice. 15. 𝐉𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐃𝐨 𝐈𝐭 Whatever you want to achieve in life - commit to it. Your actions should drive your goals, and anything you want to achieve demands that you take action. Stop overthinking; just do it. 'An ounce of action is worth a ton of intention' 16. 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 I was never going to win the race; my goal was to finish it safely and in one piece! Social media makes it easy to compare ourselves with others who claim to be 'smashing it’! Ignore them and consider whether you’re smarter, fitter, or more experienced than you were a year ago. That person is your only competition. 17. 𝐓𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐚 𝐁𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐤 There were pit stops along the way where you could rest and refuel with food and a hot drink. They were a vital part of the journey and reminded me of the importance of taking time out to recover. Family, business, career, and life can be frenetic. Don’t forget to look after yourself and schedule your down time—it’s an essential part of a successful journey. 18. 𝐋𝐚𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐌𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐧𝐞. Despite the conditions and exhaustion, we found plenty of time for some real belly laughs. As I listened to some of my fellow Racers' exploits over the years, I learned that I'm not the only person who can tell long stories! Look for the humour in your situation and spend time with people who make you laugh. 19. 𝐊𝐞𝐞𝐩 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐄𝐲𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐫𝐢𝐳𝐞 Now and again, I stopped to think about how I would feel to cross the finish line and what it meant to me. That gave me a renewed sense of vision and purpose, and then I put my head down and ploughed on. From time to time, take a moment to reflect and think about the bigger prize. Consider your ultimate vision or goal and what it will mean to you when you get there. And finally, remember, you only live once, and you're capable of far more than you think. 𝐄𝐧𝐣𝐨𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐣𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐲...

This is one of my favorite decision making razors: The Young & Old Test

@SahilBloom Love this. A great thing for our clients to think about.

@dontdelay I thought that it had been KMs for years, even for those of us who would not be considered "younger runners". You don't run a 3.1 mile park run, or a 6.2 mile race? Definitely key to add the decimal places too 😅

Judging by the running content I see on social media from younger runners, how long before a marathon is called 42km and not 26 miles?

@AlanJLSmith Bet you’ll come back having loved it. The toughest moments will be the ones, when you look back on it, that you felt the most alive!

@AlanJLSmith At least once a year 😂. This year is Marathon des Sables for the wife’s 50th. She thought 6 marathons in 7 days across the Sahara self supported would be ace. 5 weeks out…. 😱

T-7 Days. 80 km running, 🏃🏻‍♂️cycling 🚴🏼‍♀️ , skiing ⛷️ In the Arctic Circle 🥶 Did you ever agree to do something in a moment of naive enthusiasm – and then begin to have regrets as the day got closer? 🙋🏻‍♂️ Too late to back out now… 😬 #RatRace

Amazing weekend at the @endurancelife Northumbria Ultra. Even after Mrs M left me for dead after 48k with a full body cramp to manage for the last 10k. 😝